In the old days, haying was a labor-intensive business of hand mowing, raking, and stacking. Since the 1930s, the process has become more and more mechanized. Today, farmers can make huge round bales weighing from 600 to 3000 pounds, which feed many animals on a free choice basis. However, this system has some drawbacks, which are solved by using a round bale hay net.
Grazing is the natural way for cattle, horses, and sheep to get their food. Goats prefer to nibble on bushes and trees but can make do with grass if that's all there is. Many animals have pasture year-round, but others may never feed outside a paddock or a stall. These animals will need hay in bale or pellet form year round.
In areas where winters are cold, pasture grasses go dormant and are often buried in ice and snow. The grazers need forage, which can supply all needed nutrients for animals not in heavy work or production. Dairy cows, beef cattle fattening for market, breeding stock, and horses under heavy training or work can have their forage supplemented with grain.
These animals actually have to have forage to be healthy. Their stomachs need the roughage and are not really designed for heavy grain consumption. That means that almost every animal owner will be feeding hay at least part of the time. This is most easily done with large bales that the animals have access twenty-four seven.
Big round bales of hay make feeding animals less labor-intensive, which is important these days when labor can be the greatest cost of raising animals. However, animals with free-choice baled hay may eat more than they need for daily nutrition or desired weight gain. Unlimited hay may be all right for beef cattle, but higher than necessary consumption reduces the profit margin. Horses will get too fat on an all-they-can-eat program.
Another economic factor to feeding large bales is waste. Animals routinely bite off more than they can chew, dropping the excess to be trampled underfoot. Animals will also lie on it and defecate on it. The cost of hay makes it expensive bedding. Waste can range from 25 to 80% of the bale, especially in wet climates.
Putting the bale into a net helps solve most of the problems owners face when feeding forage outside. Having to nibble through openings in a mesh slows animals down, which means that they will have more trouble over-eating. The mesh also makes animals take smaller mouthfuls of hay, which they eat rather than dropping on the ground. This can cut waste to as little as 5% - a significant savings.
This satiety will cause the animal to take a break from eating, which is more natural than gobbling as much as it can. When grazing, animals move around and eat a little here and a little there. All together, using a net means that hay can be available at all times, but the animals will eat less and waste less. This keeps the costs down and helps prevent too much weight gain in horses.
Grazing is the natural way for cattle, horses, and sheep to get their food. Goats prefer to nibble on bushes and trees but can make do with grass if that's all there is. Many animals have pasture year-round, but others may never feed outside a paddock or a stall. These animals will need hay in bale or pellet form year round.
In areas where winters are cold, pasture grasses go dormant and are often buried in ice and snow. The grazers need forage, which can supply all needed nutrients for animals not in heavy work or production. Dairy cows, beef cattle fattening for market, breeding stock, and horses under heavy training or work can have their forage supplemented with grain.
These animals actually have to have forage to be healthy. Their stomachs need the roughage and are not really designed for heavy grain consumption. That means that almost every animal owner will be feeding hay at least part of the time. This is most easily done with large bales that the animals have access twenty-four seven.
Big round bales of hay make feeding animals less labor-intensive, which is important these days when labor can be the greatest cost of raising animals. However, animals with free-choice baled hay may eat more than they need for daily nutrition or desired weight gain. Unlimited hay may be all right for beef cattle, but higher than necessary consumption reduces the profit margin. Horses will get too fat on an all-they-can-eat program.
Another economic factor to feeding large bales is waste. Animals routinely bite off more than they can chew, dropping the excess to be trampled underfoot. Animals will also lie on it and defecate on it. The cost of hay makes it expensive bedding. Waste can range from 25 to 80% of the bale, especially in wet climates.
Putting the bale into a net helps solve most of the problems owners face when feeding forage outside. Having to nibble through openings in a mesh slows animals down, which means that they will have more trouble over-eating. The mesh also makes animals take smaller mouthfuls of hay, which they eat rather than dropping on the ground. This can cut waste to as little as 5% - a significant savings.
This satiety will cause the animal to take a break from eating, which is more natural than gobbling as much as it can. When grazing, animals move around and eat a little here and a little there. All together, using a net means that hay can be available at all times, but the animals will eat less and waste less. This keeps the costs down and helps prevent too much weight gain in horses.
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