A quality hay feeder is important to a cattle or horse operation. Hay feeders are abused quite frequently by the livestock feeding and the area the hay feeders are placed. During seasons of drought the cost of hay gets very expensive. Choosing the correct hay feeder can end up saving you time and money by reducing wasted hay. Below is a chart comparing the different styles of hay feeders and how much hay waste & money loss each has..
| |
TYPE OF HAY FEEDER |
| ITEM |
CONE FEEDER |
CLOSED BOTTOM |
OPEN BOTTOM |
POLY PIPE RING |
| Waste, % bale wt. |
5.3a |
13.0b |
20.5c |
21.0c |
| Total waste, lb* |
63.6a |
156b |
246c |
252c |
| Cost of waste per bale |
$3.71 |
$9.10 |
$14.35 |
$14.70 |
| Cost of wasted hay per month |
$111.30 |
$273.00 |
$430.50 |
$441.50 |
| Cost of wasted hay per season* |
$667.80 |
$1,638.00 |
$2,583.00 |
$2,646.00 |
a,b,c Means within a row with uncommon superscripts differ (P<0.05)
* Assuming $70 per 1,200 lb bale, feeding 180 bales per season |
|
Total:
