Plastic barrel mineral feeder

[dun]

Hey Dun, where did you learn about the barrels??? I can remember describing how to build them many years ago on a previous board we used to visit.

It's one of those things that it just seems like we've alwasy done. Probably about the time that plastic barrels became available. I'm sure I saw one hanging in someones tree and figured our how to make them. Around here they're the most comoon mineral feeder but I was doing it before we moved here 6 years ago. Seems like it's one of the few things that is used all over with only a few variations. I just thought every one did it.
I actually saw a guy that makes them and has the gall to sell them.

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Beef producers are VERY slow around here. Most people that come to the farm say "what are those blue barrels hanging for?" Don't have a clue!

 

[dun]

Beef producers are VERY slow around here. Most people that come to the farm say "what are those blue barrels hanging for?" Don't have a clue!

After all, it is NY

dun

 

[D.R. Cattle]

I built a wooden feeder mineral box on skids so I could drag it with the truck to rotation pastures. I failed to put plywood on the sides at first, guess I was in a hurry to put it in action. Evry other day or so I would find the feeder tipped over. I figured the cows were just playing rough around it, getting ready to scrap the dang thing. Then I saw a funny sight. A few of our youngest cows have horns just past their ears tipped off. They were coming into the feeder from the side and getting stuck in a hurry to get out. Talk about funny. Watching an immature lady running in reverse with a big wooden contraption snagged on her head.

 

[Stocker Steve]

I use some purchased plastic bunks on pipe frames in the calf lot, but I am looking at bolting half barrels together to make a dragable pasture feeder. I am thinking about bolting four halves together, then chaining the next four half section to it, and then moving it with the cattle.

Any tips on contruction or durability :?:

 

[danl]

Dun- Thanks for putting the mineral feeder picture here.
I made a couple of them and they work great. First time I've had dry minerals for the cows. I used to just pour them in a trough and they would get soaked and I'd end up pouring the soup out and putting more in. It will save me a lot of wasted minerals.
Best of all I don't have a penney in them, my daughter's boyfriend's uncle had some of the barrells and gave me a couple. the rest of the stuff I had in the shop. I never throw anything away.
Dan

 

[dj]

I use some purchased plastic bunks on pipe frames in the calf lot, but I am looking at bolting half barrels together to make a dragable pasture feeder. I am thinking about bolting four halves together, then chaining the next four half section to it, and then moving it with the cattle.

Any tips on contruction or durability :?:

They last at least 9 years.
2 bolted togather fit in a pick-up,tip over easy when full of water and aren't to much of a hassle if hand drug. 3 bolted togather are too long for the truck bed, won't quite roll the last one over to empty water and are pain to drag. Note when bolting put the tops togather. The curved bottoms are easier to drag over rough ground.

 

[J-CCCC]

Saw some bunk feeders made from plastic barrels. They were individual bunks not ganged together and the barrels weren't cut in half. A hole, wider than the holes in your mineral feeder, was cut into the barrel then it was mounted on 4X4s or posts along the length, probably as a skid. Couldn't get much detail because of the distance. Looked sturdy. There were about eight of them lined up about 6 to eight feet apart.

J

 

[Bud In lower Ala]

Thanks for the idea for plastic mineral feeders. Would you believe my son made me 5 for my Christmas present. Haven't had time to put 'em up yet
Bud IN LA (LOWER ALA)

 

[dj]

another variation

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

The whole idea of hanging the mineral bucket, is the cattle CANNOT tip it over. Guaranteed, this standing one would last about 5 mintues upright with my cowherd. And that's without a bull ! Macho would have it tipped over & mushed in less than a minute. How do you people run bulls everywhere? Mine destroys everything if it doesn't have electric around it. Poor trees sure get a workout. Not mean - just rubs on EVERYTHING.

 

[dun]

The whole idea of hanging the mineral bucket, is the cattle CANNOT tip it over. Guaranteed, this standing one would last about 5 mintues upright with my cowherd. And that's without a bull ! Macho would have it tipped over & mushed in less than a minute. How do you people run bulls everywhere? Mine destroys everything if it doesn't have electric around it. Poor trees sure get a workout. Not mean - just rubs on EVERYTHING.

I was thinking the same thing about the dipping over part. Then they'ld figure out a way to chase it down the hill

dun

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

Yes, several times over the years our old rope has broken, and boy do they have fun. When I see that it's not in the tree, I turn & look. Nope - can't see it, head to the edge of the bluff - yup - there it is down in the bottom!

 

[dun]

Yes, several times over the years our old rope has broken, and boy do they have fun. When I see that it's not in the tree, I turn & look. Nope - can't see it, head to the edge of the bluff - yup - there it is down in the bottom!

That's why we went to chain last year

dun

 

[J-CCCC]

You never know when someone is going to improve your rat trap.

Grandson was watching me strain to empty a 50# bag of 2n1 into the hanging mineral barrel. Says, "Pa why dont you just cut a hole in the top and pour it in through the hole?" :shock:

Gonna try that one of these days. Think a rectangular hole, maybe 8X12 or 8X14. Cut on an angle so that it won,t fall thru, add a couple of hinges. Seal it with duct tape if needed to keep water/snow or in our case dust :roll: out.

Jay

 

[dun]

You never know when someone is going to improve your rat trap.

Grandson was watching me strain to empty a 50# bag of 2n1 into the hanging mineral barrel. Says, "Pa why dont you just cut a hole in the top and pour it in through the hole?" :shock:

Gonna try that one of these days. Think a rectangular hole, maybe 8X12 or 8X14. Cut on an angle so that it won,t fall thru, add a couple of hinges. Seal it with duct tape if needed to keep water/snow or in our case dust :roll: out.

Jay

I just set it on the ground and lay it on it's back, dump in the minerals, stand it up and rehang it.

dun

 

[Bill Elliott]

The barrel works just fine....my problem is I can't get them to lick it. I started them on the hard molasses mineral bucket then removed it. Put a couple bags of winterizer in the barrel...they wouldn't touch it....just sniffed it and moved on. I finally went back to the hard bucket and they love it. The hard buckets are expensive...in my opinion...compared to bags...but you gotta do what you gotta do to get the minerals in them. Am I doin something wrong? Thanks...Bill

 

[dun]

The hard stuff has rodent butts in it (molasses), that will generally get cattle to eat anything. Just insure that the tubs are a real mineral supplement with high enough levels to do some good. Our cows won;t eat products from a couple of the majr suppliers but will eat the same composition from others. In case you haven;t figured it out yet, cows are contrary beasts at times.

dun

 

[preston39]

dun...,
I liked your idea and last summer got some drums from the cola bottling co....only problem we are having the young bulls it seems love to bat 'em around. Thinking of putting a couple locust post at an angle behind them so when they push on the barrel it will go up against the post and stop. Those guys are always wanting to butt something around. I'll bet you already solved the problem....huh?

 

[dun]

dun...,
I liked your idea and last summer got some drums from the cola bottling co....only problem we are having the young bulls it seems love to bat 'em around. Thinking of putting a couple locust post at an angle behind them so when they push on the barrel it will go up against the post and stop. Those guys are always wanting to butt something around. I'll bet you already solved the problem....huh?

We don;t run any bulls, but the calves and cows still really enjoy pushing the barrels around. The calves seem to derive extra pleasure from waiting till a cow has her head in it then wacking it and watching the cows jump. We just let them thump them around, that's part of why we went to chain instead of rope.

dun