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Goat housing - case study goat dairy farm

Mekkerhof, the first goat innovation centre in Europe, keeps 1,000 dairy goats on straw. The installation of gates for the new open barn and easily assembled and disassembled rearing pens presented Greutink Staltechniek, the barn designer, with two major challenges. A product had to be chosen that the goats would not chew on. In addition, hygiene in the barn and in the rearing pens had to be guaranteed. The 50 mm thick Paneltim Lightweight panel proved to be the perfect solution for this.

COMPARISON WITH WOOD AND PVC

The gates of the pens in the previous barns made were of wood and PVC. These were always chewed to bits by the goats. Furthermore, the quality of the wood greatly decreased in the longer term. A practical test showed that the Paneltim panels are resistant to the gnawing of the goats. Due to the smoothness of the panels and their hardness, the animals are unable to break the panels by biting them. In addition, Paneltim Lightweight 50 mm panels weigh 9.9 kg/m² (much less than wood) and are easy to install.

SIMPLE INSTALLATION

During the period that the goats have their young, rearing pens are quickly and easily assembled in the barn. These are made from Paneltim panels and equipped with water and feed troughs. When the lambs get bigger, the pens are just as easily disassembled so that not only the pens, but the entire space can be sprayed clean.

PERFECT HYGIENE

“Paneltim panels make it possible to disinfect the pens and the entire barn when they are empty.” says Henrie Greutink, installer of the panels. Little goats are very susceptible to diseases. That is why good hygiene in the barn is important. The smooth surface of the Paneltim panels is not absorbent, but it is water and dirt-repellent and easy to clean with a high-pressure cleaner. “In addition, all panels have sealed outer edges so that no internal accumulation of dirt and bacteria can take place.”

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