Abstract:
A managed feeding apparatus that limits access to feed by livestock according to operator-selected positions which allows the operator to control the amount of feed available and the time the feed is available to the livestock, and reduces waste of the feed.

Description:
BACKGROUND OF THE INVENTION 
     This invention relates to an apparatus for feeding livestock and, more particularly, to an apparatus for managed feeding of tub ground feed or hay to cattle or other livestock. 
     Feeding cattle is commonly done by dropping or stacking hay or forage in the field or in a feed yard where cattle have access to the hay. The cattle are allowed to eat continuously. The cattle always try to get closer to the hay stack and in doing so, they scatter and damage or destroy the forage by stamping it into the ground so that much of the hay is wasted. Fixed feeding bins reduce the waste but require that the farmer or rancher frequently rake the hay to a position within reach of the livestock. 
     Feeding devices have been proposed that limit access to the forage by placing the round or square bales or ground forage within a feeding pen that the cattle or other livestock may reduce in size or move as they consume the hay. An example of one such device is disclosed in U.S. Pat. No. 3,913,529 to Leigh. A problem with such devices is the livestock can eat continuously and the forage may still be scattered or spilled from the pen and thus wasted as the device is moved or reduced in size. 
     SUMMARY OF THE INVENTION 
     It is, therefore, the primary object of the present invention to provide an apparatus for selectively controlling the access of livestock to hay or forage. 
     Another important object of the present invention, as aforesaid, is to provide an apparatus for managed livestock feeding which reduces feed waste. 
     Yet another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus that allows control of calving by providing access of the livestock to the feed only when so configured by the operator. 
     Still another important object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for managed livestock feeding which reduces the time required for daily feeding of livestock. 
     A further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for managed livestock feeding that is easy to operate without tools. 
     Still a further object of the present invention is to provide an apparatus for managed livestock feeding that is expandable to accommodate various herd sizes. 
     These and other objects of the present invention are achieved by providing a livestock feeder which has an enclosed area. Hay bales, ground feed or other forage are placed in the enclosed area to limit access to the feed by the livestock. The enclosed area is generally rectangular with two stationary sides and two moveable ends. The size of the enclosed may be expanded by adding center sections and additional moveable end members. 
     The stationary sides consist of a pair of spaced-apart top rails, a pair of spaced-apart middle rails and a single bottom rail that rests on the ground the full length of the stationary side. The space between the top rails forms a channel or track therebetween. Likewise, the space between the middle rails forms a channel or track therebetween. The upper and lower channels are in vertical alignment. The stationary sides provide an opening between the top and middle rails and a solid panel extending from the middle rails to the bottom rails. 
     The moveable ends consist of a top rail a middle rail and a bottom rail. A solid panel extends between the middle rail and bottom rail. A rod extends between the top and middle rails through holes in upper and lower axially-aligned brackets at each end of the moveable ends. 
     The feeder is assembled by aligning the holes in the upper and lower brackets of the moveable ends with the upper and lower channels of the stationary sides respectively. The rods are inserted into the bracket holes through the channels securing the stationary and moveable ends together. Thus, when the feeder is assembled, the rods slide within the upper and lower channels of the stationary sides and the moveable end is suspended above the ground. 
     The sides have an open area through which livestock can eat the forage through the sides, and a solid panel along the lower portion of the sides to keep the forage in the enclosed area and prevent the livestock from stamping on and scattering the forage as they eat. The moveable end panels are slideably attached at their ends to the stationary panels so that the movable sides may be moved toward the forage stack as the feed is eaten by the livestock. 
     Control pins in the stationary sides limit the movement of the moveable ends so that feeding may be controlled by the operator. The control pins are inserted in a series of space-apart holes along the upper rails of each of the stationary sides and extend across the upper channel to stop the moveable ends when contacted by the rods. The holes and control pins establish positions selectable by the operator to limit movement of the end panels toward the center of the enclosed area, thus controlling the amount of feed accessible to the livestock. 
     Other objects and advantages of this invention will become apparent from the following description taken in connection with the accompanying drawings, wherein is set forth by way of illustration and example, an embodiment of this invention. 
