Suggestions for automatic feeding livestock?

[bkuhn]

Has anyone come across any relatively inexpensive and effective ways to handle automatic feeding of livestock. I'm looking for a way in the winter to be able to get away for a weekend and still have the animals fed on a regular schedule. I can easily feed Friday night, but i'd need something for a Saturday morning and evening, plus Sunday morning feed.

I've seen a few fairly expensive automatic hay feeders on the internet but these are all for a single horse (it appears) and I'd be in for 4 or 5 of them. Too expensive an option for the moment.

I'd love to hear from others who have the same issue and have come up with solutions.

Thanks all!
Brad

[Bearfootfarm]

What kind of livestock? How many? What type of feed?

[bkuhn]

Sorry, I didn't give many details. I just need a way to feed hay (2 string square bales is what I usually have) to cows and horses.

Thanks,
Brad

[AlchemyAcres]

Stockpiled pasture (foggage) or round bales...that's the cheapest way.


~Martin :)

[hilltopdude]

I agree just buy a round bale and put in the lot,
Depending on how much stock you are feeding this could last a while. And just FYI if you think you will be using 4 or more round bales in the future a bale ring is worth the money it saves in lost hay. I know of a guy that would put out enough square bales to last the weekend, he leaves the twine on them and spreads them around the pasture. The animals will pick at one bale then go to another, and then back to the first. This is just like they do on pasutre. I for one cannot stand to have those strings laying around, but as long as you pick them up it will be ok. Any way it probably will only work for a coupl of days. Also depends on the weather.

[Bearfootfarm]

With my sheep I make a feeder from cattle or hog panels large enough to hold a couple of bales. They can reach through the holes in the panels to eat, but cat get a lot out at one time, and cant climb on it and soil it. Maybe if you built a box that could hold enough bales stacked on top of each other, with a space at the bottom for the horses to feed from, the bales above would drop down as the bottom ones were eaten. Round bales would be cheaper if you have a way to move them around

[bkuhn]

Thanks for the replys. My concern with those methods would be that the animals (mainly the horses) have constant access to the feed and would overeat. Not that I mind the extra feed, but I'm concerned with them developing founder or colic. Anyone have any opinions about this?

I like the idea of the square bales with the strings still attached since it would slow the intake down, but I too hate to leave strings where they can get them (had a friend a few years ago who's horse ate a string and had to have surgery to remove it).

Thanks again for the suggestions,
Brad