Development and Evaluation of Improved Feeders for Goats Suitable to Stall-fed Management System

Upreti, Chet R.; Kuwar, B. S.; Panday, S. B.

doi:10.3126/narj.v6i0.3368

Cited by 4 publications

(4 citation statements)

References 1 publication

Supporting

Mentioning

Contrasting

Order By: Relevance

“…This compensates for the fact that the animals at the feeding barrier cannot feed as they would on pasture (i.e., they cannot splay their legs, a posture which allows them to reach the ground easily with their muzzle). Consequently, some authors also suggest such a height difference for goats (Peacock, 1996;Muhikambele et al, 1998;Upreti et al, 2005). Our data demonstrate that the minimum height difference between standing surface of forelegs and feed table should not be less than 10 cm.…”

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 56%

Determining suitable dimensions for dairy goat feeding places by evaluating body posture and feeding reach

Keil

Pommereau

Patt

et al. 2017

Journal of Dairy Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Confined goats spend a substantial part of the day feeding. A poorly designed feeding place increases the risk of feeding in nonphysiological body postures, and even injury. Scientifically validated information on suitable dimensions of feeding places for loose-housed goats is almost absent from the literature. The aim of the present study was, therefore, to determine feeding place dimensions that would allow goats to feed in a species-appropriate, relaxed body posture. A total of 27 goats with a height at the withers of 62 to 80 cm were included in the study. Goats were tested individually in an experimental feeding stall that allowed the height difference between the feed table, the standing area of the forelegs, and a feeding area step (difference in height between forelegs and hind legs) to be varied. The goats accessed the feed table via a palisade feeding barrier. The feed table was equipped with recesses at varying distances to the feeding barrier (5-55 cm in 5-cm steps) at angles of 30°, 60°, 90°, 120°, or 150° (feeding angle), which were filled with the goats' preferred food. In 18 trials, balanced for order across animals, each animal underwent all possible combinations of feeding area step (3 levels: 0, 10, and 20 cm) and of difference in height between feed table and standing area of forelegs (6 levels: 0, 5, 10, 15, 20, and 25 cm). The minimum and maximum reach at which the animals could reach feed on the table with a relaxed body posture was determined for each combination. Statistical analysis was performed using mixed-effects models. The animals were able to feed with a relaxed posture when the feed table was at least 10 cm higher than the standing height of the goats' forelegs. Larger goats achieved smaller minimum reaches and minimum reach increased if the goats' head and neck were angled. Maximum reach increased with increasing height at withers and height of the feed table. The presence of a feeding area step had no influence on minimum and maximum reach. Based on these results, the goats' feeding place can be designed to ensure that the animals are able to reach all of the feed in the manger or on the feed table with a relaxed posture, thus avoiding injuries and nonphysiological stress on joints and hooves. A feeding area step up to a maximum of 20 cm need not be taken into account in terms of feeding reach. However, the feed table must be raised at least 10 cm above the standing area to allow the goats to feed in a species-appropriate, relaxed posture.

show abstract

Section: Discussionsupporting

confidence: 56%

Determining suitable dimensions for dairy goat feeding places by evaluating body posture and feeding reach

Keil

Pommereau

Patt

et al. 2017

Journal of Dairy Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

show abstract

“…Bedding substrates vary between regions, but straw (United Kingdom, Anzuino et al, 2010 ; Italy, Battini et al, 2016 ) and wood shavings (Norwegian producer-reported survey, Simensen et al, 2010 ) are common. Most housing systems provide feed at ground level along the outside of a feed rail that is accessible by machinery along a drive alley, but depending on the feed, elevated racks, troughs, and conveyor belts are also used (e.g., Upreti et al, 2005 ). The design of the feed rail can vary widely as it is dependent on whether the goats are horned ( Loretz et al, 2004 ; Nordmann et al, 2015 ).…”

Section: Commercial Dairy Goat Housingmentioning

confidence: 99%

Understanding natural behavior to improve dairy goat (Capra hircus) management systems

