GOBOB IN THE NEWS

August 29th, 2011 Progressive Cattleman
Hay Trailer Article Link

2EZ Bale Mover with new Hydraulic Bumper Pull

Square Bale Hay Conserving Hay Bale Feeder

GoBob Pipe and Steel's 2EZ Bale Mover is a "never get out of your vehicle" trailer capable of loading, hauling and dumping bales up to 2,500 pounds up to six at a time with only a truck or tractor.

Now the 2EZ Bale Mover is available with a hydraulic bumper pull that works interchangeably with tractor or pickup to speed loading and improve ground clearance over previously available attachment options.

The 2EZ Hay Hauler features two rails that descend under precise control to ground level.

Simply back up with a tractor or truck to slide the rails under bales one at a time or several at once.

The system uses a "power up, gravity down" design, with massive hydraulic cylinders to lift the rails to traveling height.

When needed, the rails drop back down using only the force of gravity. An ingenious "lockout" system prevents the possibility of dropping hay before you're ready.

For more information on GoBob Pipe and Steel's 2EZ Hay Hauler, call (866) 532-9123 or visit www.gobobpipe.com

 

 

 

 

September 21st, 2010 Grass And Grain

Cattle Ranchers cut back on Hay Costs during Winter Feeding

Square Bale Hay Conserving Hay Bale Feeder
Freddie Davis, a rancher-farmer in Royse City, Texas, faced a problem common to many. "I wasn't going to have enough hay to make it through the winter. I was going to have to buy about $6,000 worth of hay to make up the shortfall."

Like many ranchers that have found themselves squeezed in recent years by outside forces — from drought and a weak economy to rising oil and grain prices – Davis, who owns 75 head of mixed-breed cattle, wanted better control of his input costs, especially the hay his cows wasted eating from traditional hay rings each winter. The problem with a hay ring is that cattle stand outside the feeder, tear the hay out, and let the excess fall from their mouths. When cattle bite off too much, as they are inclined to do, the waste falls to the ground, gets trampled and otherwise damaged – and will not be eaten. Davis found a solution in a new type of square hay bale feeder, designed to keep cows from tearing out the hay and wasting it.

"A square hay bale feeder has metal bars that cows must stick their heads through to get to the hay bale inside," explains Bob Studebaker, owner of GoBob Pipe and Steel, an innovative farm supplier that first introduced its original Hay Conserver square hay bale feeder to market about six years ago. "With the hay bale inside, cows have to commit their heads inside and stay there while they eat. They won't go in, get a bite, and back out. They stay in the feeder, so anything that drops out of their mouths stays in the feeder, which they eat later."

"When I called Bob of GoBob, I bought his Hay Conserver with a 30-day guarantee that I'd use at least 25% less hay," says Davis. "It worked, so I bought a few more. When they made my hay last that first winter, they quickly paid for themselves. Since then, I've cut my hay consumption by a third each winter."

Since Davis's cows waste so much less hay in winter, he finds himself making fewer trips to the barn and pasture to put out hay bales. "I'm saving a couple hours a week each winter putting out less hay because the cows waste less," says Davis. "It lets me get to everything else that needs to be done that much faster."

About five years after buying his square hay bale feeders, Davis says, "They're still holding up well and have years of life left in them."

John Rummel and his wife, who run a 250-acre ranch with 70 registered Limousin cows in Ash Grove, Missouri, were also tired of the hay wasted by traditional hay rings. In fact, they even had difficulty getting their big 5'x6' bales to fit in their hay rings, which typically left "at least two feet of bale sticking out of the top." The cows would eat out under the hay bale, and big chunks of bale would fall out of the ring and get trampled, making a mess, according to Rummel.

"When my wife found what looked like half a hay bale lying on the ground, she got so upset she said, 'We've got to do something,'" says Rummel. "What made it worse is that our cows were wasting about a third of the clean barn-kept hay we gave them."

