Important Things to Consider When Constructing a Cattle Feed Bunk
A feed bunk is a trough that is constructed to give your cattle access to both food and water. A well-constructed feed bunk ensures that all the animals are well fed, and this improves their performance and hence their productivity. Depending on what you and your cattle need, there are a lot of things that you ought to put into account whenever you are constructing a cattle bunk. Below are some important factors to consider when constructing a cattle bunk.
The Number of Cattle
You ought to know how many animals are going to make use of that feed bunk for their feeding. In regard to this, you will be able to easily estimate the required capacity of the feeding trough providing a spacious feed bunk. This ensures that each and every animal has enough comfortable space to eat in. The more the number of animals you have, the more spacious the feeding trough should be to accommodate all of them.
The Shape
Considering the shape of the feed bunk is also very important. Often a lot of people go for rectangular-shaped feed bunks due to the ease of cleaning as well as their ability to fit along fence lines. Rectangular feed bunks are also known to hold a higher capacity of animal feed and water, unlike the round ones.
Material Used
Different materials are available for constructing feed bunk. Some of the most common ones are steel, concrete, polyethylene and fibreglass. Choosing the right material should be a priority to ensure that you construct a structure that is not only stable but is also very durable. Unlike other types of materials, concrete has been known to be very long-lasting, making it very popular for feed bunk construction. If you choose to use fibreglass, ensure that ultraviolet materials are used to ensure that no destruction is caused to the trough by sunlight.
Surface Coating
The feeding bunk surface should be coated with a durable material to mitigate the effects of animal feed enzymes that may cause the surface to weaken, eventually leading to cracking. This is a great hindrance to proper cleaning and maintenance. Untidy and unkempt feed bunks could harbour animal diseases, which may decrease the productivity of your cattle or, even worse, lead to death.
Animals need to be well fed and taken care of for them to be productive. A feed bunk is not only a way to ensure that your cattle get access to sufficient water and food, but it is also a way to gauge how much food your cattle consume in a day, which helps you to budget appropriately.
Contact a cattle feed bunk construction company for more information.
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