Big Bale Buddy - does anyone use them??

JanetGeorge

JanetGeorge

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Shropshire/Worcs. borders
www.horseandhound.co.uk
I'm looking for a safer way of feeding big round bales of haylage in the field. Last year we just dumped the bales on their ends and cut out the top plastic - that didn't give us any problems but I have heard since of a horse dying of colic after eating the netting around the bales.

So I'm looking at the Big Bale Buddy - http://bigbalebuddyuk.com/default.asp

It LOOKS like it will do the job more safely - anyone tried it??
 
JanetGeorge said:
I'm looking for a safer way of feeding big round bales of haylage in the field. Last year we just dumped the bales on their ends and cut out the top plastic - that didn't give us any problems but I have heard since of a horse dying of colic after eating the netting around the bales.
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Don't know about the BaleBuddy, but I have the heebyjeebies about netting round bales - my daughter's mare died after eating some.
 
We had them at our yard last year great things keep bale protected from weather too so not wasted. Just gradually goes down as bale does , barely any mess and bottom of bale dry all lasted well and just gone out this winter
 
MrsMozart said:
Not sure I'd like it.

As the hay goes down, it will leave baggy areas. Think a bunch of yearlings would end up wrapped up in it!
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Valid point, especially with youngsters. I could just see Little Ted throwing Alice in the bag and pulling the draw string shut on her !!
 
MrsMozart said:
Not sure I'd like it.

As the hay goes down, it will leave baggy areas. Think a bunch of yearlings would end up wrapped up in it!
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I had this worry as well, not with youngsters but a cheeky welshy and his mate. They got into everything but if we tried leaving the bale in field with no "protection" the two little devils would pull and kick the bale to bits...use it as a toilet... and bed..then refuse to eat the stuff, I just couldn't afford the waste so I got the bale buddy. It was fantastic, neither of them got caught up in it and despite many attempts the never made one hole in it. Its about to come out and do its third year of winter service, should have an easier time this year though as its going in with the our girls who are less devil like with these things.
 
MrsMozart said:
As the hay goes down, it will leave baggy areas. Think a bunch of yearlings would end up wrapped up in it!
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At present the yearlings are having large square bales of haylage. I leave them wrapped and just cut a long slit in either side of the bale - and cut the strings - to slow them down. They don't have any trouble with that - the foals are the only ones who are a pain as they pick up the empty wrappers and flap them - foals think it's a great game but it does scare the mares:D - and heaven help any of my staff who happen to be riding a breaker up the drive past their field when they're doing it!
 
I'm wondering what happens when it's nearly empty and if small ponies can ever reach in comfortably. It looks quite handy for horned cattle if it's tough enough.
 
councillor said:
I had this worry as well, not with youngsters but a cheeky welshy and his mate. They got into everything but if we tried leaving the bale in field with no "protection" the two little devils would pull and kick the bale to bits...use it as a toilet... and bed..then refuse to eat the stuff, I just couldn't afford the waste so I got the bale buddy. It was fantastic, neither of them got caught up in it and despite many attempts the never made one hole in it. Its about to come out and do its third year of winter service, should have an easier time this year though as its going in with the our girls who are less devil like with these things.
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That sounds very positive! I figured if they lasted 2 years they'd have saved their cost and a bit more besides - the yearlings are currently getting through a big bale a day - so it SHOULD save one bale a week - or 20 bales by spring!! (And that would save £540!!!)
 
JanetGeorge said:
That sounds very positive! I figured if they lasted 2 years they'd have saved their cost and a bit more besides - the yearlings are currently getting through a big bale a day - so it SHOULD save one bale a week - or 20 bales by spring!! (And that would save £540!!!)
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Hi Janet, I used the Big Bale Buddy and it definitely saved on hay for my boys. It also makes a nice comfy seat!

Harvey_sitting-sm.jpg
 
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