Sheep hayrack on wheels (IAE probably)

[Danllan]

I'm utterly p!ssed off with the amount of hay my ewes are wasting and am now considering wheeled hayracks.

Quite apart form the waste of feed, it's bl**dy annoying having to clear up the stuff. I've been using ring feeders because it's just easier to put a bale out for a given number of ewes for a given number of days. Years ago I stopped using the smaller vertical barred ones, instead using the slightly larger diagonally barred ones. An improvement in efficiency, but not perfect.

So this season, for an experiment with one lot, I've put a vertical barred one inside a diagonally barred one. This stops the almost inevitable 'awkward' ones from getting in and trampling and sh!tting on the feed when it gets down toward the bottom. But... there is still a lot of wastage, a little between the two rings, and a lot around the outside. It's pretty hard to accurately guess just how much is wasted, but I think 10% is a very conservative estimate. I've avoided the wheeled hayracks because of the extra work involved but, if they mean less waste, they are going to make long-term sense - I guess it's costing me about 10 bales a year as is, plus the irritation and time necessary to clear up.

So, I'll be grateful for any thoughts on how useful and efficient - or not - the wheeled ones are. I replaced my old wheeled creep feeders a while back, new = IAE, and I'm pleased enough with these and will be equally happy if the hayracks work as well.

Thanks in advance.

 

[twizzel]

The wheeled ones are great for reducing wastage but can blow over in high winds... so for that reason I’ve not used mine this winter

 

[Highland Mule]

Think it was @neilo who advised using three sections of a ring (making a sort of cloverleaf shape) rather than the standard two. I’ve done that this year and seems to be making a difference.

 

[Danllan]

The wheeled ones are great for reducing wastage but can blow over in high winds... so for that reason I’ve not used mine this winter

Windy here too this year; but our wind most always comes from the SW, I thought that just pointing them that way in relatively sheltered spots would do. Perhaps some old galv'ed bars in the bottom for ballast...

Assuming fair weather, how much hay ends up on the ground around one of these - or is it all caught in the under-tray?

Think it was @neilo who advised using three sections of a ring (making a sort of cloverleaf shape) rather than the standard two. I’ve done that this year and seems to be making a difference.

Yep, have done that before, it does mean a bit less waste around the outside, but not much. And it does mean I have to reach even more stuff from the middle and pull it to the sides for them.

The convenience of using big bales is very great; and the thought of having to cart hay around and fill up the relatively small racks (? many times a day) does put me off somewhat. If I stock a field with a number of feeders that only requires one feed a day I suspect I'll be broke... but... the amount of good feed being wasted is crazy.

I guess I'll buy one and see how I like it - if it works I'll get some more.

 

[neilo]

Yep, have done that before, it does mean a bit less waste around the outside, but not much. And it does mean I have to reach even more stuff from the middle and pull it to the sides for them.

Once they’ve cleared what they can reach from the outside, take one of the half rings out to leave 2, then they’ll clear the rest up too.

We used to winter 600 ewes on a grass field with a row of ‘Iron Duke’ wheeled hay racks and a few thousand little bales. Yes, they didn’t waste much, but what a palaver. I wouldn’t entertain the idea of going back to that system, ever!

Bear in mind that any system that reduces waste by making it harder for them to pull hay out, also restricts intakes of the cheapest part of their diet.

 

[Moors Lad]

Wheeled hay racks used to have a curved corrugated sheet for the lid - not sure anyone makes them like that now - what I`ve seen of those with the "flat" sheet lids is NOT very encouraging... (progress??) . DO NOT buy Bateman ones - we bought a couple a few years ago ; the lid fasteners were not fit for purpose right away (had to be modified) and the lids are so big that they just catch the wind and the whole thing tips over. The lids are flimsy too. Unless they`ve improved them I`d avoid - cr*p design on several counts!

 

[Danllan]

Once they’ve cleared what they can reach from the outside, take one of the half rings out to leave 2, then they’ll clear the rest up too.

