Covered Fenceline Bale Feeder

Covered Fenceline Bale Feeder BALE HANDLING Bale Handling 31B Tom De Clerck Pana Ill says his cattle do a lot better since he built a covered round bale feeder that looks like an unfinished building with 3 open sides In the past a big round bale would last about four days Now with the cover it ll last about a week There s a 4-in high raised floor under the feeder that helps keep the hay dry underneath says De Clerck The bale feeder measures 7 ft sq and sets on a concrete floor in De Clerck s cattle pen The cover over the feeder is built from sheet metal and has a pitched roof with gutters directing rainwater outside the pen The cover hangs 7 ft over two sides of the feeder and 3 ft in the middle The fourth side of the cover is a sheet metal wall that forms part of the pen s fence A rolling hand-operated fiberglass garage door in the wall is opened to load bales into the feeder It keeps the hay dry as well as the animals says De Clerck It really cuts down on hay waste because the hay doesn t get wet like it would sitting out in the open I built it from used lumber that I already had and from new sheet metal If I could do it over I d lengthen the 3-ft hangover to provide even more protection I attached a big sheet of yard fabric above that side of the feeder which also helps keep out rain and snow Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Tom De Clerck 462 N 2300 E Rd Pana Ill 62557 ph 217 825-7127

To read the rest of this story, download this issue below or click here to register with your account number.