Every bit of hay that ends up trampled under an animal's feet instead of in its mouth is a loss that shows up in feeding costs. Part of that loss can be prevented simply by choosing the right pasture feeder, the right shape of feed barrier, and adequate protection of the feed from the weather.
What can go into a feeder
Pasture feeders are designed to give animals unobstructed, free access to feed while lifting it off the ground and protecting it from unnecessary trampling. They can hold various forms of feed, including hay and silage, small bales, concentrate feed, and round and large rectangular bales, with smaller rectangular feeders taking one round bale up to 1.80 m in diameter, and larger ones taking two bales or one large rectangular bale up to 2.5 m long.
For more aggressive feeds such as silage, it is important to protect the base of the trough with a bitumen coating, since acid and moisture would otherwise eventually damage the metal base and shorten the feeder's service life.
Alongside square feeders for large bales, round feeders made of three segments are also a widespread standard; their round shape allows several animals of different rank within the herd to feed at the same time without competing heavily for access. Such feeders can be filled from above with a front loader or by hand pushing in the bale, and with side loading the side can open fully for manual handling too.
Why the shape of the feed barrier decides the losses
One of the biggest differences between feeder models is the shape of the feed barrier, and this directly affects how much feed an animal scatters or tramples while eating. Separating feeding places means each animal uses its own space while eating, which reduces feed loss and leads to calmer feeding, since animals push against each other less.
Among the feed barrier designs, it is worth highlighting:
- A universal barrier suits all breeds of horses and cattle, including horned cattle, and offers the largest head space, with an opening height of 1.50 m.
- A protective self-locking barrier is designed for adult hornless animals and briefly holds them in place while feeding, which is useful for health checks, though it requires supervision.
- A diagonal barrier is designed specifically for hornless cattle.
- A Swedish barrier temporarily restrains animals, including horned ones, and is suitable only for adult animals.
- A swinging feed barrier is designed for lower feed losses, with a narrower feed opening width, and suits smaller bales up to 1.40 m in diameter.
The common advantage of all designs with separated feeding places is lower feed loss and calmer feeding compared with feeders without a barrier, where animals share the feed freely and scatter it more often as a result.
Roof and weather protection
Feed exposed to rain and sun loses nutritional value faster and becomes less appealing to animals, which is also an indirect loss. That is why professional square feeders and large-bale feeders generally have a height-adjustable roof that protects feed from the weather while still allowing loading from above with a front loader or by hand, without removing the roof.
For barns or pastures with greater ventilation and shade needs, a climate-roof version is also available, which, besides protection from sun and rain, provides pleasant air circulation thanks to a chimney effect, which also helps keep insects away. The climate roof can be retrofitted onto existing professional feeders, and despite the large roof area, loading feed with a front loader is still possible up to a certain height, which is worth keeping in mind when choosing a loading machine.
All the feeders described are also designed for easy relocation between pastures. Transport via a tractor's three-point linkage is limited to a maximum speed of 10 km/h, and they are supplied in parts with assembly instructions, so they can be disassembled and moved to another location when needed.
Practical tips for fewer feed losses
When choosing and setting up a hay feeder, you can further reduce losses with the following measures:
- Choose a feed barrier that matches your herd (horned or hornless cattle, horses) and the number of feeding places the animals actually need.
- For silage and other aggressive feeds, protect the base of the trough with a bitumen coating.
- Protect feed from the weather with a roof wherever possible.
- To further reduce losses on square feeders, use a hay net that holds the feed inside the trough.
- Inspect feeders regularly and make sure transport via the three-point linkage is safe, since a damaged or tilted feeder increases feed scattering.
Need advice?
PATURA is a German manufacturer of pasture feeders and feeding equipment, and Kancler Sistem Pro is its Slovenian partner for sales and installation.
You can browse every model, from smaller feeders for a single round bale to larger ones for two, on our pasture feeders page.