how to reduce hay waste

[sawfish99]

I am working on designing a new hay feeder for the goats. Right now, they get the hay out of a half blue barrel sitting in the shelter. The problem is, they pull the flakes apart looking for hte tastiest pieces and I end up with a lot of hay bedding that they won't eat.

1. I am going to try buying some different hay to see if they eat more and waste less.

2. I still want to consider different design options to make it harder for them to pull the hay apart. If you have pictures of what works for you, please post!

 

[elevan]

I think the feeder hay feeder type that incorporates a hay rack above a feeder tray seem to be best for wasted hay.

 

[sawfish99]

That's basically what I am working on designing. Right now I am planning 2 separate feeders in the shelter, each about 3' long with a catch under it. I am going to make the part that holds hay out of a piece of goat stockade panel.

 

[20kidsonhill]

I think the feeder hay feeder type that incorporates a hay rack above a feeder tray seem to be best for wasted hay.

x2

Small holes, wedge or diagonal shape design, and a tray underneath to catch falling peices.

 

[elevan]

Hey 20kids, you've got pictures of yours on here somewhere don't you?

 

[crazyland]

Any ideas of something that might work for when horses share it with the goats? Everything I think of works for one but not the other.

 

[sawfish99]

I'm not pursuing overlap between the horses and goats. My concern about sharing a feeder is if it is low enough for goats to reach, a horse could catch a leg in it.

 

[20kidsonhill]

A feeder made out of some old parts

A feeder we made from a plan: These feeders work great and don't waste any hay, as long as you have them set so they can't jump into the backs of them. You do have to scrape a little hay dirt out of the grain part before feeding grain.

 

[sawfish99]

Have any of you noticed a difference in hay consumption if the feeder is covered (in the shelter) where the hay stays dry compared to outside?

Specifically, if you have a hay feeder in both locations (inside and out) will the goats only use 1 or the other during rain?

 

[20kidsonhill]

Personally, I haven't notice a difference. Unless you give them a choice, then if it is raining they will certainly only eat the hay under the shelter. But with several goats, I find they will spread out and eat at more than one location.

this is assuming you don't have rain non-stop for 2 or 3 days. Goats don't like to stay wet. They will but they prefer not to.

Biggest thing I notice the difference with besides throwing it on the ground compared to putting it in a feeder is kind of hay, first cutting compared to 2nd cutting, Alfalfa compared to grass. Mine wont waste a bit of alfalfa. I have even fed slabs of hay in rubber tubs and haven't had much waste. But if there is a lot of stemy stuff in it they will pick through it. I normally try to put out just what they will eat in a day, or between feedings.

In these pictures I am feeding a round bale of first cutting orchard grass, There is some steamy stuff along with a fair amount of soft leafy grass. You can see they are going through it and pulling out the long stemy stuff. Now I have been feeding them way too much. So they are being picky. And I have been piling the feeder up full to the top, since it is a round bale it is harder to keep down into the feeder. So some of the does have been pulling it out over the top, which wastes even more.

Also wanted to show you this feeder we put up on the fence. With most of the holes blocked off with some light weight sidding we had left over. This feeder works pretty well. But again, I am feeding the first cutting and they are picking through it some. If I put slabs of hay from my 3rd cutting in there there wouldn't be any wasted, plus it is chopped more than the hay from a round baler.