Automated feeders for goat supplementation

The aim of this research was to develop a range of feeding troughs for young and adult goats. The aim was to offer the animals a product that would provide the right amount of supplementation at the right time, increasing herd productivity and reducing mortality due to ineffective management. In order to develop the product, a series of studies were carried out on the morphology of the animals at different stages, as well as an analysis of the alternative material feeders already available on goat farms. These studies made it possible to develop a product that would meet all the goats' needs. On the basis of the information obtained, formal proposals for automated feeders were drawn up. These were followed by reduced-scale mock-ups in order to carry out volumetric and functional studies. At the end of the product development phase, it was concluded that the new model would meet the animals' needs and facilitate the work of the keeper when compared to the feeders available in the facilities. It would also provide better conditions for the provision of supplements at predetermined times and in predetermined portions.