Selecting the right bale feeders for horse and cattle

How can you make sure you find the most suitable hay feeders for your livestock and horses? Research, research, research! With so many different products on the market, it can be tricky to figure out which one will work best on your farm or ranch. Ultimately, you will probably only find your ideal feeder after a few rounds of trial and error, but you can narrow down your options and make your decision easier by doing some internet research and reading reviews posted by others who have already purchased the equipment you are considering.

First you”ll need to determine how large of a feeder you need and whether the feeder will be used for cattle or horses. There are a wide variety of shapes, sizes and styles available for you to choose from. The round bale feeder bins are especially popular hay feeders, the circular design easily accommodates larger bales of hay and multiple animals at a time. The feeders are available in several different heights and are made of a range of materials from resin to steel. Some round bale feeder bins can accommodate feeding nearly two dozen horses or cattle at a time.

Cattle specific feeders are often built to be extremely robust and durable to resist the abuse that is often sustained from bulls during feeding. Round bale feeders for horses are built to specifications that reduce the possibility of horses rubbing off their manes or getting stuck in the feeder if they should become spooked for any reason.

Feeders are either open bottomed or close bottomed and most are equipped with mud legs to keep it from resting on the ground. The quality of hay you choose to feed your animals and whether or not it can touch the ground are integral questions that need to be answered before any type of hay feeder is purchased.

Selecting the right feeder for your stock is an investment and should be approached with the same care and attention that would be used in making any other type of investment decisions. Selecting a quality piece of equipment can save a significant amount of money over a long period of time, as well as eliminating the need to purchase equipment more frequently than necessary.