Versatility of Herd-Boss feeders appeals to cattle producers

For those feeding wet and dry distillers’ grains, the Herd-Boss is a high-quality feeder for delivering feed to cattle.

“I think the versatility appeals to producers,” explained Cameron Mulder who is on the sales team for Herd-Boss Feeders of Rock Valley, Iowa. “Cattle producers can use the Herd-Boss feeders on flatbed pickups to supplement cattle on pasture or go to areas where you cannot utilize a TMR mixer due to rough terrain or distance. Herd Boss feeders accommodate many commodity types, cutting cost versus using manufactured feed pellets. It provides versatility in still being able to feed the manufactured feeds and small caked cubes. Plus, it gives ranchers the ability to buy other bulk commodities at potentially lower costs than manufactured feed products. It is also manufactured to allow feeder to be loaded with an 8’ loader bucket.”

Mulder said the feeders work well in pastures with cows or cow-calf pairs which may be in close proximity or distant pastures rather than in a feedlot setting where everything is in close quarters.

In correlation with those in the cattle industry, this design and patented idea has proven to be successful due to its early stage development by a current cattle feeder. To get top-quality healthy cattle, there are a million ways to do it, so by using a Herd-Boss it could benefit the performance of your herd on different levels, Mulder said.

Why should producers choose Herd-Boss? Rather than relying only on the feed in the pasture, the feeder provides options to deliver a variety of products needed to boost the animal’s ability to grow. It works with both wet and dry commodities. It is compatible with modified distillers’ grain, wet cake distillers, ear corn, wet corn, silage, ground hay, cotton seed, gin trash and any mixture of feed. With the flip-down spout, the feeder can fill a tractor tire feeder, a bunk, or deliver feed right onto the ground.

The design itself reduces bridging of bulky feeds. With the large-door opening and chain floor base, producers can feed a bulkier, heavier wet or dry ration or supplemental feed commodity. It has a completely removable floor under the web chain so users can clear out any of the settled feed. It has a super user-friendly tray, which is easy to wash out.

“With our engineering division and expertise in design, we build and offer two separate models to fit the variety of uses for the rancher,” Mulder said. The feeders have a powerful 12V electric/hydraulic power unit with a powerful hydraulic drive motor. With the direct drive orbital motor on the apron, it provides direct power which gives a stronger pull to handle heavier product loads.

Users can wire the control into the vehicle, giving a simple plug-and-feed option. It allows feeding with an easy on/off push button for intermittent feeding. This way they can use the vehicle in multiple ways. This direct connection takes the stress out of dealing with a lot of moving parts. For the protection of vehicles from a safety standpoint, an inline fuse kit protects the vehicle from unknown electrical issues and protects the feeder.

The smaller version offers a closed lid for smaller herds and provides the ability to protect product that may stay for a longer time in the box. The Small Herd-Boss Feeder 2710 is 27 inches wide, 88 inches long, 27 inches tall with a 17-inch spout. It has a 41 cu. ft. capacity with a hinged lid.

The larger size carries more product for fewer trips and can handle heavier amounts of product. The Big Herd-Boss Feeder 4810 has a 48-inch wide base, an 88-inch long base, is 37 inches tall. It is 102 inches long at top and 72 inches wide at top, with a 17-inch spout. It has a capacity of 78 cu. ft. without extension. The extension packages provide more room for bulkier product or for extra feed which is important when driving to pastures long distances away. The Optional Extension Kit provides a 12″ Bolt-on extension kit with hardware for 124 cu. ft. capacity with the extensions installed. Fork slots are engineered into the design so they can be used with fork attachment loaders.

Mulder said scale options are available for the Herd-Boss. With it, ranchers can dial in the details of feeding by being able to weigh product down to the pound.

The feeders are designed and manufactured in the USA. Check out www.herdbossfeeders.com. If there is not a dealer in your area, they will find a way to get a Herd-Boss to you. Call 1-712-476-2677.

“Customers really like the quality of the Herd-Boss and appreciate the heavy duty engineering and design,” Mulder said. “They can expect long-term use, ease of maintenance, ability to feed all products and easy to load capabilities.”