Many people are now using our hay nets for all livestock. Although primarily used for horses, slow feed hay nets are increasing in popularity for assisting in managing livestock as well. Many parts of Australia have experienced a very dry winter and spring, therefore creating an issue of limited grass and feed availability. For many horse owners, and hobby farmers this has meant a reliance on hay far more than usual. However, livestock such as cattle, sheep, horses, donkeys, goats and alpacas aren’t known for their table manners and are quite happy to waste your expensive and precious hay, especially when it’s in a round bale or large export bale.
Pictured Above: John and Alison from Newbridge tried a GutzBusta® Round Bale Net with their cattle and sheep. Although there are other variables such as weather, time of year etc, they were happy to report that putting a GutzBusta® Slow Feeder Hay Net on their round bale made the bale last twice as long. There were 6 cows and 15 sheep with access and the bale still lasted until day 10. It was unknown if the sheep got a chance though as the cows were primarily around the bale. Although there were no problems with the cattle being caught in the net, it would be advisable to put a steel feeding ring around the outer perimeter and then the round bale with the net on the inside of this ring. This will keep the cattle and their hooves from walking on the bale as it gets eaten down.
This is where using a GutzBusta Slow Feed Hay Net comes in very handy to help you minimise the amount of hay wasted. GutzBusta’s have been used successfully with cattle, sheep, alpacas, donkey’s, goats and of course horses. Even chickens can benefit from having a slow feeder with hay in it.
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Please Note: Ears tags can be rubbed out, so take this into consideration when deciding if a hay net is suited for your cattle or livestock. We also do not recommend for livestock with horns.
Above: Alpacas eating easily from a Knotted 4cm (1 3/4") Small at the Murrumbateman Field Days.
A Goat eating from a Knotted 4cm (1 3/4") Medium GutzBusta Hay Net.
Sheep eating from a 4cm (1 3/4") GutzBusta 4x4 Round Bale Hay Net.
Testimonial:
"By using a 3cm (1 1/4") Round Bale hay net with our goats, alpaca and sheep, we have gone from using one round bale per week, to our round bale now lasting 6 weeks! These nets are fantastic!" Tegan Thiel
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Due to the ongoing drought in many parts of Australia, more people are reaching out about using hay nets for their livestock. Please keep in mind:
- If your sheep are eating hay where they will likely burrow their heads into the bale to chase seeds or more palatable sections of hay within the bale, then we recommend starting at 4cm (1 ¾”) sized holes, or perhaps 3cm (1 ¼) if the hay is REALLY palatable
More Information about GutzBusta® Hay Nets
- All GutzBusta hay nets are UV stabilised, they are tough and strong. They are created in a square mesh pattern which means that no matter how much or how little hay is inside the net, they are always easy to eat out of it, unlike diamond shaped holes that collapse down on themselves as the hay net empties.
- These nets have overlocked side stitching along the side seams to make them a tough and durable Hay Net. All nets have been designed by us and we have worked out the best sizes to suit US conditions. Developed and designed in Australia for the last 7 and thanks to customer feedback, we have produced a hay net superior to others. They are very generous in sizing with wide mouths to allow them to be easily filled.
Caution:
- Shoes: If your horse is shod then simply tie your net up a little higher if it is a smaller net. If you are using a round bale or larger size net, then put your net inside a large box, hay ring or other device that stops their feet from coming into contact with their hay net. Direct contact of shoes and nets is not recommended.
- It is not recommended to leave buckled halters or other types of buckled headgear on your horse when using ANY type of hay net as your horse may get caught.
- Similarly, do not let horned animals such as cattle, sheep or goats eat from the nets due to possible entanglement.
- Cattle or stock with ear tags are cautioned from eating from the hay nets as they may rub their head and potentially remove the ear tags.
- It's important to keep in mind that horses wearing rugs might rub against the nets. To reduce the chance of a rug clip getting caught on the netting, make sure your buckles are properly secured and not sticking out, or consider securing the hay net to limit contact between the rug and the net. If rubbing is a concern, you might want to avoid having your horse wear a rug altogether.
