6 Best Free Choice Mineral Feeders For Small Farms That Reduce Waste
Cut mineral waste and costs on your small farm. Our guide reviews 6 top free-choice feeders designed to protect supplements and improve livestock health.
You’ve seen it happen. You put out a fresh bag of expensive loose minerals, and the next day a sudden downpour turns it into a useless, hardened brick. Or maybe your goats think the mineral tub is a toy, flipping it over and wasting half the contents in the mud. Providing free choice minerals is non-negotiable for healthy livestock, but watching your investment wash away is frustrating and costly.
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Why Free Choice Minerals Matter on Your Farm
Offering minerals "free choice" simply means making them available at all times, allowing animals to consume what they need, when they need it. This isn’t just a convenience; it’s a cornerstone of good animal husbandry. An animal’s nutritional requirements change dramatically based on the season, forage quality, pregnancy, or lactation.
Think of it as a nutrient buffet. Your livestock have an innate wisdom to seek out the specific minerals their bodies are craving. One week they might hit the salt hard, and the next they might focus on a mix higher in selenium or copper because the pasture is deficient.
A good mineral program supports everything from strong immune systems and proper bone development to better fertility rates. But all that good is lost if the minerals are clumpy, wet, contaminated, or blown away. The right feeder isn’t just a container; it’s a tool that protects your investment and ensures your animals can actually use the nutrients you provide.
Behlen Country 3-Compartment Ground Feeder
This feeder is a simple, effective workhorse, especially if you want to offer multiple minerals separately. It’s a low-profile, heavy-duty poly tub divided into three sections. This design is perfect for a cafeteria-style program where you might offer loose salt in one compartment, a complete mineral mix in another, and something like kelp meal in the third.
Because it’s a ground feeder, multiple animals can access it at once, which helps reduce competition among the herd. Its weight and low center of gravity make it very difficult for cattle or even rambunctious sheep to tip over. This is a huge plus for preventing waste.
The major trade-off is the complete lack of weather protection. This feeder is best used inside a barn or a three-sided run-in shed where it’s shielded from rain. If left in the open, it will fill with water in the first storm, ruining the contents. It’s an excellent choice for sheltered areas where you want to provide variety.
Tarter Equine Feeder: A Versatile Mineral Option
Don’t let the "equine" name fool you; these feeders are incredibly versatile for small farms. Typically made from tough molded polyethylene, they are designed to be mounted on a fence post or a stall wall. This single feature solves several common problems at once.
Mounting the feeder gets it off the ground, preventing animals from stepping in it, defecating in it, or knocking it over. You can set the height perfectly for your specific animals, whether they’re goats, sheep, or calves. This placement alone drastically reduces contamination and waste.
While most are single-compartment, their durability and ease of cleaning are major advantages. They won’t rust or corrode from the salt, and you can easily scrub them out. For a simple setup where you’re offering one primary mineral mix, a wall-mounted poly feeder is a practical, long-lasting, and budget-friendly solution.
Little Giant Fence Feeder for Goats and Sheep
For anyone with a small flock of goats or sheep, the classic hook-over fence feeder is an indispensable tool. These are small-capacity feeders, often made of plastic or hard rubber, with built-in hooks that clip securely over a wire panel or wooden fence rail. Their simplicity is their strength.
Their small size means you won’t lose an entire 50-pound bag of minerals if it gets fouled or rained on. This encourages you to put out smaller, fresher amounts more frequently, which is better for the animals anyway. Placing them at head-height for your flock keeps the minerals clean and makes them easily accessible.
Of course, these offer zero protection from the elements and can be knocked off the fence by a particularly determined animal. They are best for feeding a complete mineral mix in a sheltered paddock or inside a barn. They aren’t a solution for open pasture, but for targeted feeding in a controlled space, they are cheap and effective.
