Feeding bales to sheep

[Andy84]

Just wondering how is everyone feeding silage and hay to sheep in winter looking for alternatives to shop bought ring feeders I’ve had it with the flimsy pins that bend within a weeks use! What’s everyone else using?

 

[Gator]

Just wondering how is everyone feeding silage and hay to sheep in winter looking for alternatives to shop bought ring feeders I’ve had it with the flimsy pins that bend within a weeks use! What’s everyone else using?

Everyday in winter, forked out of trailer, hate ring feeders

 

[Mc115reed]

Just wondering how is everyone feeding silage and hay to sheep in winter looking for alternatives to shop bought ring feeders I’ve had it with the flimsy pins that bend within a weeks use! What’s everyone else using?

Feeding them by sending them onto winter keep couldn’t be done with trashing fields putting bales out all the time and sheep paddling in sh!t too get too them

 

[Gator]

Sometimes feed idiot bricks

Main haylage out of the trailer

 

[ShooTa]

both ring feeder and bale unrolling - depending on how i want the residues to work. idiot bricks/big square flakes for the sanitorium/ higher paddocks.

 

[TexelBen]

I get em in a headlock and ram it in their mouths.

Gotta keep those DM levels up

 

[cotswoldcs]

Tried throwing it out/ spreading on the field but found too much wastage. Still using ring feeders or rectangular ones for sheep. Hate the mess around feeders and damage they make especially with a lot of sheep in winter. I think the best design of hayrack is this:

I just wish they made one for a big 6 string bale but guess it would be too expensive! The only other discovery I made is using an IBC frame for feeding ewe lambs. We were always getting ewe lambs stuck in round/ square feeders and this has solved the problem overnight. They're cheaper as well! Sadly no good for ewes as ours get their head stuck in the squares.

 

[Woolless]

If I was at home every day, I would be tempted to calculate the ewes' dry matter requirement and unroll bales to suit. Nutrients are spread round the field and any 'wastage' will help the soil. Even if they sit on some, is that really wasted? As things stand, I mainly use the dreaded ring feeders. I have a Ritchie one and the pins are about 3/4 inch, might be worth looking at.

 

[Sheepfog]

I use a cradle feeder and unroll round bale silage into it. Used to do it by hand, now have a bale unroller

Absolutely transformed silage feeding; intakes up and wastage down. I've always unrolled bales into them, as apparently putting a whole bale in can crush/trap the sheep when it's half eaten.

 

[Valtra Man]

I use a cradle feeder and unroll round bale silage into it. Used to do it by hand, now have a bale unroller

Absolutely transformed silage feeding; intakes up and wastage down. I've always unrolled bales into them, as apparently putting a whole bale in can crush/trap the sheep when it's half eaten.

I too do the above but found as the silage was so loose they could pull too much out of the free standers so I lined the sides of the feeder with weld mesh and it works a treat.
As for the bale falling and trapping the sheep with a whole bale, one cord tied over the top from end to end stops it straight, you just have to push the top over the following day and undo the cord before you put the next one in.

 

[neilo]

Just wondering how is everyone feeding silage and hay to sheep in winter looking for alternatives to shop bought ring feeders I’ve had it with the flimsy pins that bend within a weeks use! What’s everyone else using?

If your issue is only with the pins bending, can you not just get/make some stronger pins? A 6m length of 16mm round steel is £8, which is enough to make 5 pins in about half an hour.

 

[Radio]

Just wondering how is everyone feeding silage and hay to sheep in winter looking for alternatives to shop bought ring feeders I’ve had it with the flimsy pins that bend within a weeks use! What’s everyone else using?

Instead of pins ,bolt the 2 sides together ,the holes are there. Make them easier to move as more solid.

 

[glasshouse]

I like yo feed round bales of hay in tound feeders
I leave the top half of netwrap on to cut waste

 

[Dry Rot]

What do you do with the mound of spoilt hay that builds up around the feeder? Any clever ways of lifting it and removing it?

 

[Bald n Grumpy]

We use iae square feeder 2 L shaped sections joins with pins on corners
Takes a square bale if you get them baled at about 6 ft or a round bale fits much better than in the ring feeders
Easy to move and not too much waste

 

[cotswoldcs]

We have about 6 of the IAE rectangular feeders. Find they work well for big square bales but they're just a bit too big and our ewes can't reach the very centre. I've yet to see a perfect bale feeder design!

 

[Skintagain]

When I am short on feeders I just cut three 300mm holes in a bale and there is very little left. If it heats up and spoils getting the net out is a pig.

 

[glasshouse]

What do you do with the mound of spoilt hay that builds up around the feeder? Any clever ways of lifting it and removing it?

See above

 

[spin cycle]

i just tie my ring feeders together with baler twine......cut twine and move ring to new spot so they can pick over the old...i am a born bodger though

 

[Bill dog]

Cut the twine !
My old grandpa would have shot me for such a frivolous attitude! Un tie and reuse!