    
    
     BRIEF DESCRIPTION OF THE DRAWINGS 
     FIG. 1 is a plan view of the controlled feeder with a center section shown with round hay bales. 
     FIG. 2 is a plan view of FIG. 1 with the hay bales partially eaten around the periphery of the controlled feeder and the moveable ends adjusted toward the partially consumed hay bales. 
     FIG. 3 is an illustration of the controlled feeder being filled by a tub grinder. 
     FIG. 4 is a plan view of a corner of the controlled feeder. 
     FIG. 5 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of a moveable end member. 
     FIG. 6 is a fragmentary perspective view of the end of a stationary side member. 
     FIG. 7 is a fragmentary elevation view of a corner of the controlled feeder. 
    
    
     DETAILED DESCRIPTION 
     Turning more particularly to the drawings, FIGS. 1-3 illustrate a managed feeder generally referred to by the numeral  10 . Managed feeder  10  consists of stationary side members  12  and moveable end members  14  which define an enclosed area  16 . A center member  18  may be added along with additional moveable members  14  to expand the livestock feeder and enlarge enclosed area  16 . Large round hay bales  20  or loose or ground forage  22  or other feed ground by tub-grinder  24  may be placed in enclosed area  16 . Managed feeder  10  provides limited access to the bales  20  or ground forage  22  by livestock around the periphery of enclosed area  16  (FIG.  2 ). 
     FIGS. 1-2 illustrate a double managed feeder  10  assembled with two side members  12 , four end members  14  and a center member  18 . To expand managed feeder  10 , additional sets of two end members  14  and one center member  18  may be added. In the preferred embodiment, the size of a single managed feeder  10  is approximately twenty-four feet on a side or alternatively, twenty-four feet by thirty-two feet, although other sizes may be used. 
     Referring to FIGS. 4-7, the stationary side members  12  are each comprised of inner  26  and outer  27  upper horizontal members or rails, inner  28  and outer  29  middle horizontal members or rails, and a lower horizontal member or rail  30 . Horizontal rails  26 ,  27 ,  28 ,  19  and  30  are affixed between vertical end member  32  at each end of side panel  12 . A solid panel  34  is affixed between outer middle rail  29  and lower rail  30  thereby dividing stationary side panel  12  into an upper open section and a lower closed or covered section indicated at  36  and  38  respectively. 
     Horizontal members  26  and  27 , and  28  and  29  are affixed to opposed sides of vertical end member  32  forming an upper and a lower channel or track respectively therebetween generally indicated at  40  and  42  respectively. A pair of L-shaped members or brackets  44  and  45  are affixed to a lower surface of the upper horizontal rail  26  and  27  respectively, extending inwardly to upper slot  40 . L-shaped members  44  and  45  have axially-aligned, horizontally spaced-apart adjustment control apertures  46  and  47  adapted to receive a control pin  48  which spans upper channel  40  when engaged in axially-aligned apertures  46  and  47 . In the preferred embodiment, apertures  46  and  47  are spaced approximately one foot apart. It should be understood that additional control pins may be used such as to span the lower channel  42  when inserted in axially-aligned spaced-apart apertures (not shown) in horizontal members  28  and  29 . 
     Moveable end members  14  are each comprised of upper  50 , middle  52  and lower  54  horizontal members. An additional upper member  51  may be affixed to upper horizontal rail  50  to provide structural stiffening and support to moveable panel  14  (FIGS.  1 - 2 ). Horizontal members  50  and  52  are affixed to vertical end member  56  at each end of end panel  14  forming an upper open section generally indicated at  58 . Vertical end members  56  are offset inwardly from each end of horizontal members  50  and  52 . Horizontal members  52  and  54  are affixed to lower vertical end members  60  forming a lower closed section  62  covered by panel  64 . 
