Fence Line Feeder

Tennessee cattle farmers have a new, more efficient way of feeding their herds clean, dry hay. UT Extension and AgResearch have been experimenting with fence line feeders, a system that seem to work better for animals and their human caretakers.

[@Briceland107]

I basically just did the same thing this year. Cows were in belly deep mud and manure last year with how wet it was all winter. So we poured a 40x25 pad and put our 2 tire hay savers on it and I close off between them so I don’t interact with the cattle when I feed. no more opening gates, a lot less stress and safer from jumping in and out of the skid loader

[@twinbfarms]

You guys are all so positive and use constructive thinking. Maybe use this on a cement paddock- which is how the government wants you to feed cattle if you are doing bales/silage so you can collect the manure and not ruin the soil and manage nutrients... this could fit into a gate opening. How often do you guys move your round bale feeders on the pasture if you are feeding that way? That will also damage the area and manure will collect. We do grass fed beef but winter feed (hay) in the barn on concrete to collect manure and utilize in the fields, the cows still have access to pasture but feed on the barn patio. I can imagine ways this could be utilized without even watching the video. Must be some good stuff in there because there is no way our cows would be eating normal hay with all the lush grass in the pasture.

[@brettknoss486]

It should have a solid back wall. Some animals can get out through the feeder. I've also seen ramps used to hold up to three bales.

[@whatsdenniscooking6746]

I like to unroll in pasture. Yes they walk or sleep in it but with the manure and urine spread out it helps with fertilizer cost. And dont forget free reseeding.

[@lyndseyriggan7579]

Does the hay Fenceline feeder on concrete And cover work well?? Does the cover actually keep the hay Getting wet ??? Does it allow the cows to eat all the hay and have no waist???

[@rochrich1223]

Nifty. You could put another water point there in the summer as well. Get double duty out of the pad. Perhaps a gate for the quad....

[@pogojava]

Most farmers can’t afford a setup like that. Government and research can.

[@joecain2084]

Lets hope they show a video say in a year or two that shows us just how well this setup is working and the effects of all those cows walking the same path over and over, the manure they have to deal with for the cows to get to the feeder? Not to mention all that urine that will start killing more and more grass as it saturates the area..Soon it will resemble a feed lot with dirt everywhere..

[@ajfarms630]

Now that's a true statement

[@evan5262]

Realistic comment

[@zachwalker5085]

Could make something similar for very cheap. We always have panels or a broken in half bale ring somewhere

[@matthewpoteet8876]

What happens when there is wet manure a foot deep on the concrete? Are going in with a box blade and rake it? What you will find too is that the pasture near these locations will get a proliferation of thorny pig weed because of too much nitrogen from the accumulation of manure. You can put your hay rings just on the other side of the fence and lift the bale over into the ring easy enough. I think its better to mover the feeding location around constantly or you will have dead zone and erosion in the spot where the animals are allowed to constantly congregate. What is pictured will not allow equal access to hay because there are too many cows for the space. They will be fighting for spots constantly.

[@timlackey2842]

That's a good point about the manure build up, the water will run under and wick up into the hay, what a mess that would make.

[@barbgaebel2062]

Appreciate this information

[@dw9304]

what is the distance between the two post?

[@kmundwiller3936]

Im sort of from the Midwest/ south myself. But, I'm curious, do farmers in the north have that stereotypical farmer twang like the Midwestern and southern farmers/ranchers do? I'm just curious. Lol

[@walkersundstrom]

A real farmer would have put in a curb and neck rail. This is only good if you have 2 cows. If it was practical there wouldn't be a government grant tho

[@joecain2084]

Sadly they didn't use this method for a year or two to shows us the severe erosion from the cows walking up and down those slopes wearing a path to the feeder, or the accumulation of foot deep manure they will have to walk through to get to the feeder. Or the runoff from all the urine & excess nutrients killing everything that builds up year after year. Not to mention the weeds that only grow in poor compacted soil like pigweed.. No Thanks I've seen the dirt lots from cattle feeding operations that fed in same location year after year after year...

[@Loompius]

lmao is that fence held on with hose clamps???????????????? what????

[@storminnormanz]

climate change grants? whats the government gonna come up with next

[@whatthehellol1610]

The world is coming to a end, and no mass suicides.

[@spreader4]

Clever

[@trevordodd7547]

Its fine until you get a calf to go thru the feeder 😂

[@michaelmichael7256]

hmmm... Bad idea

[@JWBrown-os1ux]

I hate to jump in on how dumb this is, but they need to get some real farmers to look over their ideas before they put them out in public. I like the idea of the concrete with the shed, but I don't see how it could be cost efficient.

[@romanaangersbach1176]

Woodprix is a good solution for every woodworker.

[@dieselbourbon3728]

Climate change. That's funny.

[@romaineathey3663]

Woodprix is nice for that.

[@chrisspelic4689]

Blame as much as you can on climate change….