Most cost efficient bulk feed storage and distribution

[RanchMan90]

What's the most cost efficient way to store and distribute bulk feed? Starting from ground zero looking at 30 ton bins are $8000, a bulk cake feeder @ $1500, a 10 concrete bunks @ $1000, and fill bin up with feed @ $5500. That's a lot of infrastructure at one time over just feed costs. A used 4 ton self feeder that can be pulled to the feed mill is looking to be the most efficient for stockers other than feeding on the ground every day. What have you guys seen or done?

 

[Stocker Steve]

Storage:
feed room
feed bin
bags
covered gravity box
cement pad

Distribution:
5 gallon bucket
grain cart
forage box
self feeder
FEL

I have tried all of the above. Self feeder is the easiest as long as they don't consume too much. Best really depends on:
Are you supplementing energy or protein?
Using grain or byproduct?
How many head per group?
How long?

 

[Caustic Burno]

Here I would say self feeder with super sacks from the local mill.
Order what you need when the feeder gets low.
I built a two ton self feeder on skids back in 2011 for about 400 bucks

 

[RanchMan90]

5 gallon bucket
grain bin
covered gravity box
self feeder

Are you supplementing energy or protein?

Both, an 18% tmr ration for lightweights. I would sure use 5 gallon buckets if I had outbuildings to store bulk feed in. I can pick up a 4 ton two axle self feeder from a neighbor for a song right now looks pretty appealing...

 

[Stocker Steve]

Both, an 18% tmr ration for lightweights. I would sure use 5 gallon buckets if I had outbuildings to store bulk feed in. I can pick up a 4 ton two axle self feeder from a neighbor for a song right now

I would start lightweights using 5 gallon buckets from a gravity box till I know they are all on feed, and then switch to a self feeder, if they are not going back to grass.

Genetics and sex are big factors. Growthy steers should work OK on self feeder but heifers can get fat fast w/o an intake limiter.

 

[RanchMan90]

They'll be 2-3 weight heifers kept for an average of 45 days to 90 days tops. Stocking rate will be 100 head on 80 acres divided into 2 pastures. Its all old peanut field with old Bermuda grass of no nutritional value. I like to hand feed an average of 5 lbs per head per day. My current setup of bagged bulk feed and troughs will handle 40-50 but will have growing pains with 100.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I have raised calves that size but only in a dry lot.
I would be concerned that some may be too timid and not get enough from a self feeder.
I would be prepared to sort off some shy girls into a small pen.

All the BTO all have a TMR here. For your situation an old timie grain cart may work well. They usually run $150 to $400. The cheaper ones usually have a lot of rust or a questionable gear box.

 

[RanchMan90]

I was thinking along those lines as well. Although the portable self feeder may be handy, distribution may be poor with that volume of cattle. I'll have to check into a used gravity wagon, probably online since I am not in farm country. What do you recommend for troughs? My plastic bottom prieferts are getting pretty dilapidated

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Self feeders are the way to go for me. Just make sure you have a limiter in the mix. I found a guy on craigslist and bought 4 16ft feeders that needed new tires and a floor in a couple for half the price one new one would have cost. Plus it gave me another project, anything to crank up the welder! Look around you can find good deals on used feeders especially at farm equipment auctions.

 

[Bigfoot]

Hard to beat a grain cart/gravity wagon. You can go get your bulk product, or have it delivered.

 

[Stocker Steve]

What do you recommend for troughs? My plastic bottom prieferts are getting pretty dilapidated

Some tie a bunch of feeders together in a "train". Can work well for pasture shifts or mud. I tied a bunch together and pulled them behind a gravity box. Stopped traffic when ever we shifted. :lol2:

Most small feeders are junk. An interesting approach is to cut plastic culverts in half.

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

I was thinking along those lines as well. Although the portable self feeder may be handy, distribution may be poor with that volume of cattle. I'll have to check into a used gravity wagon, probably online since I am not in farm country. What do you recommend for troughs? My plastic bottom prieferts are getting pretty dilapidated

We get the concrete feeders, run about $125 each out here. They weigh more than a thousand, so can not be pushed around. One bunk can easily feed 10 heifers if they have access to both sides. Or first purchase is about 7 years old and it looks as new as the day we bought it....

