I am getting my first round bale in a week or so. Just looking for some people's experiences. I have only two horses. Will a bale last me a week? I was planning to unroll the bale as they eat because I don't like the idea of them sticking their noses into the bale or eating high, rather than from the ground. Or d'you think I should leave the bale outside of the paddock and just bring in what they need daily?
I just put the round bale out in the lot in a round bale horse feeder cut the strings off and let them have at it. One 1400lb round bale feeds my 4 horses about 10 days.
You can just cut the strings and peel off layers as needed. If you do that put a tarp over it to keep the weather off if it.
Depending on how old the bale is the first few inches of the out side will be weathered but edible. The bottom is usually nasty, I dump it in my manure pile once the bale is down to nothing
Edit: if you are putting the bale someplace that you want grass to grow later on put it on some old tire, a pallet or anything that will keep it up off the ground. If you set it right on a grass area, you will end up with a bare spot in the grass. We buy all our bales in the summer and store them all winter so we put them all on pallets to keep the bottoms from going too bad.
I don't have or intend to get a feeder so this hay would just be loose on the ground. I keep hearing from people how they feel a lot of hay is wasted unless you have a feeder or a bale buddy. Is there anyone out there who just has a round bale in the paddock that they unroll? I may just leave the bale out of the field and take in what they need daily to prevent waste... I guess it might be trial and error.
I have cut the strings and just put it in the pasture and they do waste alot!
I've also forked over hay and thay was way more effective!
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