Compared with smaller calves, the allocated amount of food for veal calves increases greatly. The animals also rummage more in the food which means that the design must minimise waste. Our current long trough has been developed for small and medium calves. But if used for veal calves, they would be filled too often and cause unnecessary waste.
Our new large trough is suitable for veal calves. You can read more about the new large trough here.
A mounted troughs makes the work easier when the gates are to be opened and the animals moved.
Farmer and adviser participating in the development of the trough
The new large trough has been developed in co-operation with Bent Askholm of Hylke, who raises veal calves, and Mogens Larsen of Jelling, an adviser on veal calves, who both asked for a large and user-friendly mounted trough for veal calves.
Both have also focused on that the trough should reduce food waste and be easy to clean. Bent Askholm runs his farm in Hylke at Skanderborg where they raise 1,500-1,600 veal calves every year.
The veal calves are in pens with deep litter and fed with concentrates in long troughs The gate to the pens is three metres long.
Feed for the whole night
At Bent Askholm’s farm, the troughs are filled twice a day. Once in the morning and once in the late afternoon when the feed is to last until the morning. Our new large trough ensures that the calves do not run out of feed in the night. Optimal growth requires that the calves have access to food 24/7.
The curious calves spill
The large calves are very curious and when they eat they often lift their heads to see what is going on. This means that they push feed over the edge of the trough. They also drop feed as they munch. If the trough is too low or too small, the feed will end up on the feed alley where it is not much use.
Using our new trough will minimise feed waste and has the perfect capacity
Our new large trough features a large capacity suitable for the needs of veal calves which means that there is always enough feed for the calves. The trough also has a raised edge which prevents the calves from dropping and spilling feed on to the feed alley. The edge of the trough ensures that any feed that the calves drop whilst munching falls back into the trough. This improves feed utilisation which benefits the farmer financially.
User-friendliness is in focus
Another aspect that is important to Bent Askholm is the handling of the troughs. When the calves are being moved, they need to pass through the gates where the troughs are located. This is why he prefers troughs mounted on the gates and thus follow as the gates are opened. If he had picked a type of trough placed on the floor, he would then have to remove the troughs before he could open the gates and move the calves.
The new large troughs in summary
OK no. 1800 has a capacity of 180 litres and is 100 cm long. With 2-3 troughs side by side, suitable for many veal creates, there is thus a total capacity of 360 to 540 litres. Weighing only 13 kg, the trough is easy to handle. Its design in characterised by its roundness making it easy to clean.
Just like all our plastic stable products, the large trough has also been manufactured from plastic and excipients which are all approved for use with feed.
Ask your local supplier about our new large trough.
