Meat
Goats at SIPAC
Purdue University and University of Kentucky
|
|
Facilities feeders fencing housing watering system working facility
Keeping goats confined can be a challenging task. The use of electrified fence as a psychological barrier can be effective in keeping goats inside their paddocks. If properly constructed, fence of this type can keep goats in and help in keeping predators out. The herd of meat goats is kept on an 8 acre plot of land at the SIPAC farm in southern Indiana, in Dubois county. The 8 acre plot is surrounded on its perimeter by fencing constructed of 5 strands of high tensile wire. Every other wire is kept electrified. The pasture is then divided in half by 2 strands of high tensile. These halves are then further subdivided into paddocks by electrified netting that is charged off of the perimeter fence. This electrified netting is easily moved, and thus is convenient for the rotational grazing system being used in this project. *The perimeter fencing for this site was present before the beginning of this project Total cost of all new fencing supplies: $1010.50 Estimated cost of perimeter fencing :$2100.00
The 5 strand perimeter fencing adjoining the electrified netting fence. Notice the netting being charged off of the perimeter fence.
Example of the electric netting used to subdivide the pasture into smaller paddocks.
Voltage meter used to test voltage of the perimeter fence. The pasture contains a 3 sided shed that was built to provide the goats with shade and protection from wind, rain, and snow. When the goats are grazing a portion of the field that does not include the 3 sided shed, a hay wagon is placed in the paddock to provide them with the same protection as the shed. The shed is 10' by 20'. Total cost of building the shed: approximately $800.00
The three sided shed built for the goats, bordered by the 5 strand perimeter fencing of the pasture.
The shed from another angle.
An example of the goats lying in the shade provided by the hay wagon. In the foreground is more of the electric netting fence. Water is delivered to the paddocks via plastic pipe with offset couplers. This eliminates hauling water to the tanks in each paddock. Total cost of installing the watering system: $485.79
An example of one of the pipes used to distribute water throughout the pasture. The goats are fed their concentrated feed and mineral supplements out of simple, homemade feeders. The grain feeder is constructed of black plastic tubing that has been cut in half and placed on a brace for support. Minerals are fed out of another homemade apparatus. Total cost of building feeder: Total cost of building mineral feeder:
A simple, homemade mineral feeder. Notice the forage behind the two strand division fence. The predominant forage is tall fescue interseeded with red clover.
An empty feeder constructed from tubing and a plastic brace. New feeders These are two of the new feeders made for the goats. The first feeder is a grain feeder and the second is a double purpose feeder for both hay and grain.
Homemade grain feeder.
This is a new homemade slatted hay and grain feeder.
The working facility was built to allow the handlers of the goats to have a more confined area in which to perform basic management practices on the goat herd. The area is used for activities such as hoof trimming, deworming, and checking the FAMACHA scores of the goats.
The working facility has gravel footing and is surrounded by wire and wood fencing. as well as aluminum tube gates.
The project is a cooperative effort between Purdue University and the University of Kentucky. |
