A mineral feeder has a pretty simple job: keep the supplement available to the animals that need it and keep the supplement from disappearing into the mud, blowing across the pasture, or getting soaked by the weather.

That sounds simple until you start looking at the different ways livestock are fed. A feeder sitting in an open pasture has different requirements than one beside a barn. A group of large cattle presents a different challenge than a few sheep or horses. Dry mineral is handled differently than a liquid supplement.

That is why Barn World carries several types of Mineral Feeders at Barn World. The current selection includes ground feeders, upright feeders, wind-vane models, pasture feeders, and trough-style feeders. There are also different sizes and construction styles within those categories.

A Mineral Feeder Has One Job: Keep the Supplement Where the Cattle Can Get It

The value of a mineral feeder is easy to overlook because it is not complicated equipment. There is no engine, hydraulic system, or electrical connection. But the feeder becomes part of the feeding routine every day, and a poor choice can create problems that show up over and over again.

Mineral can get wet. Lids and flaps can wear. Cattle can push against equipment. A feeder can end up in a muddy area, or it can be placed somewhere that is difficult to reach when it needs to be refilled. What looks like a minor detail when the feeder is new can become a nuisance after months of use.

The better question, then, is not simply, “Which mineral feeder is the best?” It is, “What does this feeder need to deal with at my place?”

The Pasture Usually Tells You What Kind of Feeder You Need

Walk out to the location where the feeder will actually live. Is it an open pasture with no shelter? Is the ground normally dry, or does it turn muddy after a storm? Will the feeder stay in one location, or will you move it as cattle rotate through different pastures?

Those conditions can narrow the choices considerably.

A ground feeder can be a very practical answer when you want something that cattle can access easily and that can be relocated when necessary. Barn World's current Sioux Steel ground feeder, for example, has a 38-inch diameter, stands 15 inches high, and uses three compartments capable of holding up to 200 pounds of loose mineral. It also has built-in anchor points for securing the feeder.

A different pasture may call for an elevated design. The current Sioux Steel upright feeder has a large 28-by-24-inch hood opening, while the feeder tub sits approximately 23 inches above the ground.

Neither design is automatically better. They simply approach the same problem differently.

If Cattle Can Move It, Tip It, or Tear It Up...

...you probably want to think about construction before you think about appearance.

Livestock equipment gets used hard. Cattle do not carefully approach a feeder, take what they need, and walk away. They lean against equipment, push on it, step around it, and repeatedly operate whatever flap or opening is provided.

That is one reason heavy construction matters with mineral feeders. The current Sioux Steel ground feeder, for example, uses rotationally molded polyethylene and a 3/8-inch rubber flap. The three-compartment base is designed to keep the mineral off the ground, while built-in anchor points provide a way to secure the feeder.

There are also other ground-feeder choices in the current Barn World collection, including Behlen, Bull Proof, and BHF models.

The point is not that one manufacturer or material automatically wins. It is that the feeder should be selected with the actual livestock and environment in mind.

 

The Cover May Be More Important Than the Container

When people compare mineral feeders, they naturally look at capacity and construction. The cover deserves just as much attention.

Dry mineral is not particularly useful sitting in a puddle. Rain and snow can find their way into an exposed feeding area, and wind can carry moisture and debris into places you would rather keep dry.

Different feeders deal with this in different ways. A ground feeder may use a flexible rubber flap. An upright feeder places the supplement beneath a larger hood. A trough feeder can use a flip-top lid.

The current Barn World wind-vane mineral feeder takes another approach. Its hood rotates with the wind, and the feeder is available with either a polyethylene or galvanized hood. The feeder has a 15-gallon capacity and weighs approximately 65 pounds.

That rotating design can be particularly interesting when the feeder is going to sit in an exposed location where wind direction changes throughout the day.

How Much Feeder Do You Actually Need?

Capacity sounds like an easy specification. Bigger must be better, right?

Not necessarily.

A larger feeder means fewer trips to refill it, but it can also mean a heavier and more expensive piece of equipment that is harder to relocate. The right capacity depends on the number of animals using the feeder, how much supplement is being offered, and how often someone normally checks the pasture.

The current Barn World collection gives you quite a range. The Sioux Steel ground feeder holds up to 200 pounds of loose mineral, while the Behlen ground feeder is listed with capacity for up to 250 pounds.

For another perspective, the current wind-vane feeder holds 15 gallons, while the larger Pasture Mineral Feeder is designed to hold up to two mineral blocks or loose mineral.

Instead of asking how much the largest feeder can hold, think about how much mineral your livestock actually go through between inspections.

When a Ground Feeder Makes More Sense Than an Upright

Ground and upright mineral feeders are sometimes treated as competing products, but they solve somewhat different problems.

A ground feeder keeps the feeding point low and simple. That can work well for cattle in a pasture and can make the feeder relatively straightforward to move. Some models are also designed to accommodate mineral blocks as well as loose mineral.

An upright feeder raises the feeding area and puts the supplement beneath a hood. That can make sense when weather protection is a priority or when you prefer the feeding arrangement of an elevated unit.

Barn World's upright selection includes round-base, Sioux Steel, and Tarter models. The Tarter unit, for example, has a 13-gallon poly tub and a 360-degree rotating hood mounted on a sealed bearing.

The question is less about which style is superior and more about which design makes sense where you are putting it.

What Changes When You Feed Liquid Supplements?

Liquid mineral is a completely different situation and requires a specialized Lick Tank Mineral Feeder to dispense.

