Cattle Feeding Barriers

As social animals in a herd setting, cattle are subjected to bullying by one another during feeding. In the case of the open trough, subordinate animals often are driven away from the feeding area and forced to return later, when the dominant cattle are finished. This creates problems, such as lack of feed, poor quality feed and general upset to the bullied cattle. Feeding barriers were invented to stop a stronger cow from bullying a weaker cow away from their food.

  1. Feeding Stalls

    • 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.

    Simple Feeding Barriers

    • 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.

    Self-locking Feeding Barriers

    • 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.

    Future Advancements in Feeding Barriers

    • 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.