Tag Archives: hay feeding

Information about hay feeding for horses, cattle and other livestock from Klene Pipe Structures, creator of the Hay Saver Hay Feeder.

livestock hay feeder

Hay Saver Hay Feeders for Livestock

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Providing livestock with high-quality hay is essential for their overall health and productivity. The way you offer hay to your animals can greatly impact their nutrition, amount of hay wastage, and feeding efficiency. Learn about the benefits of using hay saver hay feeders for livestock and how they can improve the way you manage your herd’s nutrition.

Minimizing Hay Waste

Traditional hay feeding methods often result in significant hay waste, leading to increased costs and even an environmental impact. Hay saver hay feeders are designed to minimize this hay waste by providing a controlled feeding environment that helps to prevent hay from scattering. These hay feeders feature barriers that slow down hay consumption and prevent animals from trampling or ruining the hay if it falls to the ground. By reducing hay waste, you can save money on hay expenses and ensure your livestock receive the maximum nutritional value from each hay bale.

Improving Nutritional Intake for Your Herd

Proper nutrition is crucial for livestock health, growth, and production. With hay saver hay feeders, animals have access to a steady supply of fresh, uncontaminated hay. This not only prevents the consumption of moldy or spoiled hay but also ensures each animal gets a fair share of the feed. As a result, livestock receive consistent nutrition, leading to improved body condition, reproductive performance, and overall well-being.

Enhancing Hygiene and Health for Your Herd

Livestock feeding areas can be breeding grounds for bacteria and parasites when hay is left exposed to dirt and moisture. Hay saver hay feeders have raised platforms that protect the hay from ground contact. In addition, a slanted roof can easily be added to protect from adverse weather conditions. This promotes better hygiene and reduces the risk of disease transmission, ultimately leading to healthier livestock.

From minimizing hay waste and improving nutritional intake to saving time and money, hay saver hay feeders can transform the way you manage your herd’s feeding routine. Not only will you see improvements in livestock health and productivity, but you will likely have reduced expenses and greater operational efficiency.

round hay bale

Square Hay Bales vs. Round Hay Bales

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The choice between square hay bales and round hay bales for feeding your horses depends on a variety of factors, including your specific needs and preferences. Here are some considerations for both types:

Square Hay Bales:

Handling and Storage: Square hay bales are typically smaller and more manageable in size and weight compared to round bales. They are easier to handle, stack, and transport manually, making them a good option for smaller operations or when mechanized equipment is not available.

Portion Control: Square bales allow for better portion control, especially if you need to limit hay intake for individual horses. It is easier to measure and distribute specific amounts of hay with square bales.

Reduced Hay Waste: Square bales often result in less hay waste compared to round bales. The rectangular shape and uniform size make it easier to control access and reduce trampling and spoilage.

Versatility: Square hay bales can be fed in a variety of hay feeders, including square bale feeders, racks, or simply placed on the ground. They also work well in certain feeding systems, such as stanchions or feeding stations.

Round Hay Bales:

Cost Efficiency: Round hay bales are generally more cost-effective, especially when feeding larger numbers of horses. They require less labor and time during the baling process, and mechanized equipment, such as round balers and bale wrappers, can be used to improve efficiency.

Weather Resistance: Round hay bales have better natural shedding capabilities due to their shape, which can help shed rainwater and reduce spoilage. This can be beneficial if you have limited storage options or live in areas with frequent rainfall.

Feeding Efficiency: Round hay bales can be rolled or unrolled in feeding areas, providing a continuous source of hay for animals. This reduces the need for frequent refilling and can be advantageous in situations where animals have constant access to hay.

Durability: Round hay bales are typically more durable and can withstand outdoor storage for longer periods if they are protected from direct ground contact and moisture.

When deciding between square and round hay bales, it’s important to consider your available equipment, storage space, feeding system, livestock size, and local climate. You may also want to consult with local farmers or agricultural experts for advice based on your specific circumstances. Klene Pipe’s Hay Saver Horse Hay Feeders can accommodate both square and round hay bales.

Keep your horses healthy and well-fed throughout the winter. Give us a call today to learn more about our quality hay feeders for horses!

horse eating hay over the winter

Horse Feeding Over the Winter: Use the Right Hay Feeders!

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No matter the season, you should always be focusing on doing all you can to keep your horses happy, healthy, and well-fed. But this is especially true during those frigid winter months.

The changes in weather can impact how you feed your horses hay, how much you should be feeding, and how often you feed them.

Energize your horses with hay

Hay is the primary energy source and calorie source for horses and since the winter limits the amount of pasture grass available to horses, you’ll need to supplement a lot more calories in the form of hay.

And not just any hay. You need quality hay. Hay offers higher protein stability, stimulates salivation, promotes digestion, and provides horses with all the necessary nutrients. Because of these benefits of quality hay, it also has a great warming effect on horses.

