6 Best Pig Feeders For Reducing Feed Waste That Old Farmers Swear By
Reduce costly feed spillage with 6 time-tested pig feeders. See what veteran farmers use to minimize waste and boost efficiency on their farms.
You walk out to the pigpen and see it again: a small fortune in feed scattered in the mud, trampled and wasted. It’s a frustrating sight for any farmer, turning hard-earned money into a stomped, soupy mess. Choosing the right feeder isn’t just about convenience; it’s one of the most effective ways to protect your bottom line.
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The High Cost of Spilled Pig Feed & Why It Matters
Spilled feed is more than just an eyesore; it’s cash dissolving into the dirt. For a small-scale farm, feed is often the single largest expense in raising pigs. Every handful they root onto the ground is a direct hit to your profits.
This waste creates bigger problems, too. Piles of damp, spilled grain are an open invitation for rodents, birds, and other pests that carry disease. That wasted feed quickly turns into a slick, unsanitary mud hole, creating a perfect environment for bacteria and foot problems. You end up spending more time cleaning and more money managing problems that shouldn’t exist.
Think of a good feeder as an investment, not an expense. The right piece of equipment can pay for itself in a single season just from the feed it saves. It’s about working smarter, not harder, and keeping your resources focused on growing healthy animals.
Tarter Steel Trough: A Timeless, Simple Design
Sometimes, the oldest designs are still around for a reason. The simple steel trough is the workhorse of countless farms, and its brilliance lies in its simplicity. It’s a V-shaped, heavy-gauge steel container that’s nearly impossible for a pig to destroy.
Its anti-waste features are subtle but effective. The sheer weight and low, wide base make it incredibly difficult for even determined hogs to flip over. The trough’s shape naturally funnels feed toward the center, making it harder for pigs to push it out with their snouts. You just pour the feed in, and they get to work.
Of course, there are tradeoffs. A trough offers zero protection from rain or snow, making it a poor choice for open pastures unless you enjoy feeding a soupy, spoiled mess. It also requires you to portion out feed at every mealtime. For controlled feeding in a barn or covered run-in, however, its durability and simplicity are unmatched.
Osborne Big Wheel Feeder for On-Demand Feeding
If you want to move away from daily feeding chores, an on-demand feeder is the answer, and the Osborne Big Wheel is a classic for a reason. This feeder operates on a simple, ingenious principle: pigs have to work for their food. They use their snouts to turn a multi-spoked wheel inside the trough, which agitates the feed and dispenses a small amount.
This design is a game-changer for waste reduction. Pigs can’t root through a big pile of feed, scattering it everywhere. They can only access the small amount they dispense with each turn of the wheel, forcing them to clean up what they take. This "one-bite-at-a-time" system virtually eliminates spillage.
The Big Wheel also saves you significant time. Its large hopper can hold days or even weeks of feed, depending on the size of your herd. This allows for ad-libitum feeding, where pigs can eat whenever they’re hungry, often leading to better growth rates. It’s a smart system that gives you back time while saving you money on feed.
Sioux Steel Single Sided Feeder for Durability
When you’re raising hogs to finishing weight, you need equipment that can take a beating. The Sioux Steel feeder is built for exactly that. Constructed from heavy-gauge steel, this is the kind of feeder you buy once and pass down to the next generation. It’s designed to be mounted securely to a wall or a sturdy fence post.
Its waste-saving genius is in the details. An adjustable feed gate at the bottom of the hopper lets you control how much feed flows into the trough. You can dial it in perfectly, so pigs have enough to eat without being able to pile it up and push it out. Solid steel dividers in the trough also give each pig its own space, preventing bigger hogs from shoving others aside and scattering feed in the process.
This is a serious feeder for a permanent or semi-permanent setup. It’s not something you’ll want to move around often. But for a dedicated finishing pen or barn, its rugged construction and precise feed control make it an incredible investment in long-term efficiency.