 

[RanchMan90]

I was thinking along those lines as well. Although the portable self feeder may be handy, distribution may be poor with that volume of cattle. I'll have to check into a used gravity wagon, probably online since I am not in farm country. What do you recommend for troughs? My plastic bottom prieferts are getting pretty dilapidated

We get the concrete feeders, run about $125 each out here. They weigh more than a thousand, so can not be pushed around. One bunk can easily feed 10 heifers if they have access to both sides. Or first purchase is about 7 years old and it looks as new as the day we bought it....

That's what I think I'll go with, may look into the plastic culverts as well. Sure beats the diplosable metal plastic bottom troughs. The cost should offset wastes by feeding on the ground with a large volume of cattle.

 

[jedstivers]

I'm feeding over a 100 head with buckets right now. Trying to get 200 bought.
Dumped a load of ddg on the ground under a shed and have a load in a auger wagon.

For feeders I went all out on expense, cut a bunch of 30 gallon drums in half and bolted them together, 4 end to end and one sideways on each end to stableize it.
Also cut plastic culvert in half and last week tried something new. Cut 270 gallon totes in half and booted 4 together. They work great too. Took them out of the metal cages.
In my feed lot I am uptown there, I have a concret bunk poured, it's much cheaper than buying troughs.
It was copied off of garvos bunks on agtalk.
If you have no shed at all look at one of those 700 dollar carports to store bulk bags under.
If you want any pics pm your phone number and I'll text it them.

 

[Stocker Steve]

We get the concrete feeders, run about $125 each out here. They weigh more than a thousand, so can not be pushed around.

I would need a bigger tractor to pull a train of these into the next paddock

 

[Bigfoot]

I'm feeding over a 100 head with buckets right now. Trying to get 200 bought.
Dumped a load of ddg on the ground under a shed and have a load in a auger wagon.

For feeders I went all out on expense, cut a bunch of 30 gallon drums in half and bolted them together, 4 end to end and one sideways on each end to stableize it.
Also cut plastic culvert in half and last week tried something new. Cut 270 gallon totes in half and booted 4 together. They work great too. Took them out of the metal cages.
In my feed lot I am uptown there, I have a concret bunk poured, it's much cheaper than buying troughs.
It was copied off of garvos bunks on agtalk.
If you have no shed at all look at one of those 700 dollar carports to store bulk bags under.
If you want any pics pm your phone number and I'll text it them.

I copied Jed's 55 gallon drums. They work real good.

 

[Newberry Creek]

Oh come on Bigfoot, we all want to see the pictures.

 

[RanchMan90]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=09zu62Iq_ak How bout this? How many feet of bunk do you allow per head? I pencil these to cost $3.75 per foot with a lift kit and 18" culvert at $5.25 per foot.

 

[jedstivers]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=09zu62Iq_ak How bout this? How many feet of bunk do you allow per head? I pencil these to cost $3.75 per foot with a lift kit and 18" culvert at $5.25 per foot.

They over complicated that.
Almost like mine except no wood or cable I do 4 togather and one on each end turned the other way to keep them from rolling.
2 calves per barrel if you are feeding right at a fence. Double that if they can get to both sides.

 

[RanchMan90]

https://m.youtube.com/watch?v=09zu62Iq_ak How bout this? How many feet of bunk do you allow per head? I pencil these to cost $3.75 per foot with a lift kit and 18" culvert at $5.25 per foot.

They over complicated that.
Almost like mine except no wood or cable I do 4 togather and one on each end turned the other way to keep them from rolling.
2 calves per barrel if you are feeding right at a fence. Double that if they can get to both sides.

Cool. I'm gonna do it your way, but using 2 barrel halves for a lift kit. Thats the absolute cheapest I can come up with that has decent durability.