To properly energize your horses, start by feeding between 1.5% and 2.5% of your horse’s total body weight per day in hay. If your horse is 1,100 pounds, start by feeding between 16.5 and 27.5 pounds of hay each day.

It’s crucial to monitor severe weather changes during these winter months, including 10-degree temperature drops and high wind speeds. Each will require an additional intake of between 2 to 8 pounds of hay per day to meet your horse’s increased energy requirements.

But what about storing all this hay? You don’t want to waste a lot of the extra hay you’ll be providing, so you need to make sure it’s being held in quality hay feeders.

Hay feeders for horses

Make sure you’re using the best kind of hay feeders year-round. The highest quality products, including round bale feeders and square bale feeders, allow for easy access, minimize hay waste, and slow down feeding time, which helps your horses properly digest hay.

Round bale feeders are great options due to their lower cost and overall convenience. Plus, these hay feeders allow you to always keep your hay available, which is important because you should be feeding your horses hay at least three times a day over the winter.

Finally, especially during rough winter conditions, make sure you’re keeping your square or round bale feeder sheltered. Not only do horses need to stay warm to maintain their internal temperatures, but your hay feeders also need to be protected from the elements, as well. To prevent mildew and mold spores from building up, use quality tarps specifically designed to store hay to cover your round bale feeders.  

Keep your horses healthy and well-fed throughout the winter. Give us a call today to learn more about our quality hay feeders for horses!

horse hay feeder

Get the Most Out of Your Large Hay Bales

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Now more than ever with inflation and prices rising it’s important to conserve as much hay as possible. Large hay bales are often a good choice when looking to save on your hay costs if you have the equipment and storage to keep them. When feeding your horses outdoors you will want to make sure to use a hay feeder that will contain your hay as much as possible.

Why Use Large Hay Bales

For bigger farm operations, larger hay bales are often the most economical choice as they feed more at a lower cost. They also have an advantage over smaller because they ferment naturally keeping mold and rot from impacting the hay; therefore, you can keep them for longer. In addition, using a larger hay bale can be used to feed more horses at one time, making them more efficient for feeding.

Round or Square Hay Bales?

There is a difference between large round and square hay bales. Square hay bales tend to have a higher density than round. Square bales are also easier to carry so require less manpower. They also store more effortlessly as they can be stacked without any issues of rolling.

Round hay bales, however, typically tend to be less expensive as they are more highly produced. In addition, because of their size, round hay bales can provide more protection from the elements, helping to keep them fresh for longer. Both round or square large hay bales have the advantage of saving you time and money.

Klene Pipe’s big bale hay feeder, the H-8 Horse Hay Feeder can hold either large square or round hay bales and are designed to help keep your large hay bales in place to avoid loss of hay. Our no-waste hay feeders prevent hay from scattering and blowing, saving you time and money.

helping a horse eat

Your Horse Won’t Eat? Try These 4 Tips

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You’ve tried everything. You’ve tried adding some molasses for a little flavoring, you got rid of all the moldy hay, and you’ve even pretended to eat the hay right in front of them. But your horse just won’t eat! 

This is a serious issue. Your horse needs to eat and relies on those essential nutrients – protein, vitamins, and minerals – within the forage. Luckily, there are a few things you can do that we’ve had success with in the past. 

Here are some helpful tips to get your horse to feed again: 

First, try to identify why your horse isn’t eating

This could be tricky, but take a step back and really think about what and how you’re feeding your horse. Maybe the hay is stale or too salty, which could cause a horse to stop eating. Or maybe you’ve been putting new medications like Bute into the feed. Your horse might want to avoid eating if that’s the case. 

There are a variety of reasons why your horse won’t eat. But if you can, determining the root cause of the issue, rather than just trying to force them to eat, is a great way to start. 

Utilize quality square or round bale feeders 

If you’re using lesser quality hay feeders, there could be some serious issues that arise. An effective round bale feeder will allow your horse to eat freely, at their own pace. Other hay feeders, however, can lead to overeating, bloating, vomiting, and other problems – all of which could subsequently lead to your horse wanting to avoid eating again. 

Look at your horse’s teeth

Dental issues can affect your horse’s ability to eat. Certain problems could cause hooks, waves, and other malformations that inhibit chewing. Additionally, broken or infected teeth can be so painful, your horse won’t want to chew anything. Warning signs of serious dental issues, in addition to loss of appetite, include aggressive behavior, introverted gaze, and self-mutilation. Keep an eye out for these signs and have a vet take a look at your horse’s teeth if you think that’s the issue. 

Beware of any changes to your horse’s environment 

Your horse might avoid eating if they are stressed, nervous, or anxious. Think about any major changes or circumstances that have happened recently. The loss of a stablemate, major weather changes, or the addition of a new stablemate could all cause some stressful problems and result in a lack of eating. 

You’re doing everything you can to help your horse get back to eating healthy. Sometimes, just slowing down and thinking about the problem can help you find a solution. If you need quality round or square bale feeders, give us a call today!