Although I tend not to talk a lot about them, we actually do have 2 cows as part of our family. I may have briefly mentioned that when in the posts on homemade teat wash for cows and also how to raise cows for beef. Any who, in today’s post we shall be looking at how to make a cattle mineral feeder using a rain barrel.
Just like our chickens and goats, the cows also require specific mineral supplements in addition to their regular feed. This feeder is not only portable, but very flexible too. The rain barrel inside the tire is free to move around in any direction if and when the cows bump into it. At the same time the weight of the tire weighs it down, making it almost impossible for them to topple it over. It holds up to 100 lbs of mineral and that is enough to feed up to 35 cows on your homestead.
-------------------------------------------------------------------
Here’s What You’ll Need:
- 55 gallon blue or black plastic rain barrel
- old 24 1/2″ truck tire
- 3 2x4s
- 4 6″ x 1/2″ bolts with washers and nuts.
- eye bolt
- nylon rope or chain
- marker
- tape measure
- twine or string
- handheld drill
- reciprocating saw
- pocket knife
- sander (optional)
Step By Step Instructions
Step 1.
Measure the depth of your tire and use that measurement to mark the bottom of the opening on your barrel.
Step 2.
Make a mark 9″ above that initial mark and then make another one 9″ above that one.
Step 3.
Tie your marker to the end of the string and then using the middle mark on your barrel let the string guide you as you mark out a circle on the barrel. It doesn’t have to be perfect. Make sure the opening is on the side that is away from the two caps located on the top of the barrel.
Step 4.
Drill a few holes around the top mark as pilot holes and then use those as the starting point for your reciprocating saw. Support the barrel and try to cut as close as you can to the marking you made on the barrel.
Step 5.
Use a pocket knife or a sander to smooth out any rough edges.
Step 6.
Drill four holes equally around the barrel about half way between the opening and the base. Two holes in the front and the other two in the back.
Step 7.
Screw in the two bolts on the back of the barrel and then insert the barrel into the tire.
Step 8.
Insert the front bolts and screw on the nuts, leaving them flush with the barrel. Lower the front end of the barrel into the tire and then tighten the two bolts in the front too.
Step 9.
That’s it. All that’s left is to drag the feeder to its first location and then fill it up.
If you are going to be moving this mineral feeder from pasture to pasture. You may want to screw on 3 2x4s on the bottom of the tire. One on the left, one on the right and one in the middle. For the towing hinge screw in an eye bolt into the front of the tire and tie your rope though it. Now you can easily use the rope to pull this mineral feeder when you need to move it to a new location. Don’t forget to drill a few holes in the bottom of the tire for drainage.
You can watch the video below on how to Make a Cattle Mineral Feeder