Zobel

Neave

Webster

2018

Translational Animal Science

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Public interest is stimulating farming industries to improve animal welfare in production systems. Indoor housing of ruminants has received scrutiny because of perceived intensiveness and lack of naturalness. Animal welfare has traditionally focused on health benefits (e.g., bedding management and reducing disease) and reducing negative experiences (e.g., painful husbandry practices). Recent attention to animals having “a life worth living” extends expectations to provide increased care and opportunities for positive experiences and natural behaviors. Although not all natural behaviors necessarily contribute to improved welfare, we present evidence for why many are important, and for how they can be promoted in commercial systems. Worldwide, commercial dairy goats (Capra hircus) are frequently housed in large open barns with space to move and soft bedding for lying; however, this is not sufficient to promote the range of natural behaviors of goats, which in turn suggests that commercial housing could be improved. The basis for this thinking is from the range of behaviors expressed by the Capra genus. Collectively, these species have evolved cognitive and behavioral strategies to cope with harsh and changing environments, as well as variable and limited vegetation. The rocky and often steep terrain that goats inhabit allows for predator avoidance and access to shelter, so it is not surprising that domesticated goats also seek out elevation and hiding spaces; indeed, their hoof structure is designed for the movement and grip in such rugged environments. The browsing techniques and flexibility in diet selection of wild, feral and extensively managed goats, appears to be equally important to housed goats, highlighting the need for more complexity in how and what goats are fed. Goats naturally live in small, dynamic groups, governed by complex social structures in which horns play a strong role. Commercial housing systems should consider the benefits of more natural-sized social groups and revisit the rationale behind horn removal. We suggest that cognitive stimulation is a potential welfare improvement for goats in commercial settings. Goat cognitive abilities, which enabled success in complex and variable social and physical environments, are unchallenged in uniform environments, potentially leading to negative affective states. We make suggestions for housing improvements that could be readily adopted into current systems without compromising production efficiency.

show abstract

“…After regrouping, a comparative increase in feed intake in does was noticed in both types of feeder which might be due to more competitiveness among new group mates, contrarily overall feeding activities (positive as well as negative) were decreased at both type of feeders (Kaur 2019). Upreti et al (2005) noted that green forage wastage for stylo and napier were significantly lower in rectangular (7.74, 13.86%) followed by chain barrel (17.3, 19.5%), hexagonal (20.49, 27.49%) and hay rack (29.61, 16.66%). Wastage of straw (black bean) and fodder twigs (tanki) too had similar trend.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 96%

“…Wastage of straw (black bean) and fodder twigs (tanki) too had similar trend. Findings of Upreti et al (2005) clearly indicates that wastage at rectangular and chain barrel feeders (both had linear dimensions) were lesser than hexagonal and circular feeders (round dimensions). Kumari and Patel (2015) concluded that linear feeding trough helped in saving the green fodder (wastage) in comparison to circular (hexagonal) feeder and provision of unchopped fodder in circular feeder did not give any advantage over linear feeding trough.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 97%

Performance and welfare status of stable and regrouped beetal does fed at hexagonal vs linear feeder

Kaur

Kaswan

Singh

et al. 2021

Indian J of Anim Sci

View full text Add to dashboard Cite

Performance and welfare status of stable and regrouped Beetal does (N=28) was assessed at hexagonal and linear feeder (n=14 does per group, 7 lactating and 7 non-lactating). Stable groups were compared at hexagonal (DH) and linear (DL) feeders for a period of four weeks. Thereafter, does were regrouped (7 does interchanged, i.e. 4 lactating and 3 non-lactating) at hexagonal (DHM) and linear (DLM) feeder and compared as following four subgroups, i.e. hexagonal retained (DHR), linear-to-hexagonal (DLH), hexagonal-to-linear (DHL) and linear retained (DLR) does (n=7 each). Body weight, milk yield, feed intake, wastage, injuries and blood biochemical parameters were recorded. Blood samples were collected at weekly interval before regrouping and on day 1, 3, 7 and 14 after regrouping. Most of the parameters did not differ between feeder groups before as well as after regrouping. One doe received horn injury after regrouping at hexagonal feeder. Does retained at respective feeder (DHR and DLR) showed increase in plasma cortisol level after regrouping indicative of rise in stress to defend their stable position at feeder or space inside the pen. Results showed that two types of feeder had little influence on performance and welfare of stable does with marginal advantages at linear feeder in regrouped does.

show abstract

Development and Evaluation of Improved Feeders for Goats Suitable to Stall-fed Management System

Cited by 4 publications

References 1 publication

Determining suitable dimensions for dairy goat feeding places by evaluating body posture and feeding reach

Determining suitable dimensions for dairy goat feeding places by evaluating body posture and feeding reach

Understanding natural behavior to improve dairy goat (Capra hircus) management systems

Performance and welfare status of stable and regrouped beetal does fed at hexagonal vs linear feeder

Contact Info

Product

Resources

About