AU2014233543A1 - Hay bale feeder - Google Patents

Abstract

Abstract A hay bale feeder 10 comprising a hollow body 12 generally in the shape of a large sack or bag for receiving a hay bale 100 therein for feeding animals. The feeder 10 comprises a base portion 14 and a sidewall 16 which terminates in an upper opening 18. The base portion 14 comprises a circular ground panel 20 and a peripheral side extension 22. The base portion 14 is made from strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material. The sidewall comprises apertures 30 at spaced locations thereof and an upper edge 32 which defines the upper opening 18.

Description

1 Regulation 3.2 AUSTRALIA Patents Act 1990 Complete Specification For The Invention Entitled: HAY BALE FEEDER The invention is described in the following statement: 2 Field of the Invention [1] The present invention relates to an article for holding a hay bale for feeding animals (hay bale feeder). Background of the Invention [2] Hay is typically cut, dried, and stored as bales for use as animal fodder, particularly for grazing livestock such as cattle, horses, goats, and sheep. A baler machine is used to compress the hay into compact bales for transport and storage. Bales can be rectangular or cylindrical of varying sizes, typically bound with wrap material such as twine, strapping or netting. [3] When a bale is placed onto a paddock and the wrap is removed, the bale typically falls apart, the hay gets sun bleached, can get dragged through the dirt and urinated on by animals, thus leading to wastage. If the bale is placed in a paddock with the wrap left on, animals will rip through the wrap and there is a high possibility of ingesting the wrap material that can lead to choking or colic. [4] The present invention seeks to overcome or substantially ameliorate at least some of the deficiencies of the prior art, or to at least provide an alternative. [5] It is to be understood that, if any prior art information is referred to herein, such reference does not constitute an admission that the information forms part of the common general knowledge in the art, in Australia or any other country. Summary of the Invention [6] According to a first aspect, the present invention provides an animal feeder comprising a hollow flexible body for receiving and storing animal feed, the feeder comprising at least one aperture for allowing animal access to the animal feed. [7] In a preferred embodiment, the feeder comprises a water resistant or waterproof base portion for engaging the ground. [8] In a preferred embodiment, the base portion comprises a ground panel and a peripheral side extension which extends upwardly in use from adjacent a periphery of the ground panel. [9] In a preferred embodiment, the ground panel is circular and dimensioned to have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a hay bale to be received within the feeder. [10] In another preferred embodiment, the ground panel is rectangular. [11] In a preferred embodiment, the side extension extends upwardly to a height of at least 5 cm from the ground.