While there's an ample supply of square hay bale feeders on the market today, not all are created equal. Rummel says some of the square hay bale feeders he's looked at would be hard to fit his big 5'x6' bales in. "If the feeder is too small, the cows may not be able to fit their heads inside," says Rummel. "If it's too tight, they'd pull their heads out along with the hay, and drop it outside where it'd go to waste."

Some square hay bale feeders, in fact, are as small as 6'x6' at the top, which would be a tight squeeze for a big bale. Others use thinner gauge pipe, which may not be built to withstand years of hungry, pushy cows or harsh, winter weather. Some however, like GoBob's newest feeders guarantee that animals won't tear them up, are tested to hold over 15,000 lbs., have up to a 10-year warranty, and even guarantee up to 30% hay savings.

Hay Conserver FeederAt the time, however, Rummel was more than pleased when he bought several square hay bale feeders from GoBob. "When my cows reach their heads in to feed, their heads stay in and they clean up all the hay," says Rummel. They just don't waste hay, so I can put out about 30 to 35% less." While Rummel typically put out bales in his hay ring every day with his tractor, he finds he can now put them out about every other day in his square hay bale feeders. "I'm saving time, money, and gas because I don't have to restock the bales so often," he says. "I can stay warm in the house on cold winter days, and in bad weather. It makes things easier when I don't have to feed them so much."

Since the cows are nottearing out and trampling his clean, barn-kept hay, it stays nice and fresh where they can get at it whenever they want. "The cows just go to the square bale Hay Conservers. They work so well I got rid of my hay rings." As market uncertainty leads many ranchers, dairy farmers, and even farm equipment dealers to control input costs, the growing popularity of square hay bale feeders has proven there's a market for conserving hay. But as circumstances change, the market and design of square hay bale feeders cannot stand still.

Studebaker explains, "We were one of the first to offer a hay conserving feeder and the first to offer a square-shaped feeder for round bales. We were the first to offer a 25% hay savings guarantee. But that's not enough. Like the ranchers, dairy farmers, and others we serve, we have to innovate and keep improving the tools they use."

With an improved design, GoBob now guarantees 30% hay savings on its latest square bale Hay Conservers. The company also offers double bale, along with larger, stronger versions for bulls and horned cattle. New skid corners also allow them to be dragged almost anywhere. For more info, call 1-877-851-2365 or visit www.gobobpipe.com

 

Look at what Ozark Farm & Neighbor and Joe Hardcastle
has to say about Hay Conserver Feeders from GoBob!

March 6th, 2009 Ozark Farm and Neighbor

The Best Way He’s Found to Feed
By Laura L. Valenti, OFN Contributor

Joe Hardcastle - Gobob Pipe and Steel Customer and Hay Conserver Bale Feeder OwnerJoe Hardcastle on the best way he’s found to feed his Angus and Brangus crossed with horned Hereford cattle: Using GoBob’s hay feeders

When Joe Hardcastle took home a new insert for his GoBob hay feeders, he did not expect to be quite as impressed as he was. “I saw them at a Springfield show and brought one home to try,” he stated while standing in his barn, surrounded by trucks from his main business, JH Excavating. “After working with their demonstrator, I liked it so well, I immediately ordered four more.”

As Bob Studebaker, owner of GoBob Feeders explained, “we were one of the first to offer a hay conserving feeder and the first to offer a square-shaped feeder for round bales. Sometimes something new is difficult to get accepted by the public so we offered an unconditional money back guarantee, if the customer did not feed 25 percemt less hay than they were previously feeding with a ring feeder. This winter (2008-2009) we have surpassed over 6,000 feeders sold since its inception. We now confidently offer the same money back guarantee and have upped the anty to 30 percent less hay fed. Joe Hardcastle was the very first to purchase one and then called back to
order more.”ay Conserver Bale Feeder with Bull and Cattle

