Effect of bale feeder and forage on hay waste, disappearance, and sorting1

Three feeders and 2 forage types were used in a 3 × 2 factorial treatment arrangement within a Latin-square design to evaluate forage feeding waste. A total of 48 spring-calving, gestating cows were stratified by age, BW, and BCS into 6 replicate pens with 8 cows per pen. Bale feeders evaluated were open ring with slanted feeding stations (OFD), sheeted lower section with slanted feeding stations and tapered sides (TFD), and sheeted lower and upper sections with straight feeding stations and a chain cone (CFD). Forages were alfalfa (Medicago sativa L.) haylage (AH) or tall fescue (Festuca arundinacea Schreb.) hay (FH). A forage × feeder type interaction (P < 0.05) was observed for percentage of bale wasted, where FH OFD was greatest (19.2%), FH TFD was intermediate (13.6%), and FH CFD (8.9%) was least (P < 0.05); however, FH CFD was not different (P > 0.10) from AH OFD (7.0%) or AH CFD (6.5%) but was greater than AH TFD (4.9%; P < 0.05). A feeder × forage × day interaction (P < 0.01) was observed for waste per day bale was offered. No difference (P > 0.10) was observed for percentage AH waste due to day or feeder. Fescue-hay waste was least (P < 0.01) in CFD at 24 and 48 h compared with OFD and TFD. At 96 h, TFD wasted the least (P < 0.05) for FH compared with CFD and OFD. The CFD feeder with lower-section sheeting reduced FH waste, whereas AH waste was not influenced by feeder design.