Feeding hay in field

M

millmo

Well-Known Member
Joined
17 May 2014
Messages
80
Location
Wisbech, cambridgeshire
Visit site
During winter we place large round bales of hay in the fields. The three in one field will eat every scrap of it but Harriet Mai who is in a field on her own won't eat it once its been on the floor, resulting in a lot of wastage. Has anyone got any ideas (the cheaper the better) on how to feed it without the waste.
 
You can use a hay hutch or a round bale holder to keep the mess contained - but some of it will always touch the floor. I don;t think you can avoid that. If she is alone perhaps feed from haynets secured to fencing? You might loose less that way? I've always really resenting the waste of hay from round bales fed in the fields. I try to avoid that for my lot preferring to bring in and feed hay in stables. But I know that isn't an option for everyone!
 
I find that when I have several horses eating hay, they are more competitive and greedy and there is less likely to be any left. Perhaps she just isnt that hungry - do you have to put a whole bale out if she is on her own? Maybe just put out what she needs every day? I got the farmer to deliver some large bales to my field but I couldnt bear the waste, so I put the bale just out of reach in the corner and kept it covered with tarpaulin and only fed what they seemed to need every day.
 
Four pallets, tied together with baler twine. Ours always liked using large bales to pee and sleep in, rather than eating. This fixed it and is easy to move around.
Heath Robinson is my middle name!
 
I feed hay from wooden compost boxes - the type that slot together so there are no nails. Cost about £30 per box. Hold quite a lot of hay stuffed in & no waste!
 
I got this tip of a friend - in the winter in the paddock I put my hay inside a tub and put a larger tub over the top so its kept dry if it rains during the night.I taught my mare to knock the tubs over with her nose when she goes into the paddock in the morning and she has got it down to a fine art.
 
I've fed hay in tractor tyres quiet successfully in the past - you could try stacking one on top of the other with a big bit of rubber matting as a base?
 
You must log in or register to reply here.
Top