Round Bale Feeders Worth the Investment

Feeding losses from 15 round bales fed without a hay ring or some means of limiting access would pay for a commercially available round bale feeder. 

Feeding losses occur primarily from trampling, refusal, and leaf shatter. Some feeding loss is inevitable but can vary from as little as 2% to more than 50%. A study conducted by the Alabama Agricultural Experiment Station, using equal groups of steers, found that feeding round bales enclosed in panels reduced the amount of hay fed by 36% when compared to feeding round bales without panels. If a 1200 pound round bale cost $45, wasting 36% is a loss of $16.20 per bale. Or, in other words, these round bales cost $61.20 if fed without using a feeder to limit the loss. The savings in reduced loss from 15 of these bales would pay for a round bale feeder that cost $243.00. Round bales can be fed without hay rings if unrolled, and limited to the amount the animals can eat in 2 days or less. But, if setting out more than a 2 day supply, which is an advantage of using round bales, then round bale feeders are a wise investment.
(by John Hobbs, MU Ag and Rural Development Specialist, McDonald County)

(Source: Oklahoma State U. Extension)