Your cart is empty.
Shipping costs are calculated during checkout.
Anyone who keeps alpacas knows: hay should be offered clean, dry and with as little loss as possible. Mares in particular benefit from a calm, well-structured feeding station where they can eat stress-free. Ready-made hay racks are often expensive or don't fit your own herd optimally.
For this reason, I converted an old IBC container into a hay rack for our alpaca mares.
Starting material: a used IBC container
IBC containers are sturdy, weatherproof and ideal for upcycling projects in the animal sector. The prerequisite is that the container has been thoroughly cleaned and only ever contained harmless substances. For alpacas, it's also important that all edges are cleanly finished.
Converting it into a hay rack for alpacas
During the conversion, special attention was paid to the needs of alpacas:
- The feeding openings are narrower and lower than for horses, matching the mares' body size.
- All cut edges were carefully deburred and secured to avoid injuries to the lips and neck.
- The hay lies protected inside the container and is taken from above or through side openings.
Optionally, a hay net or grid can be integrated to structure the feeding further.
The container is easy to fill and clean – a big advantage in everyday use.
Benefits of the IBC hay rack for alpaca mares
- Clean feed: no hay in the mud or on the dung area.
- Less waste: significantly lower hay consumption.
- Weather-protected: hay stays dry, even in rain or snow.
- Calm feeding: ideal for herds of mares without unnecessary stress.
- Sustainable & inexpensive: reusing existing materials.
Experience from practice
Our alpaca mares quickly took to the new hay rack. The hay stays clean, the feeding spots are clearly structured and the daily workload has noticeably decreased. It's especially practical that the container can hold several days' worth of feed.
Video of the conversion
You can see the conversion and the finished hay rack in action in the video on Instagram:
👉 https://www.instagram.com/insights/media/3789781831420549864/
Read Also
- Posted on
Ensinger Alpakas GmbH is now an officially recognized FÖJ (Voluntary Ecological Year) placement site. Young people gain hands-on insights into sustainable agriculture, animal husbandry, environmental education and work on an alpaca farm. The FÖJ combines nature, responsibility and varied tasks with our alpacas.
- Posted on
Polly and Carisma, two two-year-old dark brown mares, are new to our farm. Both are pregnant, so we hope to welcome two healthy crias in early October 2026. The mares now have plenty of peace to settle into their new home and get used to the herd.