HEURAUFE 10 pieces

Description

Hay rack - Enables the horse to have constant access to hay A hay rack is an indispensable element of species-appropriate horse husbandry, both in the stable and on the pasture. It provides constant access to hay and ensures a balanced diet. This special hay rack is designed to be mounted on the wall. It is solid, durable and resistant to pressure and bending.

Main features

• Constant hay supplyEnables the horse to take up hay at any time.
• Wall mountingSpecially designed for wall mounting, which saves space.
• Solid construction: Durable and resistant to pressure and bending.
• Species-appropriate nutritionSupports a balanced and species-appropriate diet.

Advantages of a hay rack

• Reduces food wastePrevents the hay from lying on the floor and becoming soiled, resulting in less wasted feed.
• Prevents overeatingDepending on the version, the feeding behaviour is slowed down.
• Space-savingIdeal for use in stables as it is mounted on the wall.

Types of hay racks

There is a large selection of hay racks for horses, which vary in size, material and design. Here are some common types:

• Wall eavesMounted directly on the wall of the horse box and available in various sizes. There are also corner rails that are particularly space-saving.
• Small bale eavesSuitable for smaller herds of horses in the pasture. With integrated roof to protect against rain and bars to prevent overeating.
• Round hoofIdeal for larger herds in the pasture. Provides feeding places for up to 12 horses.
• Square eavesSimilar to the round eaves, but square and often with a roof.
• Automatic hay rackTime-controlled, with automatic roller shutters or flaps that promote a balanced feeding routine.

Technical details

Material properties

• WoodNatural, but can be gnawed by horses.
• PlasticEasy to clean, but not so stable.
• MetalDurable and resistant, but risk of injury if the distance between the bars is too large (max. 5 cm).

A hay rack for horses is suitable for the daily, clean feeding of the animals. A hay rack reduces feed waste, as hay with a rack is less likely to fall on the floor and be trampled. With a hay rack, horses eat their roughage slowly, encouraging natural feeding behaviour. 

Hay racks for horses are used in the stable, in the paddock and in the pasture. At Alfako, we sell a spacious wall-mounted hay rack that is highly durable thanks to its robust material. The use of a hay rack enables hygienic feeding, as no urine or dust gets into the hay. 

At the same time, hay racks protect the roughage from dirt, moisture and bacteria. Installing a hay rack ensures that there is enough hay available for horses to keep them healthy. Horses can then eat from the hay rack as required and have constant access to it.

What are the advantages of a hay rack?

The advantages of a hay rack are its flexible installation, slow feed intake, savings on feed costs and increased feeding comfort. Further advantages of a hay rack are the stable material, easy filling and a constant supply of hay for the horse.

The following list shows the advantages of a hay rack in detail.

• Flexible attachment: A hay rack for horses offers flexible installation, as it can be fitted in the box, in the stable, in the paddock, in the open stable, in the playpen or in the pasture.
• Slow feed intake: A small hay rack ensures that the horse eats slowly, which promotes the animal's digestion and prevents boredom. The hay rack reduces the feeding speed to prevent the horse from overeating.
• Saves feed costs: A hay rack saves feed costs as it minimises feed losses. Thanks to the hay rack, the feed has no direct contact with the ground and is therefore not wasted due to contamination.
• Increases feeding comfort: A hay rack increases feeding comfort for horses, as they do not have to lean down to the ground to reach their food. However, hay racks are placed a little further down so that a natural, healthy feeding position is always supported.
• Sturdy material: Hay racks are made of sturdy material, which makes them durable and robust. The solid construction of the hay rack ensures that it is also resistant to bending of the material.
• Easy to fill: Hay racks are easy to fill because you simply put the hay into the rack from above by hand or tractor. Depending on the type of hay rack, either individual hay rations or whole bales of hay are placed inside.
• Constant hay supply: Hay racks enable a constant supply of hay, as they ensure that the horse has access to fresh, clean hay at all times. Horses can pull hay out of the rack at any time without the entire supply lying on the floor.
• Plenty of space for every horse: A hay rack offers plenty of space for each horse so that no animals are driven away from the hay rack. With a hay rack, there is no food envy between the horses, as each animal can eat from different angles.
• Hay is aerated: The hay is well ventilated thanks to the hay rack, as the bars allow ideal air circulation. The ventilation of the hay is important to ensure that the roughage has a long shelf life. The hay is raised in the rack so that moisture from the ground does not penetrate and therefore does not spoil or go mouldy easily. 

What types of hay racks are there?

There are 6 different types of hay racks, these are round racks, square racks, corner racks, wall racks, small bale racks and automatic hay racks. In general, there are free-standing hay racks, hay racks with roofs and wall racks in various sizes and made of different materials.

We will introduce you to the different types of hay racks below.

Round runners

Round troughs are circular troughs that are best suited for round bales. A round rack is suitable for feeding large herds in the pasture or in an open stable, as this type of rack usually has feeding places for up to 12 horses. Round troughs have bars around the trough and are filled using a tractor. A subspecies of the round trough is the ring trough, which has rounded edges instead of bars.

