Most cost efficient bulk feed storage and distribution

[Bigfoot]

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.

I wouldn't build it up. Crossing out a barrel on each will keep it from tipping. Building it up will make it hard to drag, and may make where they actually can tear it up. I drag mine to the feed bunk some times, and drag it back to my lot. It hasn't failed yet.

 

[callmefence]

With a little help from jedstivers.

 

[callmefence]

No problem to drag

 

[jedstivers]

Fence made his black pipe ones a little more fancier than I did mine.
I just cut the pipe and laid it on the ground. I would like to put ends on them most and sometime I'd like the boards but I have plenty more going on before I do that.

 

[pricefarm]

What size pipe is that? I like that idea

With a little help from jedstivers.

 

[callmefence]

18 " old protein tub lids for end caps.
My son built them and bolted everything.
The cattle will break down the lumber I'm sure.
But the pipe is indestructible

 

[wbvs58]

I use the split blue drums bolted together as well but I have built a couple of these as well to feed the bulls. Latest one I just made from 40x40x1.6 SHS and conveyor belt, very easy and quick to build and cheap. So far have lasted about 5 seasons with the bulls with no sign of damage.



Ken

 

[RanchMan90]

Got a couple troughs built today, an excellent rainy day project. Took 3 barrels for 18 ft of bunk space per trough. Works great can't hardly turn them over if I try due to the flexibility, yet light enough to move by hand. Cost $75 per trough being the barrels were $25 a piece, some serious price gouging on barrels here lol. Still the cheapest option available. Thanks for all the input

 

[RanchMan90]

These plain okie heifers got full use of the troughs today. As you can see feeding on ground is not an option with the recent moisture in the receiving pens.They gotta learn the ropes here before going to pasture or they would certainly hightail it to the brush. Click on pictures to enlarge.

 

[Bigfoot]

Got a couple troughs built today, an excellent rainy day project. Took 3 barrels for 18 ft of bunk space per trough. Works great can't hardly turn them over if I try due to the flexibility, yet light enough to move by hand. Cost $75 per trough being the barrels were $25 a piece, some serious price gouging on barrels here lol. Still the cheapest option available. Thanks for all the input

There $20 here, and you just about can't find them. Had a neighbor a few years ago, had all you wanted for $5 a piece. He lost his connection.

 

[RanchMan90]

Got a couple troughs built today, an excellent rainy day project. Took 3 barrels for 18 ft of bunk space per trough. Works great can't hardly turn them over if I try due to the flexibility, yet light enough to move by hand. Cost $75 per trough being the barrels were $25 a piece, some serious price gouging on barrels here lol. Still the cheapest option available. Thanks for all the input

There $20 here, and you just about can't find them. Had a neighbor a few years ago, had all you wanted for $5 a piece. He lost his connection.

I went after 10 barrels this morning thinking they were $15. I kinda balked at $25 and came home with 6 until I can find a lower cost source. They were the only ones I could find within an hour drive, so they had me over a barrel :lol2:

 

[jedstivers]

Got a couple troughs built today, an excellent rainy day project. Took 3 barrels for 18 ft of bunk space per trough. Works great can't hardly turn them over if I try due to the flexibility, yet light enough to move by hand. Cost $75 per trough being the barrels were $25 a piece, some serious price gouging on barrels here lol. Still the cheapest option available. Thanks for all the input

Just like mine. Did you drill any drain holes? It takes a lot more than you think.
I hate that you have to buy them. Here they are free to haul off but we are getting less and less all the time as more stuff is coming in 270 gallon bulk totes.
At 25 apiece I have thousands and thousands of dollars in barrels. I use halves under my poly irrigation tubing.
If you have access to the totes cut them in 1/2 and bolt 4 halves together, I'm liking them better than barrels for big cows. Haven't tried any on calves.

 

[RanchMan90]

I hate that you have to buy them. Here they are free to haul off but we are getting less and less all the time as more stuff is coming in 270 gallon bulk totes.
At 25 apiece I have thousands and thousands of dollars in barrels. I use halves under my poly irrigation tubing.
If you have access to the totes cut them in 1/2 and bolt 4 halves together, I'm liking them better than barrels for big cows. Haven't tried any on calves.[/quote]. I put a couple 3/8 drain holes in each of them. You're rich in barrels lol. Totes were $60 where I got the barrels. Are you near a ship channel? That may help reduce price

 

[jedstivers]

I hate that you have to buy them. Here they are free to haul off but we are getting less and less all the time as more stuff is coming in 270 gallon bulk totes.
At 25 apiece I have thousands and thousands of dollars in barrels. I use halves under my poly irrigation tubing.
If you have access to the totes cut them in 1/2 and bolt 4 halves together, I'm liking them better than barrels for big cows. Haven't tried any on calves.

. I put a couple 3/8 drain holes in each of them. You're rich in barrels lol. Totes were $60 where I got the barrels. Are you near a ship channel? That may help reduce price[/quote]
I'm in a area that uses a lot of them.
I bet I have over 1,000 barrels cut in half. If not 1,000 then close to it for sure.

 

[TexasBred]

Now that we've got several really good ideas on distribution etc. did you ever decide on storage??

 

[RanchMan90]

Now that we've got several really good ideas on distribution etc. did you ever decide on storage??

Im just using super sacks and buckets now and putting savings towards future infrastructure. I would really like a southwest fab bin but it does not pencil out on my scale (small) on a prorated per head basis.

 

[TexasBred]

Now that we've got several really good ideas on distribution etc. did you ever decide on storage??

Im just using super sacks and buckets now and putting savings towards future infrastructure. I would really like a southwest fab bin but it does not pencil out on my scale (small) on a prorated per head basis.

Don't know about your area but down here we have a lot of closed down dairy farms. Most have two 18 ton tanks. I know several beef cow operators who have purchased and moved these. Can save a lot of money but still have the moving involved.

 

[callmefence]

Now that we've got several really good ideas on distribution etc. did you ever decide on storage??

Cottonseed storage and handling equipment

 

[TexasBred]

That is all you need for c/s.