Need Ideas: Mobile Loose Mineral Feeder

[Copperhead]

I'm looking for some ideas for a Mobile/Portable way to feed loose mineral to beef cattle. I'm intensively managing the 9 cows grazing a 20 acre hillside. The hillside is partitioned into 12 individual paddocks with a 30ft alley around the perimeter. Their water is the creek at the bottom of the hill, their shade is the trees on the ridge. The elevation changes about 400 ft from the creek to the ridge.

I would like to place the minerals at the entrance of the open paddock to lesson the environmental impact (muddy dead zones!) and point the cattle in the direction of their supper. Right now, I am using the 50lb trace mineral blocks, but I know my cattle need better, especially when they calve.

Finally, I am trying to avoid spending $300 on a plastic 3-partition covered mineral feeder for just the 9 cows. Seems kinda steep!

Can you help? Pictures are worth thousands of words!

Copperhead

[agmantoo]

This is almost free and works fine and is portable. Should last many many years.
minerals

[myersfarm]

this is what I use....has a bolt on one side to hook chain on to pull around...take a 24 in truck tire and long J hook bolts

[ramiller5675]

If I ever get around to it, I'd like to build a portable mineral feeder/cattle rub similar to the ones described at:

An Integrated, Homemade, Portable Salt/Mineral Feeder and External Parasite Control Cattle Rub Tool

If you read through the entire article, there are a number of different versions of the same idea.

[topside1]

Why not build a few of these? Slightly Larger version of course for 9 head. Put one in every other paddock, not portable, but permanent...Or just one in a common location. This is all my cattle and goats use, stick their tounges in and enjoy.

[unregistered41671]

Build it from wood. Build a box (rectangle) and put 4 long posts on the corners. Tin roof on top. Nail a 2x8 to each side on the bottom of the posts and cut them at an angle on the ends to make it towable. Put a partition in the middle. One side for loose salt and the other for loose mineral. We used to build ours 4' wide and 8' long. It will last for many years and does not turn over easily. Wish I had a pic. Sorry.

[agmantoo]

I built this one some time back but am not overly fond of it. too time consuming if you need to move it.

[unregistered41671]

We built ours with a pitched roof. The roof was much smaller and was not hard to move.

[Copperhead]

Thank you all for your great ideas! I forgot to mention, when it comes to moving the mineral feeder around and UP the hill, I'm the tractor

At this time, I'm leaning towards the plastic barrel with the tire. At least when its empty, I can roll it where I need it. Maybe I'll even make 2 of them and have one at the top, and one at the bottom . . . Hmmm.

The 2 tires intrigue me. They would definitely last a lifetime!

I had forgotten how useful the PVC feeder could be. Especially in a barn or shelter over the winter -- thinking about the goats here!

Thanks again!

Copperhead

[myersfarm]

the plastic barrel with the tire. do not roll very good the tire end out runs the barrel end but they are cheap $10 for barrel and bolts tires were free

[PaulNKS]

I just use a couple big tubs.... old protein tubs work great.

[arnie]

Get an old lawn mower frame r remove the motor drill a couple holes in a plastic barrell with a head size hole in the side have a couple small holes in the bottom for water to drain but not your minerals and bolt them together tis is easy to push around for you and the cows so tie it to a post or tree :-) :-) :-) :-) life does'nt have to be complicated

[Copperhead]

Originally Posted by arnie

Get an old lawn mower frame r remove the motor drill a couple holes in a plastic barrell with a head size hole in the side have a couple small holes in the bottom for water to drain but not your minerals and bolt them together tis is easy to push around for you and the cows so tie it to a post or tree :-) :-) :-) :-) life does'nt have to be complicated

Arnie

I had to read your post a couple of times to "get it". Now, I see a blue barrel on top a lawnmower, that I push across the yard. You're right, lift doesn't have to be complicated. Thanks!

[cedarvalley]

Originally Posted by myersfarm

this is what I use....has a bolt on one side to hook chain on to pull around...take a 24 in truck tire and long J hook bolts

I like this idea, if you have a two wheel dolly you could move this around very easily since you said your the tractor.

[wvdexters]

This is a great post. Thanks guys. This is exactly what I needed. I just changed over to using loose minerals instead of just blocks and have been looking for a good/inexpensive way to feed them free choice. These are great ideas.