![]() When the snow flies and the drifts build, driving a tractor into a field with a 227 kg (500 lb) or-more bale mounted on a front-end loader can be a problem, unless you have 4-wheel drive. Feeder placementįeeders should be easily accessible year round. See the information sheet Management of Mud and Holes Around Gateways and High Density Areas on the OMAFRA website. Options include moving the feeder regularly, constructing a cement pad extending distances of 3–4.6 m (10–15 ft) around the feeder or using landscape (geotextile) cloth. When a feeder remains in the same location for most of the year, provisions should be made to improve the footing around the feeder. ![]() They quickly become soupy, muddy places in the fall and spring of the year, especially in areas with high amounts of rainfall, poor drainage and heavy clay soils. Areas around feeders are high traffic areas. They need to be well constructed and capable of withstanding the rough-housing of horses, including the rubbing of bums and necks. Disadvantages of using a feederįeeders should not be accidents waiting to happen. This is a major benefit over feeders that allow the bale to contact the ground. ![]() The inner basket keeps the hay off the ground and prevents the wicking of moisture from the ground. The removal of this compacted, wasted hay, manure and ice necessitates a major effort with a tractor with a front-end loader.Ī well-constructed feeder, such as the one shown below, reduces the waste hay to less than 10%. In addition, a huge clean-up job awaits you in the spring. Without the protection of a bale feeder, 50% of the dry matter content of bales can be lost. Hay fed on the ground is quickly contaminated with sand and parasites. Too often, a round bale is dumped into a field and, within a few days, the horses tear the bale apart, defecate and urinate on it, tramp it into the ground and use the remainder as expensive bedding. Sufficient chest height so the horses can't get a foot caught in the feeder when they paw.Ĭonsidering the substantial effort required to produce high-quality hay, an equal effort should, in turn, be made to minimize the losses from contamination and waste during the feeding process.Sufficient overall height so the horses can't reach over and pull the hay from the bale.This is achieved by using a design with an inner basket to contain the bale. Partially restricted access to the bale so there is less selection and less wastage.A smooth-surfaced, solid-bottom pan that allows rain and snow melt to drain but catches the leaves, which the horses can vacuum up.Requirements of a good round-bale feeder for horsesĪ well-made feeder should incorporate the following design characteristics: The design of round-bale feeders, meant for cattle, which can be dangerous when used with horses.See the information sheet Using and Feeding Round Bales to Horses on the OMAFRA website. ![]()
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