We used to winter 600 ewes on a grass field with a row of ‘Iron Duke’ wheeled hay racks and a few thousand little bales. Yes, they didn’t waste much, but what a palaver. I wouldn’t entertain the idea of going back to that system, ever!

Bear in mind that any system that reduces waste by making it harder for them to pull hay out, also restricts intakes of the cheapest part of their diet.

Yes to the first bit, the second bit echoes my feelings. But the third bit... you could turn that around and write that 'any system reducing waste of the cheapest part of their diet means that it goes further and so saves you still more on outgoings.'

I can't be sure that the time spent clearing up after feeding large bales will be the same or more / less than that spent filling the hay racks. I think it's probably swings and roundabouts... that's life eh? *





*But it's better than the alternative.

 

[Whitby.2008]

We use the Neilo technique of three half rings pinned togeather. Either in fields, straw yards or sheds. Works perfectly everywhere, with hardly any wastage using chopped 4ft rounds. It also allows a large enough ring to allow bales to be dropped straight in using a muck grab. This means we hardly ever open the rings.

 

[exmoor dave]

The wheeled ones are great for reducing wastage but can blow over in high winds... so for that reason I’ve not used mine this winter

This

Either the wind takes them, or the lid rips off.

Also they don't actually hold very much hay, little bales work by far the best, but now we're on bought in big square hay, we can't fit as much hay in each feeder.

Have experimented with lining a round bale cradle type feeder, with weldmesh to feed big squares, but you need to cut the bale and load the clats in by hand for it to work.

 

[Danllan]

We use the Neilo technique of three half rings pinned togeather. Either in fields, straw yards or sheds. Works perfectly everywhere, with hardly any wastage using chopped 4ft rounds. It also allows a large enough ring to allow bales to be dropped straight in using a muck grab. This means we hardly ever open the rings.

Hmm... your post makes me think the problem may be that our bales aren't of chopped hay. I wonder...

This ☝

Either the wind takes them, or the lid rips off.

Also they don't actually hold very much hay, little bales work by far the best, but now we're on bought in big square hay, we can't fit as much hay in each feeder.

Have experimented with lining a round bale cradle type feeder, with weldmesh to feed big squares, but you need to cut the bale and load the clats in by hand for it to work.

Efficient sheep-feeding that is labour-saving too, the Holy-Grail!

 

[neilo]

Hmm... your post makes me think the problem may be that our bales aren't of chopped hay. I wonder...


Efficient sheep-feeding that is labour-saving too, the Holy-Grail!

There's nothing labour saving about wheeled racks, even with little bales, IME. I always found they struggled to get it out easily, unless you turned each 3 or 4 slab section round through 90 degrees. If I didn't do that, they'd would each as much as they could, then leave about a slab in the middle that they couldn't reach from either side.
I still have a couple, purely as they can be handy if I have 3 sheep in a paddock for some reason, but they've not been used in 5 years.

 

[Paddington]

We reckon around 25% of hay is lost by falling on the ground from hay cratches (on wheels) or hay racks on fences or gates. We use hay boxes inside so all the hay ends up in the box or sheep. Have often thought of making one on wheels for outdoors, it would need a top high enough for the sheep to get their heads in, but low enough to keep rain out. Had a few cratches blown down the field when the wind lifts the lid. The old corrugated lids are much stiffer than the IAE ones, must remember to have them in line with the prevaling wind.

 

[Scribus]

Haybells, they work a treat, very little wastage and never known to blow over -

Sheep Haybell | JFC Agri | HB02

Designed to fit over a standard round bale this product protects hay in all weather conditions and minimises wastage due to trampling and fouling.

jfcagri.com

 

[Woolless]

Would you be better off simply feeding the day's allocation of hay on the ground? Any 'wasted' hay would be spread over different parts of the field where it would be incorporated in to the soil. I certainly wouldn't be bothering tidying it up. Even if a ewe gets a dry lie on it, then it's served a purpose.

