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A comparison of bale feeder types on forage waste by beef cows
Feed waste is an often underestimated or ignored cost in raising beef cattle. The impact of bale feeder type, hay ring (Ring), fence line bunk (Bunk), or a pull-type self-feeder Wagon, on hay waste was measured in two experiments utilizing Black Angus cows in their third trimester of gestation. In Exp. 1, 17 cows were permitted access to Ring or Wagon feeder over 8 72-h periods, 4 per feeder type. A large round orchard grass bale was fed whole (Ring) or processed in a vertical Patz mixer (Wagon). Feed was delivered at actual time h and waste was collected at 24, 48, and 72 h. Feed waste was considered as soiled hay that was outside the feeder. Feed remaining in the feeder at 72 h was considered refused feed. In Exp. 2, 18 cows were fed in Bunk or Wagon over 8 72-h periods, 4 per feeder type. The diet consisted of 64 % alfalfa/orchard grass hay and 36 % haylage (diet DM). Feed was processed in a Patz mixer for 20 min prior to delivery via either feeder type. Feed was adjusted daily for Bunk deliveries to be offered ad libitum with a minimum of refusals. Wagon deliveries were paired to feed amounts placed over 72 h in Bunk of the previous period. Feed waste was collected at 24, 48, and 72 h for both feeder types and forage refused at 72 h. In Exp. 1, feeding hay in Wagon reduced waste (4.0 % vs 22.3 % ± 1.67 for Wagon and Bunk, respectively). Similarly, forage DM waste in Exp. 2 was 6.2 % ± 1.73 DM while that from Bunk was 18.2 % ± 1.73 DM. Results demonstrated that placing ground hay or a combination of dry and high-moisture forage in a Wagon self-led to lower DM waste than when feeding hay in a ring or through a fence-line bunk.
Keywords: feed waste, beef cows, feeder