Feeding waste is the quiet hay leak on most operations. You did everything right — baled dry, wrapped tight, stored it off the ground — and then a third of the bale gets pulled out, trampled, bedded on, and manured. With hay prices where they are, the feeder and the feeding routine are where you win that hay back. The cattle producers in the forums are clear about what moves the needle: a feeder that catches hay, and the simple habit of pushing the bale forward as it's eaten.
Quick answer: Most round bale feeding waste comes from hay pulled out and trampled. Cut it by feeding inside a feeder with a solid skirt or sheeted bottom (so dropped hay falls back in instead of on the ground), pushing or rolling the bale forward every time you feed so cattle clean up the loose hay, and feeding only what the herd will eat in a couple of days. Beware "hay saver" designs with a floor so high that loose hay drops outside the ring — some waste as much as a plain ring. And keep storage waste down too: net-wrapped bales kept off the ground and stripped of net at feeding start with less spoilage to lose.
First principle: a feeder that catches hay
The biggest single variable is whether dropped hay falls back into the feeder or onto the ground. Producers who've gotten waste near zero point to skirted or sheeted designs. The advice the moment someone asks what to buy:
"I'd shop for one with a skirt. Whether it supports the bale or just surrounds it, I'll leave that for others to debate."
— Red Paint, Brandon, MS · AgTalk thread 1078576
A skirt or solid lower panel is what keeps the hay a cow pulls loose from hitting the dirt. One Canadian producer running that style reported essentially no waste:
"With the Ranchers Welding style feeder and half-decent feed, my waste is basically zero. I give them a push every time I feed to get an even manure spread."
— joethefarmer75, MB, Canada · AgTalk thread 1036829
Note he names two things in one sentence: the skirted feeder and giving the bale a push every feeding. That combination is the whole game.
The habit that costs nothing: push the bale forward
You don't have to buy anything to start saving hay. Rolling the feeder or pushing the bale forward as it's eaten keeps the cattle working a fresh face and cleaning up what's dropped, instead of standing back and pulling:
"I have the same feeder. It doesn't waste much at all, my favorite thing is I roll it forward everytime I feed a new bale. They are built very strong. I just flip it over to clean it out."
— wayneNWAR, NC Iowa · AgTalk thread 1036829
It's the cheapest waste-reduction tool you have, and it does double duty by spreading manure more evenly.
Watch out for "hay saver" feeders that don't
Not every feeder marketed as hay-saving actually saves hay. The failure mode is a floor set so high that loose hay falls out of the ring instead of being caught — and cattle backing up drop it on the ground. One producer with 15 years on that style was blunt:
"I have had a feeder like that for 15 years and I think they waste as much or more out of it then traditional hay rings. The floor is so high no place to catch loose hay. They back up and drop a bunch on the ground. It's ability to be easily moved is nice but is a lot of work to clean out."
— Schram Cattle Co, NE Iowa · AgTalk thread 1036829
The takeaway isn't "avoid elevated feeders" — it's that the design has to actually catch the loose hay. A high floor with open sides at the bottom is the worst of both worlds. Look for a solid skirt close to the ground.
Durability is part of efficiency
A feeder that rots out or cracks doesn't save hay for long. The most common complaints are bottoms that rust away and cone-style feeders that break where the cone meets the ring when a heavy or wet bale is set in wrong:
"Located in northern il and need to get some new round bale feeder, all seem to either rot out on bottom or the red ones with a cone shape if wet bale not put in perfect seem to break where cone meets bottom ring. What is best feeders out there and can be placed on dirt?"
— Tomcat, northern IL · AgTalk thread 1014609
Producers in that thread landed on a few durable answers — heavy poly-pipe rings that don't rust, and skirted "hay saver" frames:
"J&L hay savers are the best I've found here. I would buy a few more if I could find them local. I believe they are made in Pennsylvania."
— Doug61 · AgTalk thread 1014609
The point that ties the thread together came from the producer who started the efficiency discussion: with high hay prices, the feeder is an investment in getting more of every bale into the cow.
"Given hay prices and everything else, I think I want to improve the efficiency of feeding round hay bales... Do those feeders that hold the bale in the air and let the cattle pick off the bottom increase the efficiency enough to justify their cost?"
