Big Bale Feeder
Great way to feed round and square bales while reducing wasted hay. It pays for itself in 1 year!
We’ve added a 3/8" reinforcement rod above and below the feeding holes for extra support against large, pushing rams or ewes.
Note: We sell wire panels, hinges and snap clips individually. This way you can design according to your situation or need. See “Customization” section below for more information.
Not for use with cattle, horses or horned animals.
California Residents: Proposition 65 Information
Instructions/Diagrams:
Customization
How many panels, hinges and clips are needed for a round bale?
- 4 ft dia. bale:
- 5 panels, 4 connector hinges, 2 snap clips
- 5 ft dia. bale:
- 6 panels, 5 connector hinges, 2 snap clips
- 6 ft dia. bale:
- 7 panels, 6 connector hinges, 2 snap clips
Specs
Wire Panel:
- Hot-dip galvanized steel
- 48" tall x 40" long
- 4 - 8" x 12" eating holes with 1/4" reinforcement rods top and bottom
- 3/8" dia support rods (outer rods & 4 vertical internal rods)
- 1/4" dia rods elsewhere
- 4 head-holes per panel
Benefits
Big Bale Feeder—10% wastage, $297 wasted hay.
Other feeders—25% wastage, $750 wasted hay.
The $453 difference pays for a Premier Big Bale Feeder feeder—in only 1 year!
- Reinforced, double rod eating holes for pushy rams and ewes
- Folds flat—easy to store and move
- Adult sheep can’t get inside it
- More durable than feeders made with cheap farmstore wire panels
- Adapts to most round or square bale sizes
- Ships FREE via Ground service when ordering more than one panel. Most need 5–7 panels.
Shepherd’s Choice™ Management Tip
Due to weather variability during the haying season, producers may be feeding poorer quality hay during the winter months. As a result, late gestation and lactating ewes will need more protein in the grain mix. One can use soybean, dry distillers grains or corn gluten feed. The hay may also have less energy per pound—grain feeding levels may need to be increased by a half- to full-pound per day. Lastly, if your hay is mostly grass, consider feeding at least 1% limestone in the grain mix to improve calcium levels.Looking for ration advice? We can help customize a feed ration for your situation.
How to Use
1. Panels are easy to carry and store
2. Joining panels with wire hinges
3. Adding a large round bale
4. Wrap panels around bale and close with snap clips
Tip: To eliminate risk of sheep tipping over an empty feeder and thereby injuring themselves, drive a single steel post into the ground and secure 1 corner of the bale feeder to it. The post can stay in place all winter. Having noted that we rarely do this. We simply allow the sheep to tip the feeder over. Our last injury was 4 years ago—and we use 20 feeders all winter long.
Precautions
What NOT to do with Big Bale Feeders:
- Don’t use them for cattle or horses.
- Don’t use them with horned sheep or goats. We have tried this and know that they may get their heads caught and die.
- Don’t place bales on their curved (rolling) side. Bales may mushroom and collapse upon a feeding ewe.
- Don’t lift the feeder with the tractor loader. This puts unnecessary stress on the welds.
- Don’t let panels freeze to the ground.
- Don’t feed more than 40-50 ewes per feeder. Too many ewes per feeder may cause them to fight for access—which can result in poor-doing (or even dead) sheep.
Listed below are recommended optional components or related items. Your particular situation may require alternative recommendations. Please call and talk to our consultants if there are any questions at 800-282-6631.
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Wire Panels and Accessories
Wire Panel Hinge, 48" tall
Item #965401 -Provides a strong, reliable connection that is also a 360° hinge. Use to easily attach wire livestock panels and gates together.
$5.50 -
Handling Equipment
Snap Clip, Zinc Plated
Item #965405 -Use to connect wire panels and hang poultry waterers and feeders.
$2.00 -
Handling Equipment
Snap Clip, Stainless Steel
Item #965406 -Use to connect wire panels and hang poultry waterers and feeders.
$12.00 -
PortaTroughs
PortaTrough™ 3
Item #938010 -Easy to clean 3 ft livestock feeders used to provide grain, minerals, salt or water. Stackable for easy movement and storage.
$49.00 -
PortaTroughs
PortaTrough™ 5
Item #938000 -Portable 5 ft feeder withstands all weather and animal conditions. Stackable for easy movement and storage.
$86.00 -
2025 New Products
Livestock Scratching Brush, large
Item #293100 -Stiff bristled scratching post for sheep, goats, horses and cattle. Helps animals stay clean and removes irritants, like parasites.
$52.00
Write a Review
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Heather L from Wisconsin
Bale feeder works great for large sheep that agressively destroy feeders.
Michael & Sheri C from Iowa
This is the best way to feed sheep when you have to be gone. It closes in on the bale as they eat the hay. Very sturdy wire panels. Love it!
Lora C from Massachusetts
I wish I had this 10 years ago. It has made my morning chores so much better.
I have 30 dairy and fiber goats and a full time job that occasionally requires me to travel and the ONE thing I can’t hire a house sitter to do is throw hay bales. Walk the dogs, feed cats and chickens, no problem — throw 45 pound hay bales is the deal breaker.
I can load this thing up and it’s good for a solid week. I put a tarp over the top to keep the hay dry and then the house sitter just runs the hose for the water bins and feeds them treats, everything is so much easier. Plus I can schedule my hay refills for a day when I have time to move several bales and if I am sick for a couple of days or something it’s no big deal.
Elaina K from North Carolina
Big bale feeder panels hold up well for years, work especially well with spiral hinges (also from Premier 1). Not a great option for horned animals, but Premier specifically warns about the risks. Cuts way down on hay waste.
Joel C from Washington
Very sturdy construction. Much stronger than I expected. Excellent quality hot dip galvanizing. It is being used for a large flock of sheep. I have three in use now.