     A cantilevered upper bracket  66  has a first end  68  affixed to a portion of the lower surface at the end of horizontal member  50  which extends beyond upper vertical end member  56 , and a free end  70  which extends beyond the end of upper horizontal member  50 . An aperture  72  extends through upper bracket free end  70 . A cantilevered lower bracket  74  has a first end  76  affixed to a portion of the upper surface at the end of middle member  52  which extends beyond upper vertical end member  56 , and a free end  78  which extends beyond the end of middle horizontal member  52 . An aperture  80  extends through the lower bracket free end  78  in vertical axial alignment with aperture  72 . 
     A retaining rod  82  is shown extending through apertures  72  and  80  in FIG. 5. A stop washer  84  is affixed to retaining rod  82  to hold retaining rod  82  in place. Cable  86  is secured to adjustable bracket  88  which is attached to vertical member  56  to restrict the area of upper open section  58  to accommodate different sizes of livestock. Generally, bracket  88  is adjusted so that cable  86  prevents smaller livestock such as calves from climbing through open section  58  into the open area  16 . 
     Center member  18  is constructed in a like manner to stationary side member  12  except both the upper and lower sections corresponding to sections  36  and  38  are open. 
     In the preferred embodiment, all horizontal and vertical members or rails are constructed from two-inch square steel tubing although other materials and sizes may be used. Generally the affixed components are welded together but other methods of securing the members together may be used. 
     To assemble managed feeder  10 , moveable end members  14  are slideably secured to stationary side member  12  at each end. The upper bracket  66  is placed over upper horizontal member  26  and lower bracket  74  is placed under middle horizontal member  28  until upper bracket aperture  72  and lower bracket aperture  80  are aligned with slots  40  and  42  respectively. Retaining rod  82  is inserted into aperture  72  through channels  40  and  42  and through aperture  80  slideably securing moveable end member  14  to stationary side member  12  forming a corner of managed feeder  10 . Control pin  48  is inserted in the first set of adjustment control apertures  46  and  47  to prevent moveable end member from sliding beyond control pin  48 . Each corner of managed feeder is likewise formed until area  16  is enclosed. When assembled, lower horizontal members  30  of stationary side members  12  rest on the ground the full length of each stationary side  12 . Moveable end members  14  are suspended above the ground to provide clearance to slide each moveable end  14  toward the center portion of enclosed area  16 . 
     In operating after managed feeder  10  is assembled as described hereinabove, enclosed area  16  is filled with hay bales  20 , ground hay or forage  22 . One of the moveable ends may be removed to allow placement of the bales  20  within enclosed area  16  and the enclosure thereafter completed (FIG.  1 ). Ground hay or forage  22  may be added to enclosed area  16  by bale grinder  24  with an extended boom or conveyor  25  to drop the hay in place (FIG.  3 ). Fixed panels  34  and  64  prevent the forage  22  from spilling from the managed feeder  10  when being filled. 
     When livestock come to managed feeder  10  to feed, the livestock stand around the periphery and stick heads through open areas  36  and  58  in side members  12  and  14  respectively. The periphery of the bales  20  or forage  22  is eaten to the extent that the livestock can reach through openings  36  and  58  (FIG.  2 ). Once a day, or as desired, the operator removes the control pins  48  from apertures  46  along each side of stationary side member  12  and inserts each control pin  48  in the next interior aperture  46 . The operator then slides moveable end member  14  toward the interior of managed feeder  10  until each retaining rod  82  contacts the respective control pin  48  or until side  14  contacts hay bales  20  or forage  22 , once again providing the livestock with access to the hay bales  20  or forage  22 . The fixed panels  34  and  64  minimize spillage of feed from managed feeder  10  thus reducing waste. Managed feeder  10  may be refilled before it is empty to allow the operator to more effectively manage their time, especially during severe weather season. 
     The operator can also use managed feeder  10  to control calving of the livestock. By feeding the cattle once daily at dusk, the pregnant livestock are more likely to deliver offspring between  6  a.m. and  6  p.m. Survival rates of offspring are dramatically increased during daylight hours when supervision is available, thus increasing profits. 
     It is to be understood that while certain forms of this invention have been illustrated and described, it is not limited thereto, except in so far as such limitations are included in the following claims.