Cows in the protein feeders. Help!

[TexbowJ]

Guys,

We have tried several different things.....higher panels, barbed wire, even giving them a good cussin. Limited success.

The high wire helps, but keeps the smaller ones left out. Cutting vertical gaps will not let the antlers thru. Thought about solar *******s but don't want to light the deer up.

These are 750# gravity feeders.

Any suggestions for the next round?

Thanks in advance!

[Stupid]

try making your feeds pen larger

[Shake1]

How are the cows getting into the pen? Are you using the heavy hog panels (16' x 3') with t-posts set well? How many of these panels are you using for each pen?

[Rattler]

I NEVER had a problem by using 2 strands of barb wire equally spaced apart.

[tuthdoc]

If you don't have to worry about hogs, then I'd guess barbed wire, stretched tight and a large pen. What kind of fence is around the property. If it keeps the cows in the pasture, then it ought to keep them out of your feeders. That said, if they've gotten in the pen, you might as well disassemble it and move it. Once they've been in and gotten the goodies, they'll just tear up whatever you build. Move the pen and build it like the pasture perimeter fence. Build it right the first time, this time, planning on keeping the biggest and baddest out. If it is a hog and cow problem and the panels won't keep out the cows, then I'd build a 4 or 5 strand barbed wire fence that's LARGE and then put a smaller hog panel perimeter pen inside of that with the protein feeder inside of that. Desparate measure but may be your only choice.

[Burnadell]

Guys,

The high wire helps, but keeps the smaller ones left out. Cutting vertical gaps will not let the antlers thru. !

??? I don't understand why cows are getting in your pen. Please describe what you have now and how the cows are getting in. Then, perhaps we can offer some suggestions.

[holdem]

Animals are starving now, good luck keeping them away from food.

[TexbowJ]

Built well w/ 3' hog panel & t-post. They jumped in. Put up a strand of barbed wire above and they still jumped in. Put up another strand and they still got over. I have game cam pics of it. Unbelievable.

[big_smith]

I am afraid you are SOL. I had the same problem this year. We built 1/2 acre pens w/5 strands of barbed wire with large cedar corner posts. T posts every 8'. For the first 4 years on this lease we just had 3 strands and had a calf or two come through but no cows. This year there was nothing for them to eat and we could not keep them out. Trail cam photos indicate that after rebuilding and putting up 5 strands it took exactly 2 hours for them to get in. When we went back I found that one pen had the barbed wire simply snapped between the t posts, and the other they flattened the t posts to the ground. I am afraid you will not keep them out. We intended to put up hot wire, but I was afraid that if it did not work we would be wasting more money. We simply converted our protein feeders to spin cast and fed soybeans. The cows have trouble picking them off the ground, and we have had no problems with them in the pens since then. I'm not sure what to do in the spring, but we may just feed soybeans.

[Burnadell]

Can you not use cattle panels which are taller than hog panels and use more T-posts to reinforce it? Good luck.

[big_smith]

Bottom line is that if they want in they are getting in. They are starving up North and our land owner is not feeding. I'm not a cattle man, but looks to me like he would be money ahead taking them to the sale barn before they all die.

[huntingfanatic]

Several years back we changed all of our feeder tubes to the ones with the small hole. A buddy of mine brought a commercial feeder that I believe was made by RRR feeders. It was a monopole feeder with four holes drilled,one on each side. It completely eliminated the cattle and pen building hassle. Since then we have converted all of our feeding tubes to hole tubes. The deer simply use thier tongue to get the feed out onto a small tray. The hole is too small for the cattle to bother with. I tried to find a picture of the commercial one( or if anyone can help with the name) but if i cant I will post a pic of the ones we use. It eliminates a lot of waste too!!

[Howard]

once they get a taste they are not going to just keep away....

I have a nice hay pen built out of telephone poles and field fence with top row of barbed wire. One stupid cow mashed down the field fence and then a few more followed. Ran them put and put up a cattel pannel.. Next day another spot was done....repeat. Finanlly had to run cattle panels all the way around.


Get you some cattle pannels and put up and that might work. Make the pen larger so they are not trying to lean or stretch in to get to it.


Rattler- no disrespect but you got to be kidding me. Must be some easy going cows. If they ever know what is there that will never work.

[Rattler]

Worked for me Howard until I figured out how to get my Great Aunts cows out of the place I purposely havent fixed the barbwire section on the back of the property that washed out at the creek bank

[PSEBrian]

I was told one time that i could shot the "wild" cows if i see them,but they where a no show....