Little Giant Hook Over Feeder for Farrowing Pens
Not every feeding situation involves a large herd in a pasture. For farrowing pens, temporary enclosures, or separating a sick animal, a portable solution is essential. The Little Giant Hook Over Feeder excels in these scenarios. Made of durable plastic or metal, it has built-in hooks that allow you to hang it securely over a fence panel or gate.
Getting the feed off the ground is the key to reducing waste with small pigs. Piglets are notorious for standing in, sleeping in, and soiling their food. By elevating the feeder, you keep the feed clean and prevent them from tipping the container and spilling its contents. It’s a simple solution to a frustratingly common problem.
This feeder’s small capacity is both its strength and its weakness. It’s perfect for the small portions needed for creep feeding or a single quarantined animal. However, it’s completely impractical for feeding a group of growing hogs. For the right job, though, it’s the perfect tool.
Brower’s Flip-Top Feeder for Weather Protection
Feeding pigs outdoors presents a constant battle with the elements. A single downpour can turn a full feeder of expensive grain into a moldy, inedible brick. The Brower Flip-Top Feeder is designed specifically to win this battle. These feeders feature a heavy, hinged lid that covers the feed trough.
Pigs are smart, and they learn almost instantly to use their snouts to lift the protective lid to access the feed. When they’re done, the lid falls back into place, sealing the trough off from rain, snow, and sun. This simple mechanism is incredibly effective at keeping feed dry and fresh, which drastically cuts down on spoilage waste.
Beyond weather, the flip-top design also deters pests. Birds and rodents have a much harder time getting into a covered feeder. Built from heavy-duty polyethylene or steel, these feeders are made to live outdoors and stand up to both the weather and the persistent abuse of hungry hogs.
Behlen Country Super Feeder for Large Pastures
For those raising hogs on pasture, feeding can be a major logistical challenge. The Behlen Country Super Feeder is built to solve that problem at scale. This is a massive, freestanding unit designed to hold hundreds of pounds of feed and serve a whole herd with minimal daily intervention.
This feeder combines several key waste-reducing features. It has a large, overhanging roof to provide excellent weather protection. The feed flow is highly adjustable to prevent gorging and spillage, and the deep trough is partitioned into individual feeding spaces. This design minimizes competition and ensures feed isn’t scattered during disputes.
A feeder this large is a significant piece of infrastructure, but it’s also a powerful management tool. It allows you to support a rotational grazing system without needing to haul feed out to the pasture every single day. For a serious pasture-based operation, the savings in both feed and labor are enormous.
Key Features in a Waste-Reducing Hog Feeder
Ultimately, the brand name on the side of the feeder is less important than the design principles that make it effective. Whether you buy new or build your own, look for features that force pigs to eat cleanly and protect the feed from the environment. The best feeders are designed around the natural behavior of the animal.
When evaluating any feeder, keep these key features in mind:
- Weight and Stability: It must be too heavy to tip or be designed to anchor securely to a fence or wall.
- Adjustable Feed Flow: A gate or mechanism to control how much feed enters the trough prevents pigs from piling it up and pushing it out.
- Trough Dividers: Separating feeding spaces reduces competition and side-to-side spillage.
- A Deep Trough with a Lip: A lip along the edge of the trough helps catch any feed that gets nudged around by a pig’s snout.
- Weather Protection: For any outdoor application, a lid or roof is non-negotiable to prevent spoilage.
There is no single "best" feeder for everyone. The right choice depends entirely on your specific setup—the number of pigs you have, their size, and whether they live indoors or out on pasture. Analyze your needs, look for these key features, and choose the tool that will save you the most feed, time, and frustration in the long run.
Investing in a well-designed feeder is one of the smartest financial decisions you can make on a small farm. It stops the slow leak of wasted feed from draining your budget and lets you put that money back into your operation. By matching the right equipment to your system, you’re not just feeding pigs; you’re farming more efficiently.
