Trough Feeders

“PRODUCT SPOTLIGHT: JACOBY’S FEEDERS”

Joel Lanier- Jacoby’s Feed Consultant

This is a continuation of information to aid you in having a successful sheep/goat feeding experience. We will continue the topic of facilities and encourage you to contact us if you have any questions. We are available to work with you one-on-one.

TROUGH FEEDERS

• A hanging trough needs to be attached to the fence of your pen where the animal can eat comfortably—near shoulder height. Remove the feeder after feeding to keep animal from defecating/urinating in the trough.

• Feed project daily and on schedule---sheep/goats should be fed minimum twice a day, morning and evening, sometimes 3 times a day. Multi feedings are beneficial in order to feed smaller amounts per feeding to increase total daily consumption. Also, the showman can better monitor how his project is performing and consuming its allotted feed.

• Individual feeders aid in monitoring daily intake of each animal, if you have several animals of different sizes in one pen. Normally constructed out of 4x4 mesh 14-20 inches wide and long enough to enable animal to enter the total length of his body and tall enough to prevent jumping out. A gate is a must to close until all animals are finished eating.

  HAY FEEDER

• Feeding a handful of hay in the regular trough is fine. However, if a chip or more of hay is fed to a group, it should be out of a hay feeder with a catch trough to aid in keeping litter off the ground. Litter or wet hay is a perfect environment for internal parasite populations to increase.

SCALES (OPTIONAL)

• Weighing projects is a necessity on a regular basis and is best early in the morning prior to feeding----weight is more easily monitored if it’s the same time each day. Electronic scales have become widely available and more affordable than large steel beam scales.