3 [12] In a preferred embodiment, the feeder comprises a sidewall having the at least one aperture. [13] In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall comprises apertures at spaced locations thereof. [14] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one aperture is circular or oval and reinforced with reinforcement material. [15] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one aperture is at least 20 cm wide. [16] In a preferred embodiment, the at least one aperture is disposed adjacent a middle height portion of the feeder. [17] In another preferred embodiment, the sidewall comprises apertures at different heights from the ground in use. [18] In another preferred embodiment, the sidewall comprises apertures having different sizes and/or shapes. [19] In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall comprises an upper edge which defines an upper opening. [20] In a preferred embodiment, the upper edge comprises opening means for opening, partially closing and fully closing the upper opening. [21] In a preferred embodiment, the opening means comprises spaced eyelets for receiving a drawstring. [22] In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall is made from flexible mesh screen material. [23] In a preferred embodiment, the sidewall is made from UV resistant material. [24] In another preferred embodiment, the sidewall is generally of a hollow rectangular prism shape in use [25] In another preferred embodiment, at least a portion of the sidewall is made from water resistant or waterproof material. [26] In a preferred embodiment, the feeder is adapted to receive a hay bale. [27] Other aspects of the invention are also disclosed. Brief Description of the Drawings [28] Notwithstanding any other forms which may fall within the scope of the present invention, preferred embodiments of the present invention will now be described, by way of examples only, with reference to the accompanying drawings in which: 4 [29] Fig. 1 is a perspective view of a hay bale feeder in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention in use; [30] Fig. 2 is another perspective view of the hay bale feeder of Figure 1; [31] Fig. 3 shows the empty hay bale feeder of Figure 1; [32] Fig. 4 is a perspective view of a hay bale feeder in accordance with a second preferred embodiment of the present invention in use; [33] Fig. 5 shows the hay bale feeder of Figure 4 in use in a first configuration; and [34] Fig. 6 shows the hay bale feeder of Figure 3 in use in a second configuration. Description of Embodiments [35] It should be noted in the following description that like or the same reference numerals in different embodiments denote the same or similar features. [36] Figures 1 to 3 show a hay bale feeder 10 in accordance with a first preferred embodiment of the present invention. The feeder 10 comprises a hollow body 12 generally in the shape of a large sack or bag for receiving a hay bale 100 therein for feeding animals. The feeder 10 comprises a base portion 14 and a sidewall 16 which terminates in an upper opening 18. [37] The base portion 14 comprises a circular ground panel 20 and a peripheral side extension 22 which extends from a periphery of the ground panel 20 and upwardly in use. [38] The ground panel 20 is dimensioned to have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a hay bale 100 to be received within the feeder 10. The side extension 22 extends upwardly to a height of at least 5 cm from the ground in use, and preferably at least 10 cm or more. [39] The base portion 14 is made from strong, flexible, water-resistant or waterproof material, such as tarpaulin (tarp). The base portion 14 assists in keeping urine and moisture from rising through the base of the hay bale in use. Further, the base portion 14 removes the need to place the hay bale 100 onto an elevating mount such as a timber pallet, car tire, or the like to keep the hay bale off the ground. This in turn reduces the risk of rodents and snakes from nesting under the hay bale. [40] The sidewall 16 extends from the side extension 22 and upwardly in use. The sidewall 16 comprises apertures 30 at spaced locations thereof and an upper edge 32 which defines the upper opening 18. The apertures 30 are circular or oval in the embodiment and reinforced with reinforcement material 31 which in the embodiment is webbing material. The apertures 30 are about 20 cm wide and are disposed slightly above the middle portion of the feeder 10 5 to allow smaller animals to access to the hay bale in use. In the embodiment, four apertures 30 are disposed in an equally spaced manner around the sidewall 16. The sidewall 16 can have fewer or more apertures 30, and can have apertures 30 at different heights from the ground in use to provide access to different size animals. The apertures 30 can also be of different sizes or shapes - for example smaller apertures which larger animals cannot access to ensure smaller animals always have access to the animal feed. [41] The upper edge 32 comprises a reinforcement material 33 and spaced eyelets 34 for receiving a drawstring which allows the upper opening 18 to be widened or narrowed as required. The upper opening 18 is used as the access opening for larger animals to the hay bale. [42] The sidewall 16 is made from flexible mesh screen material which is also UV resistant. In the embodiment, the sidewall is made from shade cloth material. The sidewall 16 keeps the bale together without the need for keeping the hay bale wrap material. The apertures 30 and the upper opening 18 provide access for feeding animals to the hay bale. Also, the sidewall 16 keeps the sun from bleaching the hay and leaving it bleached and innutritious. The sidewall 16 is breathable and removes the risk of the hay bale sweating when compared to if the hay bale was wrapped in plastic or tarp material. [43] The reinforcement material 33 for the upper edge 32 in the embodiment is tarpaulin material but can also be other suitable material such as webbing. The reinforcement material 33 provides strength and an area for the eyelets 34 to be attached to. [44] In use, a round hay bale 100 is placed within the internal space of the feeder 10 by placing the hay bale on one flat side and removing the wrap material. The feeder 10 is oriented upside down and the hay bale is the received through the upper opening 18. The sidewall 16 is moved downwardly along the hay bale until the base portion 14 is adjacent the other (upper) flat side of the hay bale. The hay bale is then flipped over and the upper opening 18 is partially closed using the drawstring. [45] The feeder 10 thus provides may advantages which extends the effectiveness and use of hay bales and significantly reduces wastage. The apertures 30 acts as feeder holes around the sidewall 16 and is lined with strong seat belt material (webbing material). The feeder holes 30 allow smaller horses and animals to feed and also allows more than one horse or animal to feed at the same time. Horses will pull out mouthful of hay at a time from the hay bale reducing wastage. The reinforcement material 31 holds the hole 30 strong and open in a stable manner and prevents fraying of the shade cloth material of the sidewall 16. [46] As the hay bale is eaten down, the drawstring along the upper edge 32 is tightened to close off the upper opening 18 and the horses/animas can eat out from the feeder holes 30.

