Stretching Available Hay Resources this Winter: Advances in hay feeder and bunk designs save cattle ranchers on wasted feed, costs and time

摘要

Drought conditions in regions throughout North America have placed a great deal of pressure on cattle ranchers and dairy farmers, particularly in regards to the cost and availability of hay this winter. In many areas they are faced with a pressing choice; either stretch existing supplies of hay or supplement with additional hay purchased on the open market at inflated prices due to the shortages. Fortunately, new and improved hay feeder and bunk designs are going a long way toward maximizing on-handstocks of hay so they can last through the winter. This includes the recent availability of square hay bale feeders (previous options were limited to smaller round bales) designed to conserve up to 33 percent of existing hay resources, new heavy steel feed bunks that are an economical alternative to plastic and concrete and even new shipping techniques designed to drive down freight costs, which are passed on to the farmer.