Feed by the ton

[jackie c]

Does anyone have a suggestion(s) for me. I can buy feed alot cheaper by the ton, but I have to haul it myself. Thats OK, but transfering the feed into storage is my problem. I have no equipment so it will have to be done by hand. The only thing I can think of is to have the storage below the gate of the truck, either buried or off the side of a hill. I really don't want to haul feed every day from the hill, and I'm not sure how to build something under ground that I can easily access the daily feed. Uggg. Help! Please! Links, ideas, plans anything!

[Ross]

Cheap little gravity box on a wagon gear ($500 ish) fill it and either tarp it or build a rood right on the box. Storage and transport in one. Where in Ontario are you and I'll get you some ag dealers near by to call.

[Ross]

Ooops forgot another option which is just to bag it as you load it.

[mikell]

Gravity box last year was 200$ built a hard top another 60$.

mikell

[jackie c]

OK I'm stupid, what's a gravity box, pics perhaps? I'm near Thunder Bay.

[Ross]

Actually this site will give you dealers in W Ont and Manitoba just click the search dealers and check off W Ont and Manitoba (yes I know anywhere in Manitoba is going to be a good days drive but TBay isn't exactly the heartland of farming country) Maybe a local auction or the USA?
Agdealer gravity box

[agmantoo]

jackie
How long will it take you to feed the bulk purchase feed. Are you aware that feed starts losing its nutrient value once the grain is processed?

[YuccaFlatsRanch]

My neighbor and I have a whole grain feed mixed by the ton and the mill bags it in reusable burlap bags. We take them back the bags and they fill them again for us.

[Windy in Kansas]

Many farmers used to put an old combine bin on a frame, install an old car or pickup differential as running gear, install a hitch and tow between farm and supply. Almost all of the old bins should hold a ton or more.

You can always use a scoop shovel to move it into the storage where you want it. It doesn't take long to scoop a load of feed into a bin even somewhat higher than the pickup. Until you get used to scooping you may want to place a tarp on the ground to catch any spillage. I prefer and recommend a #10 sized scoop vs. a #12.

[jackie c]

Thanks all for the help. I'm estimating that one ton of feed will be consumed in about two months. I fed cracked corn to my pigs last year over a four month period that I had stored, they seemed to do fine on it. I'll try to find a gravity bin in Minnesota, its alot closer than Manitoba for me. But if all else fails I had one suggestion of using a trailer as a hauler and storage. Thanks again everyone.