Bales were placed on the floor with round sides up in the first three feeders, and placed in the basket of the TR feeder with the round side facing sideways.Ībove: TR feeder. The fourth feeder (TR) suspended the round bale in an open ‘basket’ over a square platform 18 inches off the ground. A third feeder (KR) had six sides made from linked panels that the ewes could move, with no dividers. Two of the round-bale feeders were circular one had diagonal dividers (RD) and one had vertical dividers (RV). Each group of 10 ewes was subjected to each type of feeder by rotating them among the pens. Ewes in each pen were given a bale of low-quality roughage (Roughage 1) that was left in the feeder for four days, followed by a bale of high-quality roughage (Roughage 2) for the next four days.
Researchers at the Norwegian University of Life Sciences conducted two experiments to investigate the effect of feeder design, roughage type and size of round bales on feed wastage in sheep.įour indoor pens were each provided with a different type of round-bale feeder, and stocked with 10 Norwegian White ewes in early pregnancy. Many unique designs of round-bale feeders have been developed and some claim to reduce or even eliminate feed wastage. Sheep farmers who feed round bales are familiar with their convenience and also with the resulting high feed waste, even when round-bale feeders are used.
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