The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: JulieWall on February 15, 2014, 09:23:33 am
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I think we have found the solution to our wasted hay problem so I'm sharing it in case it helps someone else. It's a very simple catcher underneath the hay rack, which enables us to scoop up the hay and put it back into the rack. The sheep can eat out of the catcher as well but it needs to be put back into the rack once a day or once the catcher is full it will spill onto the floor.
We've had this in place for almost a month now and the hay consumption has gone down massively. At current hay prices it's making a huge saving for us cost-wise.
Description with photos here http://theroundhouse.freeforums.org/wasted-hay-solution-t2290.html (http://theroundhouse.freeforums.org/wasted-hay-solution-t2290.html)
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Metal bought hay racks come with this sort of catcher. Our little lambs curl up in it in a row to shelter from the weather :love: The ewes still manage to spill hay beyond the catcher - obviously they have bad table manners :hungry: also it goes all over the lambs ;D
A worthwhile mod though
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The old wooden hayracks in our barn and lambing shed have a shelf underneath. The ones in the barn are around a century old!
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It's so simple I didn't think it would be a new idea, the best things have usually been done before haven't they.
I don't think lambs could climb into ours but I have seen a gimmer standing on the front of it to get higher up on the hay rack.