The Round Bale Feeder is Built!

Several weeks ago we built a much-needed round bale feeder; it has turned out to be a great addition to our infrastructure! The hay feeder’s simple design has minimal waste and all of the materials were right here on the farm!

The only changes we would make, and are trying to find an answer for, is the almost impossible question of how to let a horned cow’s head in and keep the goats out of the feeder! But until we find a solution “Queen Lucy” (the goat) has a very nice bed!

  How to build the feeder:   First we took 4, 8′ pallets, and cut a “V” in the middle of each, just so a cow could fit her head in there (but if you secure an additional 2×4 to the neck of the V just right, it will allow a cow’s head through and deter smaller animals from jumping in). Then, after reinforcing the V, we securely screwed all 4 pallets into a square where we wanted the feeder to be, (if you screwed them together first, it would be hard to move the heavy pallets to the desired spot!). Then we tightly wired the tops of two cattle panels together; making sure that no wire would poke the tarp that would be put on top.We then bowed the cattle panels into a tall arch, and secured it to the top of the pallets on either side of the pallet box; we then put a big tarp on top of the arch.

Once all is done you have a nice covered feeder whose arch is tall enough to put a round bale in with a bale spear, and careful maneuvering on a tractor!