Cattle feeders come in all shapes and sizes to meet your farming needs. Whether you’re a small farmer with 50 to 100 cattle, or a farmer operating on a much larger scale, you can find a cattle feeder to make feeding your herd a much easier task.
1. Automatic feeding
Cattle feeders remove the need for you to manually feed your animals. When there’s so much else to be done on the farm, this can make your daily routine a lot easier. Most feeders work by dispensing a limited amount of food to the cattle as they eat. Feeders can also store significant quantities of feed, such as oats, allowing you to get on with other tasks. Depending on the type of feeder you choose to buy, it may hold anything from 2 tons to 15 tons of animal feed.
2. Troughs
A common type of cattle feeder is a trough with an automatic feed dispenser. If you use this system, the feed will be transferred from the storage area to the trough for the cattle to eat. Some feeders use censors to identify when your cows approach the trough to eat, while others will dispense a fixed amount of feed per day into the trough. The trough allows large numbers of cattle to eat at the same time. Additionally, you’ll find it relatively easy to keep the trough clean by removing old food and debris.
3. Managing what your cattle eat
You might want to manage the amount your cattle eat depending on the time of year or type of cattle you keep. Cattle feeders allow you to do this by controlling the amount of feed that’s released to your animals. Some feeders also have displays that help you monitor the amount of feed eaten by your livestock in the course of a day or week. This means you can plan more accurately how much feed you’ll need to buy.
4. Strong construction
Your cattle feeder will likely be exposed to the weather outdoors. Additionally, it needs to be able to withstand daily use by large numbers of cattle. That’s why cattle feeders are built with high quality, sturdy material.
Typically, this may include galvanized steel or other durable materials. Many feeders will also come with a warranty, meaning that you can have it repaired or replaced by the manufacturer if something goes wrong within a set period of time, such as one year or three years.
5. Finding the right feeder for your needs
Before you spend money on buying a feeder, you should take the time to research your options. You can either look at various online suppliers to get an idea of the different types of feeders on the market or visit a local supplier’s showroom to examine their feeders more closely. You’ll need to consider a number of factors before finalizing your purchase. These may include the number of cattle you need to feed, the type of feed you use, and how much you can afford to spend on a cattle feeder.
6. Transporting feeders
Since cattle feeders vary in size and construction type, you’ll need to decide based on your own situation how best to transport your feeder. Some feeders are designed to be portable, allowing you to tow them behind a tractor. Alternatively, some small feeders may fit in the back of a truck or on a trailer. However, you may need to make special arrangements for transporting a larger feeder from the store to your farm.
For example, this could include using a truck or trailer capable of carrying extra heavy or large loads. You should also check with the supplier to find out whether they can deliver the feeder to your farm.