You cannot simply put a liquid supplement into a dry-mineral feeder and expect the same equipment to work. Liquid supplements are generally offered through lick tanks designed specifically for that purpose.

That changes the decision from “How big should the mineral compartment be?” to questions about tank capacity, lick-wheel configuration, access, and how the tank will be maintained.

That distinction is important because the current Barn World mineral-feeder collection is primarily made up of dry-mineral feeder designs. The collection includes ground, upright, wind-vane, pasture, and trough feeders, while other Barn World livestock-feeding equipment is available for different applications.

 

Don't Forget About the Animals Besides Cattle

“Livestock” covers a lot of ground.

A feeder that works for a group of mature cattle may not be the right choice for sheep. A horse may interact with a feeder differently than a cow. Calves may have different access requirements than mature animals.

Barn World's current trough flip-top mineral feeder illustrates this point. It is offered in separate cattle, horse, and sheep configurations rather than treating all livestock as though they were the same size.

Before ordering, look at the actual feeding height and opening. If the animals have to work around an awkward opening or cannot comfortably reach the supplement, a large-capacity feeder does not solve the problem.

Think About the Feeder Five Years From Now

A mineral feeder is not something most people want to replace every season.

That makes maintenance and replacement parts worth considering before the feeder is purchased. Flaps are a good example. They are exposed to repeated use, so eventually a replaceable flap may be more useful than replacing the entire feeder.

The current Sioux Steel ground feeder has a replaceable 3/8-inch top flap, and Barn World also lists replacement hardware and replacement flap kits for the feeder.

That is the sort of detail that is easy to overlook when comparing product photographs but can matter considerably after years of outdoor use.

Where Should You Put the Feeder?

The best feeder in the world will not work well if it is sitting in the wrong place.

Look for firm ground with reasonable drainage. Avoid putting a feeder where cattle are already creating a mud hole. Make sure there is enough room for animals to approach and leave without creating unnecessary congestion.

Then think about yourself.

Can you reach the feeder easily with the vehicle or equipment used to deliver the mineral? Can you inspect it without walking through a difficult area? If you need to move it, can you actually move it without making the job harder than it needs to be?

These are not glamorous considerations, but they are the things that determine whether a feeder remains convenient after the novelty of a new purchase wears off.

A Look at the Mineral Feeders Barn World Carries

The current Barn World selection includes 13 mineral feeders, giving you several ways to approach the same basic job.

Style	Think About It When...
Ground	You want simple pasture access and substantial capacity.
Upright	You want an elevated feeding area beneath a protective hood.
Wind Vane	The feeder will be exposed to changing wind direction.
Pasture	You want a larger, movable feeder for pasture use.
Trough	A longer feeding area and flip-top access fit your setup.

Within those categories are different sizes, materials, bases, capacities, and features. That variety is useful because a mineral feeder is one of those pieces of farm equipment where the details of the location matter almost as much as the product itself.

The Right Mineral Feeder Is the One That Fits Your Routine

There is no reason to make choosing a mineral feeder more complicated than it needs to be.

Start with the animals. Look at the supplement. Consider where the feeder will sit and what the weather is like there. Decide how much capacity you actually need. Then look at construction, access, portability, and replacement parts.

That process will usually narrow the field quickly.

For a pasture cattle operation, that may lead you toward a large ground feeder. For an exposed location, an upright or wind-vane design may make more sense. A trough may fit another feeding arrangement, while a different type of equipment may be needed when the supplement is liquid.

Questions to Ask Before Buying

• What type of supplement will the feeder hold?
• Which animals will use it?
• How many animals will have access at one time?
• Will it sit in an open pasture or a protected location?
• How often will the feeder be refilled?
• Does it need to be moved during pasture rotation?
• Is the feeding opening appropriate for the animals using it?
• What components are likely to wear and can they be replaced?

Mineral Feeders at Barn World

Barn World has expanded its mineral-feeder selection well beyond the few models represented in the older versions of this article. The current collection includes 13 products, from straightforward ground feeders to upright, wind-vane, pasture, and trough designs.

If you are replacing an old feeder or setting up mineral access in a new pasture, take a look at the current Mineral Feeders at Barn World and compare the designs based on your livestock, supplement, location, and day-to-day routine.

FAQ

What is the most common type of mineral feeder for cattle?

Ground mineral feeders are a common choice for pasture cattle because they provide easy access and can hold substantial amounts of dry mineral. Barn World also carries upright, wind-vane, pasture, and trough designs for different situations.

Can a mineral feeder be used for salt blocks?

Some mineral feeders are designed to hold blocks as well as loose mineral. Always check the specifications of the particular feeder before using a block or supplement in it.

Why do some mineral feeders have rotating hoods?

A rotating hood allows the feeder to respond to changing wind direction. Wind-vane designs are intended to provide additional protection for the supplement when the feeder is located in an exposed pasture.

Does a larger mineral feeder always make more sense?

No. Capacity should match the number of animals, the amount of supplement being offered, and how frequently the feeder can be checked and refilled. A larger feeder is not necessarily more convenient if it is difficult to move or service.

How important is the feeder location?

Very. Drainage, mud, livestock traffic, weather exposure, vehicle access, and the ability to refill and inspect the feeder all affect how practical the setup will be.

A mineral feeder is a relatively simple piece of livestock equipment, but the right design can make the feeding routine considerably easier. Start with how your operation actually works, then choose the feeder around those conditions. Browse the Mineral Feeders at Barn World to see the current selection.