When housed, goats require good ventilation and optimum temperatures all-year round to thrive, so continuous environment monitoring is crucial for health and productivity. We spoke with farmer, Charlie Whitehouse, about the investments he has made on-farm to support the health and welfare of his goat herd.
In partnership with his father, Charlie farms a mixed enterprise in Gloucestershire, including a herd of 650 milking goats. Alongside the farm business, they produce added-value products under the brand ‘Oh My Goat’.
The importance of optimising the housed environment for goats
The farm’s goats are housed all-year round so the housed environment for nannies, does and kids is vital to ensure they can thrive.
Charlie explains: “When it comes to goat health, one of the biggest challenges you’ve got with housing animals is having enough fresh air in circulation, at the right temperature and with the right air flow.”
Poor air flow can lead to an increased risk of pneumonia and mycoplasma, meaning animals don’t achieve their potential.
“Goats like to be warm with a consistent temperature maintained. We find we suffer from a greater milk yield loss when the animals are cold than we do with excess heat,” he says.
Game-changing automation
When building their new housing unit, the Whitehouse family consulted Galebreaker for advice on how to weatherproof and maximise natural air flow inside the sheds.
Galebreaker’s Variable Ventilation Systems (VVSs) were installed down the full length of the buildings and described by Charlie as an absolute game changer as the system increases the quality of the air in circulation, whilst protecting the goats from adverse weather..
The farm has also installed Galebreaker’s Premium Electric Agridoors on the main feed passageways to further support livestock ventilation and weatherproofing. They have since invested in the installation of remote controls in farm machinery, meaning they can open and close the Agridoors from the cab.
Breeding and kid management
Kidding periods take place four times a year with about 400 reared on the Whitehouse’s unit over a 12-month period, fattening most of the males and rearing the females as replacements.
Charlie erected a marquee in one of the rearing buildings to prevent the kids from developing pneumonia, however, it was a struggle to ventilate it properly.
Consequently, he fitted Galebreaker’s VentTube Fresh in the marquee to maximise ventilation and has since seen a definite improvement in the kids’ health.
“The Galebreaker team helped specify the ventilation tube to ensure the system was effectively able to draw in fresh air and disperse it evenly at animal level to remove moisture, gases, airborne pathogens and excess heat,” says Charlie.
“We’ve got it set up on a moisture sensor and a timer so we can ensure there’s always some fresh air, but it stays warm at the same time.”
Proactive health monitoring
Charlie believes they now spend a lot more time talking to their vet about preventative measures to help avoid any health issues, so that they can continue to adapt their farm buildings to support goat welfare.
Adaptations that continue to improve goat housing are becoming increasingly important as the family looks to build on the strength of the established ‘Oh My Goat’ range of products whilst ensuring the health and welfare of the goat herd remains at the heart of the business.
Galebreaker: The trusted weatherproofing partner
Galebreaker has been a leader in providing weatherproofing solutions for livestock sheds for over 40 years. Known for their innovative designs and durable materials, Galebreaker products help farmers across the UK and beyond maintain productive, weather-resistant livestock environments. Whether you need retractable windbreaks, robust cladding, or efficient ventilation systems, Galebreaker has a solution tailored to your needs.
For more information on how you can upgrade your livestock sheds with Galebreaker solutions, please contact the sales team.
To see some of the Galebreaker products in action, take a look at this video on the Whitehouse Farm.