6 When the hay bale is eaten down to about knee high, the draw string can be used to tie the feeder 10 to a rail, post or shed roof rail to hold the feeder 10 up. If the feeder 10 is used in a paddock the feeder 10 will become a floppy soft sack with no sharp portions which can harm animals. [47] The feeder 10 thus at least provides the following advantages: it keeps the hay bale together as the horse/animal eats it, it has no hard parts to hurt the horse/animal, it saves money on hay as waste is reduced to a minimum, it is light weight and easy to use. [48] Figures 4 to 6 show a feeder 1 Ob according to a second preferred embodiment of the present invention, which is substantially similar to the feeder 10 above. The feeder 1 Ob also comprises a base portion 14 and a sidewall 16 which terminates in an upper opening 18. [49] The base portion 14 in this embodiment comprises a rectangular ground panel 20 and a peripheral side extension 22. The side extension 22 also extends upwardly to a height of at least 5 cm from the ground in use, and preferably at least 10 cm or more. The base portion 14 is also made from water-resistant or waterproof material, such as tarpaulin (tarp). [50] The sidewall 16 is generally of a hollow rectangular prism shape in use and comprises at least one feeder aperture 30. The sidewall 16 also comprises an upper edge 32 with spaced eyelets 34 for receiving a drawstring 40. The sidewall 16 is also made from flexible mesh screen material which is UV resistant (e.g. shade cloth). [51] The feeder 10b is referred to as a square bale feeder which has three main uses. Firstly, the feeder 10b can fit an entire small square (rectangular) bale. The drawstring can be tied up to a tree, post, utility vehicle, trailer 100 or stable rail and allow a horse to feed out of the feeder hole 30 and reduce waste. Secondly, the feeder 1 Ob can be taken to stockfeeds and used to cover the square bale for easy transport with minimal mess. Thirdly, the feeder 1 Ob can be filled with hay from large round bales and used simply as a large feeder bag. [52] The feeder 1 Ob thus provides a large sock that goes over a square bale, ties up at the top and allows the horse to feed. The feeder 1 Ob is designed to stand upright and be tied off a post, rail, trailer, utility vehicle or similar. The base portion 14 is heavy duty tarp material and there is a 10 cm side extension 22 that goes up the side to reduce moisture and urine absorbing through the bottom. The top edge has the draw string through eyelets and is reinforced with a 50 mm heavy duty tarp material. As shown in Figure 6, the feeder 1 Ob can also be used laying on its side with the feeder aperture 30 provided at a top portion thereof. [53] The feeder 1 Ob is particularly useful for clean transporting and clean feeding of hay to show horses and pony club horses. Usually hay is decanted into nets, feeder bags or simply 7 thrown on to the ground. Competitors are often asked to remove uneaten hay from club grounds after events. The feeder 10b allows feeding and minimal clean up. [54] Whilst preferred embodiments of the present invention have been described, it will be apparent to skilled persons that modifications can be made to the embodiments described. For example, the feeder 10 can be made in any size and shape as desired. [55] The feeder 10 can also be used with other fodder material as desired. The water resistant or waterproof base portion can also be extended to at least a portion of the sidewall. For example, in the use shown in Figure 6, the portion of the sidewall engaging the ground can be made from the same material as the water-resistant or waterproof base portion or this portion of the sidewall can be an extension of the base portion.

Claims (21)

1. An animal feeder comprising a hollow flexible body for receiving and storing animal feed, the feeder comprising at least one aperture for allowing animal access to the animal feed.

2. The feeder of claim 1 comprising a water resistant or waterproof base portion for engaging the ground.

3. The feeder of claim 1 wherein the base portion comprises a ground panel and a peripheral side extension which extends upwardly in use from adjacent a periphery of the ground panel.

4. The feeder of claim 3 wherein the ground panel is circular and dimensioned to have a diameter slightly larger than the diameter of a hay bale to be received within the feeder.

5. The feeder of claim 3 wherein the ground panel is rectangular.

6. The feeder of claim 3 wherein the side extension extends upwardly to a height of at least 5 cm from the ground.

7. The feeder of claim 1 comprising a sidewall having the at least one aperture.

8. The feeder of claim 7 wherein the sidewall comprises apertures at spaced locations thereof.

9. The feeder of claim 7 wherein the at least one aperture is circular or oval and reinforced with reinforcement material.

10. The feeder of claim 7 wherein the at least one aperture is at least 20 cm wide.

11. The feeder of claim 7 wherein the at least one aperture is disposed adjacent a middle height portion of the feeder.

12. The feeder of claim 8 wherein the sidewall comprises apertures at different heights from the ground in use.

13. The feeder of claim 8 wherein the sidewall comprises apertures having different sizes and/or shapes.

14. The feeder of claim 7 wherein the sidewall comprises an upper edge which defines an upper opening.

15. The feeder of claim 14 wherein the upper edge comprises opening means for opening, partially closing and fully closing the upper opening. 9

16. The feeder of claim 15 wherein the opening means comprises spaced eyelets for receiving a drawstring.

17. The feeder of claim 7 wherein the sidewall is made from flexible mesh screen material.

18. The feeder of claim 17 wherein the sidewall is made from UV resistant material.

19. The feeder of claim 7 wherein the sidewall is generally of a hollow rectangular prism shape in use

20. The feeder of claim 7 wherein at least a portion of the sidewall is made from water resistant or waterproof material.

21. The feeder of claim 1 wherein the feeder is adapted to receive a hay bale.