we use round bale feeders and they get moved to a different spot every time we put hay out...this helps with the mud and manure piling up in one place and doesnt leave bad places in the pasture come spring time...a little extra work to move them every time, but im pretty sure the cows appreciate not having to stand in mud up to their bellies (theres a guy down the road, who has a ramp built off the highway, he drives his tractor right up and drops a hay bale off into a feeder, been doing that all winter, same place, never been moved!!! his cows are sunk so deep in mud, their milk sacks get covered in mud, manure, whatever else...talk about unhealthy for his calves! and all so his tractor doesnt get dirty??? please....) anyway...we also dont feed near their water supply, so they have to walk to get water
when we put our first round bale out, we take it to the farthest location, then start working our way "in"...pending frozen or dry ground, of course
ive never had any luck unrolling one...course i live in the "hills"...so if you try to unroll one, it might end up in the next county...but another reason, never seemed to fail, when i did try to unroll them, the cows would stand right in the middle of the line...then of course do their "business" right in the good hay...and they would want to lay around in it...too much waste for me
if it seems like your cows are having to butt around to get into the hay feeder, you need another hay feeder...i use one hay feeder for 5 cows...yeah, i know there are alot more slots and you could probably figure for more than that...but in my experience, to many more than that and they start shoving each other around...
my hubs works 12 hour rotating shifts...in the winter time, on his dayturns he leaves before dark and gets home after dark, so when he's on his 4 dayturns he trys to put out enough to last till his next day off...he put out three round bales for 10 head and they will finish it up on the 4th day...they will probably have to go about 24 hours without hay, but it doesnt hurt them...ill give them a little grain to make up for it