Advantage Feeders: The leader in controlled feeding :: Advantages

the leader in controlled feeding

Product: Cattle and Sheep Grain Feeders

Feature: Adjuster Guard Benefit: Despite the adjusters being positioned in the most restricted setting, some farmers have experienced stock consuming up to 600-800grams/head/day. Stock accessing more than their allocated ration is attributed to behaviour of walking along the trough of the feeder with their tongue in the licking area (between the adjusters). Other stock in the mob are able to learn this behaviour and it can result in multiple animals in the mob over consuming. The Adjustor Guard is an attachment to the lick feeder that makes it physically impossible for the sheep to continue this behaviour. The benefits of reducing overconsumption include controlling behavioural problems of stronger sheep bullying shy feeders and nutritional problems of preg-tox, dystocia and acidosis. Other benefits include stock consuming about 25% less in the most restricted adjuster settings and as the bullying stock aren’t around the feeder as often, the smaller stock are coming to the feeder more often ensuring a more consistent ration. The Adjuster Guard is also suitable for cattle because it has 100-120mm gaps for the animals tongue to enter. The Adjuster Guard slides into modified adjuster gauges at either end of the trough, and behind the upper adjuster brace/s, making it easy to slide in and out when the feed area needs to be cleaned.
Feature: Advanced Adjustment System Benefit: The dual adjustment system gives the user superior control over the amount of feed rationed to stock. This design is unique to Advantage Feeders. Feed ratio can easily be changed while the feeder is full of grain. The method of outflow requires the sheep, lambs, cattle, calves, goats, etc. to lick the grain or pallets out of the grove between the 2 adjusters. Research has shown that the stock lick for 5-10 minutes and then graze when in a supplement situation. The licking period is limited because the livestock largely use the saliva from their tongue to get the grain out of the grove and this saliva decreases with progressive licks. Little feed actually falls in the trough, however the diagrams give an indication of how different settings can change the rationing ability. This control makes Advantage Feeders suitable for ad lib feeding but more importantly, ideal for mobs of sheep and cattle that have access to dry feed and are supplemented by grain and pellets. The dual adjustment system can be closed down to a daily 200 gram ration for sheep and 2kg for cattle.
Feature: Scale system on adjusters and Gauge tool Benefit: Advantage Feeders provide two systems which allow the user to measure the adjuster settings and control the ration. Both these systems correspond to a regulation table so the user has a guide as to how much the stock will consume. One system to measure the adjusters is by using a Gauge Tool. This is a laser cut piece of sheet metal with etchings of numbers on it. The Gauge Tool is placed in 2 areas to measure; 1) between the trough and the Upper Adjuster for feed flow height, and 2) between the Upper and Lower Adjuster for tongue access area. The Adjuster Gauge (permanently attached to the feeder) also measures these two areas through the notched areas on the part. Once these measurements are taken, they can be referred to the regulation table to set the correct ration.
Feature: Incremental Volume Scale Benefit: The volume scale allows the user to accurately record grain and pellet outflow. If the feed outflow is too fast then a slight adjustment can be made to the adjusters to slow the outflow and vice versa. This allows changes to be made to outflow sooner than later so excess grain isn't consumed, therefore feed savings can be made.
Feature: Weather protection Benefit: Weather protection is a very important feature of self feeders to reduce need for cleaning the outlets after each rain. Advantage Feeders prides itself on its weather shelter, keeping out as much rain as possible. A simple calculation can be made to compare feeders’ weather protection: a ration of the edge of the weather protection to the feed outlet in horizontal distance and vertical distance. For example, the Advantage Feeders Sheep Grain Feeder has distances of 560mm (horizontal) and 430mm (vertical). This works out to an approximate ratio of 13:10. Compare this ratio and see how Advantage Feeders measures up!
Feature: Retractable lid Benefit: The lid pivots from an off-centre position. It is very easy to maneuver. When the lid is open the feeder can be completely filled. The lid design also provided a sturdy structure so it won’t flap in the wind.

Product: Cradle Hay Feeder
Feature: Roll loading method Benefit: The Cradle Hay Feeder ends have rounded sides. This allows the feeder to be placed on the bale, tied on and then pulled back into loaded position, and no front-end-loader is required to load the feeders. This gives the farmer more flexibility in circumstances where properties are separated by distance. The feeders can also simply be loaded by rolling round bales of the sides of utilities or trailers.
Feature:Galvanized sheet bottom Benefit: The floor in the Cradle Hay Feeders prevent the majority of the hay falling through bars and onto the ground. It also makes sheep, goats and calves eat from the sides.
Feature: Positioning round rolls upright Benefit: Round bales have a natural draining ability when they are placed in an upright position. This means that the hay or silage can be in outdoor conditions for longer. This longevity is further enhanced when the top of the bales are often eaten last.

Product: Sliding Gates Hay Feeder
Feature: Sliding Gates Benefit: The hay is contained within the 2 sliding gates. As the stock consume the hay behind the gates, they push the gates in. The sliding of the gates is helped by them moving on a slight slope. This means that they will always rest against the hay and contain it behind the bars of the gates. This prevents the feed from being wasted by trampling, soiling, urine. Like the Round Bale Cradle Hay Feeders, the amount saved can vary though out the season depending on the condition of the soil (whether damp or not), the weather (how often the feed is rained upon) and the availability of feed in the paddocks (as feed may need to be contained for long periods when the season is starting).
Feature: Lifting Strap Benefit: The Sliding Gates Hay Feeders have 2 channels that are fastened under the roof. The channels are positioned corresponding to the width of the individual hay forks. This allows the feeder to be lifted over the bale by using the machine that brought the bale to the feeder. This gives the farmer a simple way of loading the feeder with bales. It should be noted that before the feeder is placed over the bale, it is best to take the gates off. After the feeder is in position, the gates can be replaced.
Feature: Removable Sliding Gates and Containment Sheet Benefit: These parts are removable so bales can be loaded into the feeder from the side. The Sliding Gate has a removable tube in each end of it. These are fastened by shaft lock pins. The Containment Sheet slides in a housing at the bottom, pivots over a shaft and has a lynch pin lock it in place.

Product: Tray Hay Feeder
Feature: Spill Trays and Tray End Benefit: The feed that the cattle, horses, etc. break off from the suspended area that doesn’t get eaten falls in the spill trays. This prevents the hay falling and being trampled into the ground. The Tray Hay Feeder Single has 2 spill trays and the Tray Hay Feeder Double has 4. There is a small gap between the Tray End Sheet and Spill Tray to allow any moisture to exit while not being large enough for feed to fall out freely.
Feature: Hay under compression Benefit: When the hay is under its own weight suspended against the bars, it makes accessing the hay harder for the stock. The effect of this is that stock are forced to take less in per mouthful which means they are less likely to spill what they have worked for on the ground.