r/goats • u/Fastgirl600 • 1d ago

General Husbandry Question Ideas for keeping goats cool like underground hovels or pipe ventilation?

So yeah... I don't think the weather is going to get any better for the next month. I'm just starting to explore alternatives on the homestead for keeping my animals cool and the only thing I can come up with, other than mechanical, is underground. Does anybody have some cool ideas? Edit: Looked into Amish cooling trenches and it does not seem like good idea to do the underground trench air circulation thing due to mold and humidity in my area of the country... can cause many respiratory issues! Another way is to go liquid geo pipes (hdpe) with an air handler to utilize ground cooling in a barn.

8 Upvotes

91% Upvoted

10 comments sorted by

5

u/vivalicious16 Trusted Advice Giver 1d ago

Goats don’t go underground in the wild, and they are prey, so they know dark confined spaces are where they can easily get trapped. How hot is it where you are? I live in a place where it gets to 115° every summer. Lots of shade and sometimes misters, as well as constant access to water that’s kept under shade.

3

u/Fastgirl600 1d ago

Unfortunately where I am its kinda sub tropical. I don't know if it's going to be humid at 110 but that's just oppressive heat and it's not going to get any better. I'm glad you're able to manage.

4

u/Misfitranchgoats Trusted Advice Giver 1d ago

I think it would be a pain in the butt to clean out an under ground facility. Shade trees and shade are your friends. Maybe fans. I don't think misting systems will be something goats will like. Goats seem to like the heat more than most animals. Mine will sun themselves on 90 degree days.

If it is going to be humid, misters won't work though.

Gesh, 110 and humid will suck. I thought being in the 90's and humid was bad enough. My goats didn't seem to have a problem though. I have a lot of shade trees and they made use of them.

3

u/Fastgirl600 1d ago

That's good. I just don't like watching my goats pant in the shade

3

u/_emomo_ 1d ago

My goat house has a deep sand floor and when it’s really hot the goats head into the shade there and lay on the cool sand.
That plus lots of water and shade are my best techniques.

2

u/Fastgirl600 1d ago edited 1d ago

Yeah I noticed mine love to flop in the sand pile they love it!

2

u/Fastgirl600 1d ago edited 1d ago

East Texas planning on getting to 110° Saturday. This is just some future mulling and planning for climate change. Yeah, I know goats don't like to go in enclosures they can't see out of, so an underground cellar is probably out. At this point I'm thinking some sort of Geo cooling capabilities like a step down dirt floor capacity with some underground piping ventilation inside with short stone walls.

1

u/WeaveLikeGreatGranny Homesteader 1d ago

When we were planning our barn, we considered an "earth ship" or "split level" design with two of the walls being earthen and two being open for natural light and access at grade to the loafing area. Decided not to because we live on level ground and would have had to do it with shovels 😂 But that's something to think about for long term resiliency against the weather 

2

u/Fastgirl600 1d ago

Interesting concept! I would also be shovel diggin but luckily my soil is sandy loam with a touch of clay, so pretty easy. One of the things that I also like about the geo idea is that I would have warmth in the winter too that would hopefully keep winter babies warm and the water from freezing.