Square runners

In most cases, square runs have a roof to protect the hay inside from rain and snow. Similar to the round rack, the square rack is also equipped with several feed grids, except that it is a square rack. The bars of the square trough either run right up to the roof or are only half as high so that horses can keep their heads above the bars when eating. Square troughs are large hay racks that are best suited for grazing.

Wall runners

Wall racks are suitable for the stable and are attached to any wall in the horse box. There are different sizes of wall racks, depending on the recommended amount of feed for the horse. Wall racks are fitted with either narrow or wide grids. The distance between the feed grids on wall-mounted racks is decided according to how quickly the horse should eat the hay. Wall-mounted racks are semi-circular for easy installation and safety.

Corner runners

Corner rails are a subtype of wall rails and are mounted in a freely selectable corner of the horse stall. A corner rack is installed in the corner of the stable to save space, supports the horses' natural feeding position thanks to its lower installation and minimises the risk of injury as it does not protrude into the stall. Corner troughs are available as large-area troughs or as compact small troughs.

Small bale runners

Small bale troughs are suitable for feeding smaller herds of horses in the pasture or for individual horses in the stable. A small bale trough is filled with small bales of hay. The idea behind the small bale rack is that the horses only reach the hay gradually due to the bars to prevent overeating. The small bale trough is filled by hand via the side of the feed trough or from above. 

Automatic hay racks

Automatic hay racks work on a timer so that you have better control over the horse's feed intake. The roller shutters either raise or lower at the set feeding times, thus creating a balanced feeding routine for horses. Smaller hay racks have an automatic door or flap. Intermittent horse feeding with fixed breaks is easy on the animal's digestion. This practical function is available both for a small hay rack for the stable and for a large square rack in the pasture.

What material are hay racks made of?

Hay racks are made of metal, wood or plastic. In most cases, hay racks are made of hot-dip galvanised metal. Wood is natural, but is often nibbled on by horses. Plastic is easy to clean but not as stable. Metal hay racks are made of stainless steel, aluminium or sheet steel.

Metal hay racks are particularly durable and weather-resistant. When buying a hay rack, remember that a maximum distance of 5 cm between the feeding bars must not be exceeded if the horses are not to stick their heads through. The right distance between the bars is important for hay racks to avoid the risk of injury to the horse. The choice of material for the hay rack depends on how much hay you want to put in the rack and how many horses you want to feed at the same time.

How big are hay racks?

Hay racks are between 50 cm and 230 cm wide, between 30 cm and 230 cm deep and between 20 cm and 250 cm high. The large round or square hay racks have an average diameter of 1.30 m to 2.30 m. Most types and sizes of hay rack can hold between 6 kg and 14 kg of hay.

Round and square hay racks have space for small bales, round bales and square bales of hay. The size of hay racks varies depending on whether they have bars like the round rack, a roof like the small bale rack or no bars like the ring rack. The size of hay rack you should choose depends on the number of horses to be fed.

What do you need to consider when buying a hay rack?

When buying a hay rack, it is important to ensure that it meets the safety requirements. Hay racks should have rounded corners, be designed for horses and have a suitable distance between the grids. For grazing, a hay rack should also be covered to prevent fire or wet hay.

If you want to buy a hay rack, it is important that you choose the right size. In terms of size, you should consider how many horses you will be feeding with the hay rack, what material you want for the hay rack and whether it should have an automatic flap. If the hay rack is only intended for one horse in the box, a metal or wooden wall rack is sufficient. If the hay rack is to be used to feed a herd of horses, you should opt for a small bale, round or square rack made of metal.

The feeding height of the hay rack must also be adapted to the height of the horses. For medium-sized horse breeds, a feeding height of around 60 cm to 80 cm is recommended for the hay rack. Bear in mind that a large herd of horses will need several hay racks in different places to avoid scuffles. In terms of the number of hay racks, calculate with 1 hay rack for 4 horses.

How do you look after a hay rack?

A hay rack is maintained by emptying it regularly and cleaning it with a broom. It is important to clean the hay rack regularly to remove old hay residues and dirt. Faeces, urine and damp hay should also be removed from the hay rack. Change the hay several times a week to prevent mould.

The hay rack should also be thoroughly rinsed with water once a week to remove stubborn dirt and breeding grounds for bacteria. Then allow the hay rack to dry completely before filling it with hay again. Check the hay rack regularly for damage, rust, loose components and sharp edges. Repair this damage immediately to prevent injury to the horses.

Hay rack from Alfako

The robust hay rack from Alfako is attached to any wall of the horse box and is very durable and resistant thanks to the galvanised steel. Our hay rack offers ideal feed hygiene in the stable, as the hay does not have to lie on the floor thanks to the rack. We sell the hay rack in packs of 10.

Our hay rack is 80 cm wide, 50 cm high and 50 cm deep. The Alfako hay rack has a net weight of 10 kilograms. If you have any questions about the hay rack or other products in our online shop, please contact us using the contact form on our website or your preferred contact method. We look forward to your enquiry!