Cattle Feeding Barriers
- In small individual operations such as hobby farms, where there are only a few head of cattle, having separate stalls available to each individual animal is an effective feeding barrier. The animal may be tied in an open stall, or left loose in a closed one and allowed to eat in peace.
- These barriers are usually constructed of galvanized pipe, but may also be made of wood. They consist of a trough, and a network of pipe or boards which the cattle must reach through to feed. The pipe/boards effectively separate each animal as it feeds from the next, preventing it from moving over and pushing its neighbor out.
- These feed barriers are constructed in a similar manner to simple barriers, but are mechanized. When a cow puts its head through the barrier, the barrier locks so that it cannot remove itself until released. Self-locking barriers are used most often in large operations where a cow may need to be held for longer than its feed lasts, such as for milking, artificial insemination or other veterinary treatment or examination.
- According to Edwin Kolsteeg with Brouwers equipment, the future of feed barriers includes ID locks. A feed barrier equipped with ID lock is programmed for each individual cow, keeping it in for the farmer-specified length of time and record each cow's time at the barrier and how much it consumed. Inverse-ID locks could sort the highest producers and single them out for special feeds, all in the same barrier with the lower producing stock. Multi-feeder locks would allow a farmer with a large herd to tailor each cow's diet for maximum production of meat or beef.