Bale Feeders Modified For Calves
“Over the years we’ve had problems with young replacement stock – heifers and bull calves - climbing into our big bale feeders and needing help to get out. This has led to them getting hurt, and trouble for the people trying to help them. Also, timid animals got less feed than more aggressive ones and didn’t grow to their full potential. Last fall we made modifications to our feeders that solved the problem.
“We considered narrowing the feeder stanchions to keep calves from climbing through, but the stanchions aren’t wide enough to make this idea work. Also, it would have taken too much material and labor to make the idea cost effective.
“Then we figured out we could reduce the height of the stanchions by welding bars across them, just below the top of the feeder. We used 20-in. lengths of 3/8-in. rebar to do the job, welding 2 bars horizontally across each stanchion, 4 and 8 in. from the feeder’s top rail. We used 2 bars to make sure a calf could never get its head caught between the rebar and the feeder’s top rail.
“About $15 in materials and an hour of welding later, we had successfully modified the first feeder. We used a battery-powered grinder with a cutting wheel to cut the rebar and clean up any sharp points.
“Then we returned the modified feeders to our replacement lot and loaded bales into them. To everyone’s relief the young animals started eating the hay right away. The reduced height of the stanchions had no negative impact on their access to it.
“Three months later our heifers and bull calves are growing nicely, and not one heifer has climbed into the feeders.”
Contact: FARM SHOW Followup, Michael J. Thomas, 283 Withington Creek Road, Salmon, Idaho 83467 (ph 208 756-2572; Thomasranch@centurytel.net).
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Bale Feeders Modified For Calves LIVESTOCK Beef “Over the years we’ve had problems with young replacement stock – heifers and bull calves - climbing into our big bale feeders and needing help to get out This has led to them getting hurt and trouble for the people trying to help them Also timid animals got less feed than more aggressive ones and didn’t grow to their full potential Last fall we made modifications to our feeders that solved the problem “We considered narrowing the feeder stanchions to keep calves from climbing through but the stanchions aren’t wide enough to make this idea work Also it would have taken too much material and labor to make the idea cost effective “Then we figured out we could reduce the height of the stanchions by welding bars across them just below the top of the feeder We used 20-in lengths of 3/8-in rebar to do the job welding 2 bars horizontally across each stanchion 4 and 8 in from the feeder’s top rail We used 2 bars to make sure a calf could never get its head caught between the rebar and the feeder’s top rail “About $15 in materials and an hour of welding later we had successfully modified the first feeder We used a battery-powered grinder with a cutting wheel to cut the rebar and clean up any sharp points “Then we returned the modified feeders to our replacement lot and loaded bales into them To everyone’s relief the young animals started eating the hay right away The reduced height of the stanchions had no negative impact on their access to it “Three months later our heifers and bull calves are growing nicely and not one heifer has climbed into the feeders ” Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Michael J Thomas 283 Withington Creek Road Salmon Idaho 83467 ph 208 756-2572; Thomasranch@centurytel net
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