Tombstone Feeder
WHAT DO WE WANT: A feeder thingumajig for highland cow feeders
WHERE CAN YOU BUY IT FOR US - David Musson
Why Hamish, Frederika, Florence, Fenella, Fortesque, Flora, Ffion and Fergus Need a Very Sensible Feeder
At first glance, feeding cattle looks simple:
➡️ put hay down
➡️ cows eat hay
➡️ everyone’s happy
Unfortunately, nobody told Hamish, Frederika, Florence, Fenella, Fortesque, Flora, Ffion and Fergus that they are not, in fact, built like “standard issue cows”.
Each of them comes equipped with a magnificent set of horns, which they wear with pride, flair, and absolutely no spatial awareness whatsoever.
The Problem With Ordinary Feeders
Standard ring feeders are designed for cattle who politely insert their heads, eat their hay, and withdraw again like well‑mannered dinner guests.
Our eight… do not.
Instead, they:
Angle in sideways “just to see”
Turn their heads mid‑mouthful
Forget they have horns
Forget other cows have horns
Forget gravity exists
The result?
A cow, a feeder, and a pair of horns locked together in a slow‑motion agricultural farce.
No one is injured — but dignity is regularly lost.
🪦 Enter: The Tombstone Feeder (Yes, Really)
Despite the dramatic name, a tombstone feeder is actually the kindest option for horned cattle.
Its specially shaped bars:
Give each cow a clearly defined eating space
Allow horns to move in and out safely
Prevent heads from twisting and getting stuck
Reduce pushing, shoving, and “I was here first” behaviour
In short:
✅ Hay goes in
✅ Cows eat
✅ Horns come back out again
✅ Everyone lives to eat another bale
(Which is more than can be said for normal feeders.)
Why This Group Especially Needs One
Hamish believes personal space is a myth
Frederika eats with the confidence of someone who has never been stuck before (she has)
Florence insists on approaching from entirely the wrong angle
Fenella likes to turn her head mid‑chew to check what everyone else is doing
Fortesque uses his horns like coat hooks
Flora forgets how wide she is
Ffion thinks feeders are social venues
Fergus is simply too enthusiastic to be trusted
A tombstone feeder keeps them all safe — from injury, stress, and their own creative problem‑solving.
Why We’re Asking for Help
This feeder isn’t a luxury. It’s a welfare upgrade:
Safer feeding
Less stress
Fewer emergency interventions
More calm, content cattle
And significantly fewer “how did you even manage that?” moments
By helping us get the right feeder, you’re ensuring that eight much‑loved, very horned residents can eat in peace — and that our volunteers can stop untangling cows from farm furniture.
