Getting to, filling and moving heavy steel ring feeders is a perennial headache for stock farmers outwintering their cattle, but Derbyshire firm Pasturetec reckons it has the answer.

The lightweight design of its plastic Ringo versions has apparently proved a roaring success in New Zealand, as they can be moved from bale to bale by hand.

Doing so should save making a Somme-like mess around a single feeding point.

See also: Why Shropshire dairies opted for Euromilk feeder wagons

Designed by antipodean outfit Three Rivers Bale Feeders, they are made from durable, frost-resistant MDPE plastic.

There’s apparently no risk of this shattering in cold weather, bending or losing rigidity.

Better still, it weighs little more than a bag of feed, meaning one person can load it onto a trailer and roll it onto a bale.

The firm currently offers sheep, cattle and equine ring feeders, including a heavy-duty version with thicker tubing (63mm versus 50mm). Bespoke sizes are also available.

The sheep ring feeder is 1m high, weighs 25kg and costs £275; the standard cattle ring feeder is 1.35m high, weighs 30kg and costs £325; and the heavy-duty version is £399.