 

[Danllan]

There's nothing labour saving about wheeled racks, even with little bales, IME...

Yep, I think that's the case, just been blowing of a little steam... will see if I can get the grass chopped for baling this year, and then see how that works with the 'expanded' round feeder. See bottom...

We reckon around 25% of hay is lost by falling on the ground from hay cratches (on wheels) or hay racks on fences or gates. We use hay boxes inside so all the hay ends up in the box or sheep. Have often thought of making one on wheels for outdoors, it would need a top high enough for the sheep to get their heads in, but low enough to keep rain out. Had a few cratches blown down the field when the wind lifts the lid. The old corrugated lids are much stiffer than the IAE ones, must remember to have them in line with the prevaling wind.

25%! See bottom...

Haybells, they work a treat, very little wastage and never known to blow over -

Sheep Haybell | JFC Agri | HB02

Designed to fit over a standard round bale this product protects hay in all weather conditions and minimises wastage due to trampling and fouling.

jfcagri.com

Yeees… but I'd need to spent >£3k for a start. Looking at the pic's in the linked page, I'm not convinced there wouldn't be a lot lost.

Would you be better off simply feeding the day's allocation of hay on the ground? Any 'wasted' hay would be spread over different parts of the field where it would be incorporated in to the soil. I certainly wouldn't be bothering tidying it up. Even if a ewe gets a dry lie on it, then it's served a purpose.

I've considered that, but haven't done it yet because I'm in Wales, and sheep won't eat wet hay, much.

If I can spare the time, I'm minded to have a go at making a few different trial feeders, see which is best and go from there. There has to be a better way that those used at present, even with the improvisations suggested.

 

[Scribus]

Yep, I think that's the case, just been blowing of a little steam... will see if I can get the grass chopped for baling this year, and then see how that works with the 'expanded' round feeder. See bottom...


25%! See bottom...


Yeees… but I'd need to spent >£3k for a start. Looking at the pic's in the linked page, I'm not convinced there wouldn't be a lot lost.


I've considered that, but haven't done it yet because I'm in Wales, and sheep won't eat wet hay, much.

If I can spare the time, I'm minded to have a go at making a few different trial feeders, see which is best and go from there. There has to be a better way that those used at present, even with the improvisations suggested.

There is very little loss I can assure you, they work remarkably well. I found a price of £380 for the equine version, how many sheep have you to feed?

 

[neilo]

I have one (I wish I had more) of these, bought at a knock down price as it had been sat in a local dealer’s yard for a while:

Square Sheep Feeder c/w Adjustable Sides

Award-winning products, unrivalled experience and modern production techniques combine to deliver quality that is built to last.

iae.co.uk

Very little waste pulled from it, and they push the two sides in to clear everything up tidy. Three half rings are cheaper than what they cost now though I think.

 

[bigbmx]

If you go with an IAE make sure you attach a chain to the lid to restrict it over opening and popping all the rivets off

 

[neilo]

Another thing to bear in mind with the wheeled hay racks, is the risk of ewes getting their heads stuck.

A friend of mine told me about feeding the sheep one day, after his 75yr old Dad had fed them the day before. He found 2 dead ewes with their heads trapped under the lid of one rack. His Dad told him he’d had a job to get the lid fastened down the previous day......?

 

[Danllan]

There is very little loss I can assure you, they work remarkably well. I found a price of £380 for the equine version, how many sheep have you to feed?

I'd be feeding about 300 max, but I keep them in A & B flocks and then some other groupings. I guess the max on one feeder would be 60 to 70 which, for me - weather depending - means a bale lasts about six days. Which is very convenient.

You say little loss and mention an equine feeder, the apertures and the relatively tight fit don't indicate that to me. Have you used them with sheep? Perhaps mine are just messier eaters that most... I'm minded that my used of un-chopped hay may be a major factor; we'll see.