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feed ring wastage.

ladycrofter

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Highland
Don't put bales on end

I tried this and they just pull big sheets off the top.

I also tried putting ratchet straps around the bale and that kept it tidy for . . . 1 day.

How does a tombstone feeder reduce waste - from looking at it I would have thought it would be even easier for them to pull through.
 

multi power

Member
Location
pembrokeshire
I tried this and they just pull big sheets off the top.

I also tried putting ratchet straps around the bale and that kept it tidy for . . . 1 day.

How does a tombstone feeder reduce waste - from looking at it I would have thought it would be even easier for them to pull through.
They don't pull heads out of tombstone feeder
 

Cowcalf

Member
think it needs to be the cow works to get her head in so does not keep pulling out as she eats, and some have floor in feeder, seen them were there is a second ring round the feeder
 

David.

Member
Mixed Farmer
Location
J11 M40
Make the feeder bigger diameter, at least 6ft for 4ft bale, so they have to reach for grub, and as MP said leave bales on flat, not on end.
 
Last edited:

aled1590

Member
Location
N.wales
Ive just accepted the waste by now, to make myself feel better i just think its cheaper to waste a bit of haylage in ringfeeder, than forking out (excuse the pun) in feed barriers and some kind of feeder on tractor. Might be wrong though! When its time to put it through the spreader... problems arise!:banghead:
 

manhill

Member
You should Google hay feeder wastage/losses. A US college did a survey on different feeder types.
I'm working on a prototype using a suspended internal cone basket that keeps the bale away from the outer ring and off the floor.
They have to reach in and can only pull a mouthful out due to the basket (hake). It's worked well but now needs strengthening as the basket wasn't designed for cows. Don't know what it was originally for. I've loaded it with long silage as well as hay and it reduces losses a lot. I have it in a 20 section feed ring.
 

Dry Rot

Member
Livestock Farmer
Horses, I'm afraid, and it is mostly problems with wind blowing hay out of the rack. I got some heavy gauge fishing net and tie that over the bale feeder. Works well. The horses pull the hay through the mesh.

Fortunately, there are net makers/fishing ports not too far away and they always have cheap off cuts.
 

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Webinar: Expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive offer 2024 -26th Sept

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On Thursday 26th September, we’re holding a webinar for farmers to go through the guidance, actions and detail for the expanded Sustainable Farming Incentive (SFI) offer. This was planned for end of May, but had to be delayed due to the general election. We apologise about that.

Farming and Countryside Programme Director, Janet Hughes will be joined by policy leads working on SFI, and colleagues from the Rural Payment Agency and Catchment Sensitive Farming.

This webinar will be...
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