Sioux Steel Feeder with Protective Wind Vane
If your animals spend their time in an open, exposed pasture, this is the feeder you want to look at. These are ground-based feeders, but they have a brilliant design feature: a rotating hood, or "wind vane," that covers the mineral pan. The hood is shaped to catch the wind, so it constantly swivels to keep the opening pointed away from the wind and rain.
This is the gold standard for weather protection. It keeps minerals dry in a downpour and prevents fine, powdery supplements from blowing away on a gusty day. The amount of mineral you save from the elements over a single wet season can often pay for the feeder itself.
The downside is the upfront cost; these are a significant investment compared to a simple tub. They also work best for cattle or a larger herd that can access the rotating pan. But if you’re tired of throwing away ruined minerals and want a true "set it and forget it" solution for your pasture, this type of feeder is hard to beat.
Behrens Galvanized Feeder: A Durable Classic
Sometimes, the simplest tools are the best. A basic galvanized steel tub or trough is a multi-purpose staple on any farm, and it can serve as a perfectly good mineral feeder in the right situation. Its main advantage is sheer toughness.
You can’t get much more durable than steel. It won’t crack in the winter sun or get chewed to pieces by a bored goat. You can drop it, kick it, run it over with the tractor (probably), and it will still hold minerals. For a no-frills, indestructible option, it’s a fantastic choice.
Like other open-topped feeders, it provides no weather protection and must be kept in a shed or barn. It’s also heavy, which is good for stability but less convenient to move. While the galvanization provides some rust resistance, highly corrosive mineral salts can eventually wear it down, but it will take years.
Brower Poly Feeder for Corrosion Resistance
Keep your horse's water at the right temperature with the Brower Insulated Bucket Holder. Its foam-filled design keeps water warmer in cold weather and cooler in the heat, while ensuring complete drainage for easy cleaning.
This feeder takes the durability of heavy-duty poly and often adds smart, waste-reducing features. These feeders are built from thick, UV-stabilized polyethylene that is completely immune to the corrosive effects of salt and minerals. This is a key advantage over metal feeders, which will all eventually succumb to rust.
Many Brower models and similar designs include a rubber flap or a partial hood. While not as effective as a full wind vane, this flap provides decent protection from driving rain and helps keep the minerals contained. The heavy base prevents tipping, and the material is smooth and easy to clean.
This feeder strikes a great balance between durability, weather resistance, and cost. It’s a step up from a simple open tub but not as expensive as a mechanical, weather-vaned model. It’s an excellent all-around choice for farmers in moderately wet climates who need something that will last for a decade or more.
Choosing the Right Mineral Feeder for Your Herd
There is no single "best" feeder; the right choice depends entirely on your farm’s unique context. Trying to use a small goat feeder for a herd of cattle will fail, just as placing an unprotected ground feeder in the middle of a rainy pasture is a recipe for waste. To make the right call, ask yourself a few key questions.
First, consider your animals and their habits. Are they large and calm, or small and mischievous? Goats will climb on and test everything, while cattle are more likely to just push things around. The feeder must stand up to the herd.
Next, evaluate your environment and location.
- Sheltered vs. Pasture: Is the feeder going in a dry barn or out in an open field exposed to rain and wind?
- Climate: If you live in a rainy region, a feeder with a cover like the Sioux Steel or Brower is almost mandatory to prevent massive waste. In an arid climate, a simple Behrens tub might be all you need.
- Feeding Style: Are you offering a single, all-purpose mineral mix, or do you want a multi-compartment feeder like the Behlen for a cafeteria-style setup?
Finally, balance your budget against long-term value. A cheap feeder that allows half your minerals to be wasted isn’t a bargain. Sometimes, spending more upfront on a weather-proof feeder saves you far more in the long run by protecting your expensive mineral supplements.
Ultimately, a mineral feeder is more than just a bucket. It’s a piece of equipment that safeguards your animals’ health and your farm’s bottom line. By choosing a feeder that matches your herd, climate, and management style, you ensure that those vital nutrients end up in your animals, not on the ground.