“I run about 140 cattle, on three different pieces of property,” Joe Hardcastle continued. “I came to
Lebanon 40 years ago, working in the lumber industry, and now I run this.” He waved an arm to take in the lot in front of the barn, filled with trucks of varying sizes and descriptions, all associated with excavation and construction. “I grew up on a farm in Ozark County, along the Missouri- Arkansas line. I did 4-H as a kid, and that life is something I’ve always loved. My wife,” he laughed. “She doesn’t care for the cows, but I do.” Sherrill Hardcastle runs her own monogramming business, all on the same property as Joe’s excavating business and the majority of his cattle. “This is a hobby that I love. That’s the best way I can describe it,” Joe continued. “I moved to Lebanon from Springfield in 1969 and worked in the lumber yards for 26 years. You know, you’d go to work every day, with all the hustle, and have people yelling at you about this or that, but then to come home and work with the cows, now to me, that’s relaxing. The only problem now, with these cell phones, is that they can find you anywhere, even out in the field. The only way you can truly find any peace is if you shut this thing off,” he added, as he pulled his cell phone out of his coveralls front pocket. He shook his head, with a smile. “I run a Brangus-Angus mix and breed them to horned Hereford bulls, which I get out of Kansas, and that gets you black baldy calves. I’ve been doing it that way for years. I feed straight hay in the winter, with salt mineral range cubes and they winter real well that way. And the GoBob feeders, all I can say is that they really do save on the hay. There’s not a lot of money in the cattle these days, but well, they really are my therapy at the end of the day.”

 



Look at what the State Journal Newspaper in Frankfort, Kentucky
has to say about continuous fence from GoBob!

Sunday, June 10, 2007 The State Journal, Frankfort, KY


WESTERN U.S. 'continuous' fence idea worthwhile in Kentucky
by Keenan Bishop, Agriculture Extention Agent

Cattleman Buddy Smith looks on as Carl Willard of Peach Lumber loads his order of continuous metal pipe fence. The Cattleman's Association went together to fill a semi trailer for a discounted price.

One benefit of being a Cattlemen's Association member is the trips taken to other parts of the state and nation to see various aspects of farming and livestock production. One develops a better understanding of the food system, makes networking connections and learns new tips and ideas.

The trips out west have had several members curious about their continuous fencing system. Seems that the oil boom created miles of used steel pipe that was surplused. Since farmers are innovative by nature, they were soon transforming the pipe sections in to fence.

This recycled product made for strong, long lasting animal containment, especially around corrals and handling facilities.

Local cattlemen figured that the fence, which usually comes in 20' sections and couples together for "continuous" fence, would be ideal for handling facilities here.

The sections come in various heights and pipe diameters. They are either welded to steel posts or clipped to wooden posts. Out west they may or may not be painted but they also have much less rainfall than we do (except for this past May, the 11th driest on record!).

Local Cattleman Kerry Redding was looking for a source and discovered GoBob Pipe and Steel in Oklahoma (http://www.gobobpipe.com).

The association made contact with Bob Studebaker, owner of GoBob Pipe and Steel, who was very helpful and explained the history and uses of continuous fence.

After discussing the options and potential, the Association was able to work out a group buy.

By joining for a group order, 14 cattlemen were able to get a discount on the fence, gates and feed bunks they would use in their farm operation.

When Bob was asked the lifespan on the panels his remark was "I couldn't tell you, they've only been making them for a little over 30 years." No longer are used drill pipe utilized, but brand new pipe instead. The final product is an attractive, long lasting and practical fence. When you consider that it may never need replacement, then it becomes much cheaper than wood or wire.

Another local member, Charlie Jones, worked with Brad Peach to help facilitate the delivery.

Brad Peach of Peach Lumber was gracious enough to allow the association the use of his forklift, lumber yard, and employees to unload over 45,000 pounds of fence systems from the semi.

The Peach employees went out of their way to accommodate the group order and assist the farmers with sorting and unloading.

This bulk buy would have been impossible if not for the efforts of the Peach family.

Some of you who have traveled west may be familiar with this type of fence. Those that haven't seen it and are curious can see it in operation at this years Field Day on July 12 at the Mucci Farm in Woodlake.

The Muccis will have it installed along crowding alleys and other areas that receive heavy livestock pressure.

Be sure to mark your calendar for the Field Day to see this as well as other interesting educational stops.

 

 

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