Bale Grazing on frozen ground

This is how we feed out our hay from the last growing season! When the ground is frozen hard we arrange the bales in our hay field and let the cattle eat there — close to shelter and frost-free stock tanks in the large hoop barn. The bale rings keep the cattle from spreading the hay all over the ground to lounge on. We prepare the bales by removing the plastic wrap and the netting. We ensure orderly behavior with an electric wire that keeps the eager cattle away until we are ready to let them all in. The calves have to figure out how to get their share, when the competition outweighs them four to one.