[Jacob-list] grate bale feeders

[Mary Ellen Hansson]

I got a couple of the grate bale feeders that I have heard people rave
about for a number of years.  These were purchased last fall and have
been used with the square bales.  There did seem to be LESS waste, but I
would say that the total waste per bale of hay was roughly 1/3 even with
this system.  Sheep pull out way more than their mouths can hold, then
they stick their heads up just like Neal discusses and chomp away,
dropping and dribbling that precious hay all over other friends/enemies
as well as the ground where they will not consider picking it up to eat
later (actually, I wouldn't want to eat off their floor either).  

Then, to make matters more interesting....One of the other selling
points with this feeder is that sheep won't stand in the hay as they
can't get a footing.  I don't know about other breeds of sheep, but my
flock has fights over who will stand and do other unmentionables in the
hay feeder----be it full or almost empty!  And then if the feeder gets
empty, the yearlings think that is the perfect basket to sleep in----and
when they get up in the morning do their business in there before
hopping neatly out.

Over all, though, at shearing time the sheep were cleaner this year than
in prior years.  In prior years, they have had hay feeders that were at
head height which led to just a tad more gawking/chomping behaviors.

Mary Ellen Hansson
ISeeSpots Farm www.iseespots.com
Jacob Sheep, Fiber, Spinning equipment,
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