Feed Trough Design Can Make A World Of Difference

Feed trough design and management can have a significant impact on animal health without the producer even realising it, says Hannes Smit of Trogtek SA.

- Izak Hofmeyr

Hannes says that when it comes to equipment for cattle, including feed troughs, the most important factor is that it must be cattle resistant. “Cattle tend to push against each other, which can lead to broken equipment if it isn’t sturdy enough. This is the first principle of feed trough design.”

According to him, the second principle is efficacy, which means the feed trough must be used for its intended purpose. “Feeding must be done efficiently without wasting any feed. When using a self-feeder, the feed supply must be steady and consistent.

“Open feed troughs must be wide enough so that cattle can access it from either side to feed. They must be able to lift their heads to chew without any feed spilling onto the ground. The trough must also allow sufficient feeding space for the number of cattle for which it was designed.”

Feed trough size

The benchmark Hannes uses for size, is eight times the trough’s length. For instance, if you have a trough that is two metres long, it must be able to contain enough feed for 16 animals. In addition to the length, this type of trough needs to be 1m wide and approximately 300mm deep. If the principle of 1m for every eight head of cattle is applied in terms of length, it is adequate for rounding off cattle or feeding dairy cows.

In terms of depth, it is important to raise the trough off the ground. If the trough is 600mm high, it must be approximately 300mm deep and the space between the bottom of the trough and the ground must also be 300mm. This gap allows for the circulation of air underneath without dust being deposited in the trough. The volume of a trough that is 2m long, 1m wide and 300mm deep should be able to accommodate enough feed for 16 animals per day. A trough that is 3m long can accommodate an additional eight animals.

Feeding must be easy