Goat Stable Equipment: Racks, Troughs and Waterers Sorted

Goat Stable Equipment: Hay, Concentrate and Water Well Sorted

Work in a goat shed splits into a few clear jobs, and this category follows exactly those lines. Forage goes into the rack, concentrate into the trough, water into the waterer. Here you will find hay racks, feed troughs and waterers matched to the size, the appetite and the urge to climb of a goat, all of them built to keep the daily round short.

Putting feed out without losses

Goats are browsers. They sort out the best stems and pull far more hay from the rack than they ever eat. A hay saver grille slows that down, because the animals can only take small mouthfuls at a time. Racks built for slow hay intake work on the same principle, such as the galvanised Growi rack in 92 x 52 x 60 cm and 150 x 52 x 60 cm. With concentrate, a long trough with a feed barrier helps: goats like to climb into an open trough, the barrier keeps them out and at the same time divides the edge into separate feeding spaces.

Water all year round

A goat drinks every day, winter included. Float valve waterers hold the level by themselves and all you do is connect the supply. Cast iron and enamelled bowls shrug off kicks and horns and stand heavy enough not to be pushed around, while plastic bowls are lighter and quicker to move. Whether high pressure or low pressure suits you depends on the water supply at the site. Against frost there is the heated Thermo Plus float valve waterer with 31 W and the version with 73 W pipe trace heating, which warms the supply line as well. Set the bowl at a height the smallest animal in the group still reaches, and check every morning that the float still moves freely.

Frequently asked questions

How high should a hay rack for goats hang?
High enough that the animals reach in comfortably but cannot climb in. In mixed groups, take your measure from the smallest animals.

Why a feed barrier on the trough?
Goats like to stand in their feed with their front legs. The barrier keeps them out, keeps the concentrate clean and gives calm, separate feeding spaces.

What helps against frozen waterers?
A heated float valve waterer keeps the bowl free of ice. If the supply line freezes too, take the version with pipe trace heating.