Hay rack

Racks are racks for hay, straw or grass. They are usually mounted on the wall, but are also free standing in wildlife management areas and to find pastures. They are made ​​of wood, metal or plastic. The animals can pull the roughage with the mouth between the vertical bars of the rack. Racks are available in stables, for example, in goats, cows and horses, in cages of guinea pigs and rabbits, but also detached for horses, sheep and deer. Christian Gebhard Nordmann invented in 1811, the floating rack to save space in its sheepfolds.

Etymology

The term comes from the Old High German rack ( OHG ) rouffen, Roufen Middle High German ( MHG ) a member of related words - Gothic raupjan, mniederl. roopen, aengl. Riepan to the often extended IE root * reu - ' tear, break, tear, pluck ". In German ' fight ' " scuffling, hand to hand be " since the MHG time also in the sense of ( originally: " tear at the hair " ) needed. (See scuffle ). Already in the late Middle Ages, the feed rack for animals was roufe called.

Hay racks in stalls

Previously had a lot of horse stables hay racks. The wall racks were practical, but mostly placed too high and the horses had his back by pressing ( Senkrückengefahr! ), where they also breathed hay dust. As proven effective low Hay Racks or hay nets.

In cowsheds you can hardly find hay racks, as the cows, the hay is placed on the ground.

Hay racks in cages

The Rough Housing for guinea pigs and rabbits cages must have no spikes and must be securely fastened. The spacing of the rods in the racks must not be too wide, as the animals may otherwise remain stuck with their heads in it (especially young animals). When distributing hay in the cage without rack is dirty and downtrodden and is hardly suitable for consumption.

Hay racks in the wild

In hunting areas, the hay rack for feeding the deer in times of need ( Hege ) is used. It consists of impregnated wood. Main part is the food basket, the bracing is built of rounded wood. Below, a feeding trough for wet food is placed, above a roof to protect the Futtergut from precipitation. Depending on the size of four to eight animals from space. As the roof in winter protection and the straw provides heat hay rack is then used by the animals as well as a berth.