— DieselDennis, Nebraska · AgTalk thread 1078576
The consensus answer: yes, a good skirted or hay-saver feeder pays for itself in saved hay — but only the designs that genuinely catch the loose hay.
Feed the right amount, and start with a good bale
Two more levers sit outside the feeder. First, don't put out more than the herd cleans up in a couple of days — hay that sits gets bedded on and fouled. Second, waste starts before feeding: a loose or weather-spoiled bale loses hay the moment you move it. A tight, well-shaped, net-wrapped bale that was stored off the ground simply has less to lose. Dial in your bale density and wrap count per bale, store bales off wet ground (see net-wrapped bale storage outside), and bale at the right moisture so you're not feeding a moldy outer shell the cattle refuse.
And always pull the net before feeding — it's not feed, and leaving it risks the herd. See how to remove net wrap safely.
Round bale feeding waste — what helps
| Lever | Effect on waste | Notes |
|---|---|---|
| Skirted / sheeted-bottom feeder | Large | Catches pulled hay before it hits the ground |
| Push/roll bale forward each feeding | Moderate, free | Cattle clean up loose hay; spreads manure |
| Avoid high-floor "hay savers" with open bottoms | Prevents a step backward | High floor + open sides drops hay outside |
| Feed only a 1–2 day supply | Moderate | Less hay sitting to be fouled and bedded on |
| Start with a tight, unspoiled bale | Moderate | Loose/moldy bales lose hay before the cow eats |
| Remove all net before feeding | Safety + cleanliness | Net is not feed; pack it out |
Where XES fits
Less feeding waste starts at the baler. A consistent, tightly net-wrapped bale holds its shape through storage and handling, so you're not feeding a slumped, weather-beaten bale that sheds hay before it reaches the feeder. Our net wrap is DLG-tested (Report #7439) and UV-rated 12 months (tested to ISO 4892-2), so bales stored outside stay tight and shed weather. Compare widths and lengths on the net wrap product page.
The bottom line
You can cut round bale feeding waste without spending a dime by pushing the bale forward every time you feed — and you can cut it a lot more by feeding inside a skirted feeder that catches the hay cattle pull loose. Skip the "hay saver" designs whose floors sit so high the loose hay drops outside the ring. Feed only what the herd cleans up in a day or two, start with a tight unspoiled bale, and always pull the net. Do that and you'll get noticeably more of every expensive bale into the cow instead of into the mud.
Frequently asked questions
How much hay is wasted feeding round bales?
It varies widely with the feeding method — feeding on open ground with no feeder wastes the most, while a good skirted feeder plus pushing the bale forward can get waste close to zero. Producers consistently report that the feeder design and the habit of moving the bale forward as it's eaten make the biggest difference.
What kind of round bale feeder wastes the least hay?
Feeders with a solid skirt or sheeted lower panel that catches hay before it hits the ground. Producers report "basically zero" waste with skirted designs like welded hay-saver frames. Avoid elevated feeders with a floor set so high that loose hay drops out the open bottom — some of those waste as much as a plain ring.
Does pushing the bale forward really reduce waste?
Yes, and it's free. Rolling the feeder or pushing the bale ahead as it's eaten keeps cattle working a fresh face and cleaning up the hay that's already been pulled loose, instead of standing back and pulling more. Producers also like that it spreads manure more evenly.
Are "hay saver" feeders worth the money?
The good ones are — with hay prices high, a skirted hay-saver feeder pays for itself in saved hay. But the label doesn't guarantee performance: a feeder has to actually catch the loose hay. A high floor with open sides at the bottom can waste as much as a traditional ring, so look for a solid skirt close to the ground.
How do I stop wasting hay before it even reaches the feeder?
Start with a tight, well-shaped bale baled at the right moisture and stored off the ground, so it isn't slumped or moldy when you feed it. Feed only a one- to two-day supply so hay doesn't sit and get fouled. And remove all the net wrap before feeding — it's not feed, and leaving it in the feeder is a hazard to the herd.
This guide is maintained by the XES Netting team — a bale net-wrap manufacturer. Every farmer quote in this post is verbatim with a thread link, so you can go read the originals. Feeding-waste results depend on your feeder, herd, and hay — these are producer-reported practices, not guarantees.
Featured photo: Cattle at a Hay Ring by Alabama Extension, released under CC0 1.0 Universal, via Wikimedia Commons.
