Feeding Alpaca: Hay Racks, Slow Feeders and Sturdy Troughs

Feeding: Offer Hay Cleanly, Stretch Feeding Time

Alpacas and llamas eat small amounts spread across many hours. The right feeding technology pays into exactly that. With hay racks and slow feeders the roughage stays clean, losses go down and the animals stay busy for longer. Add troughs and feed bins, which let you portion concentrate cleanly and store it dry.

Racks and slow feeding

A galvanised hay rack keeps the hay off the floor, which protects it from soiling, cuts waste and lowers parasite pressure in the group. The double hay rack at 61.5 centimetres offers two sides and therefore more feeding places in the group. If you feed round bales, combine a slow feeding net with a matching frame in the size 1.81 by 1.81 metres. The small mesh clearly extends feeding time, makes for calmer animals in the group and stops large amounts of hay being pulled out at once and trodden in.

Troughs and storage

Sturdy troughs are a good match for concentrate feed, for example the Growi feed trough with a steel frame, which stays put even when animals push against it. Plan one feeding place per animal, otherwise the higher ranking ones take over and the lower ranking ones go without. A feed bin with a lid keeps muesli and pellets dry, protects against rodents and stops animals helping themselves. Clean troughs and nets regularly so that no old feed is left behind and the group keeps eating willingly. Check the nets for torn mesh at the same time and replace damaged parts before an animal gets caught in them.

Frequently asked questions

How many feeding places do I need?
Ideally one per animal. Then the whole group eats at the same time and lower ranking animals get their ration without pressure.

Which mesh size makes sense for a hay net?
Smaller mesh stretches feeding time. Watch the animals at first and choose a size that lets them eat without frustration.

Can I just put hay on the floor?
You can, but it stays cleaner in a rack. There it is trodden on less, less goes to waste and the animals take up fewer parasites.