7 Best Multi-Animal Salt Stations For Mixed Livestock Old Farmers Swear By
Ensure your mixed livestock get vital minerals. We review 7 durable, multi-animal salt stations that seasoned farmers have trusted for generations.
Watching a full-grown cow, a few goats, and a donkey all trying to get to the same mineral tub can look like chaos. But providing free-choice salt and minerals is one of the most important things you can do for the health of a mixed herd. The right feeder not only protects your investment from the weather but also ensures every animal, big or small, gets what it needs.
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Choosing the Right Mineral Feeder for Your Herd
Figuring out the right mineral station is less about the minerals themselves and more about the animals. A feeder that works perfectly for a herd of horned cattle might be difficult or even dangerous for horses. The goal is to provide easy access for everyone without creating competition or waste.
Before you buy anything, spend some time watching your animals. How do they interact? Is there a boss cow that pushes everyone else away? Do your goats try to climb on everything? These behaviors will tell you more than any product description. Your choice needs to match your herd’s reality, not a catalog fantasy.
Consider these key factors:
- Weather Protection: Are you in a rainy climate? A covered feeder is non-negotiable to prevent minerals from turning into a useless, expensive brick.
- Animal Size & Type: A ground feeder is great for calves and sheep, but a big horse might have to strain. A feeder with a heavy rubber flap might be too tough for smaller livestock to figure out.
- Durability vs. Portability: A heavy steel feeder won’t get knocked over by a pushy bull, but you won’t be moving it for rotational grazing without a tractor. A lighter poly tub is easy to move but might get tossed around.
Tarter Mineral Feeder: The All-Weather Classic
You see these everywhere for a reason. The Tarter feeder, with its distinctive red metal frame and black poly tub, is a workhorse. Its defining feature is the heavy rubber flap that keeps rain, snow, and wind out of the loose minerals. This single feature saves a lot of money and frustration.
This feeder is ideal for cattle and horses. They have the size and strength to easily lift the flap and get what they need. The sturdy steel base keeps it anchored, so it won’t tip when a 1,200-pound animal leans on it. It’s a "set it and forget it" solution for larger livestock pastures.
However, it’s not perfect for a truly mixed herd. Smaller animals like goats, sheep, or alpacas often struggle with the heavy flap. They might not be able to lift it or might be too timid to try, meaning they miss out on crucial minerals. This feeder is best for herds of similarly sized, large animals.
Sioux Steel Ground Feeder: Unbeatable Durability
If you want a feeder that will likely outlast your fence posts, this is it. The Sioux Steel ground feeder is built like a tank from heavy-gauge galvanized steel. It’s designed to sit low to the ground and take a beating from the toughest animals and the worst weather.
Its most clever feature is the rotating hood with a wind vane. The hood always turns to keep the opening facing away from the wind, offering fantastic protection from driving rain and snow. Because it’s a ground feeder, it’s accessible to a wide range of animals, from young stock to mature bulls.
The tradeoff is its weight and permanence. This is not a feeder you’ll be moving by hand. Once you place it, it’s there to stay for the season, if not longer. While incredibly durable, the steel will eventually show surface rust, especially around welds, though this rarely impacts its function for many, many years.
High Country Bull Feeder: Poly for Tough Use
For those who prefer to avoid metal, the High Country feeder is a top-tier poly option. Made from thick, impact-resistant polyethylene, it’s designed to be virtually indestructible. It won’t rust, corrode, or have sharp edges that could injure an animal.
This feeder excels in high-moisture environments where steel would quickly degrade. The poly material can be bent, pushed, and abused by the most aggressive animals without cracking. Its low, wide profile makes it extremely stable and resistant to tipping, which is a common problem with lighter-weight options.
While lighter than its steel counterparts, it’s still a substantial piece of equipment. The large capacity means fewer refills, saving you time and labor. This is an excellent choice for farmers prioritizing safety and longevity in wet climates.
Little Giant Salt Block Holder for Goats & Sheep
What works for a cow is a total failure for a goat. Smaller livestock need their own dedicated station, and the simple Little Giant salt block holder is the perfect tool for the job. It’s a no-nonsense solution that does one thing perfectly: it holds a standard 4- or 5-pound salt block.
The beauty is in its simplicity and placement. You can screw it directly to a barn wall or a sturdy fence post at the exact right height for your sheep, goats, or mini horses. This keeps the block clean, off the wet ground, and prevents it from being kicked around and wasted. It also stops a bossy goat from hogging the block by standing on top of it.
This isn’t a feeder for your whole herd, but a vital component of a mixed-herd strategy. By providing a dedicated, accessible source for your smaller animals, you ensure they aren’t shouldered out of the way by the bigger ones. It’s a small investment that pays big dividends in herd health.
Behrens Galvanized Tub: A Simple, Portable Fix
Sometimes the simplest solution is the best one, at least for a while. A basic galvanized steel tub is the most versatile tool on the farm, and it can serve as a perfectly functional mineral holder. It’s cheap, lightweight, and you can move it anywhere in seconds.
This is the go-to for rotational grazing systems. When you’re moving animals to a new paddock every few days, you don’t want to drag a 100-pound feeder with you. A simple tub is easy to pick up and move, ensuring your animals always have access to their minerals wherever they are.
The obvious downside is the complete lack of weather protection. A single downpour will ruin a tub full of loose minerals. It’s also easily tipped over, stepped in, and fouled by manure. Use it for its portability and low cost, but don’t rely on it as your primary, all-weather mineral station.
Redmond Rock on a Rope: Natural & Easy to Hang
For a more natural approach, the Redmond Rock is hard to beat. It’s not a manufactured block but a solid piece of rock mined from a deposit in Utah, packed with dozens of natural trace minerals. The "on a rope" version is particularly useful for mixed herds.
The concept is simple: you hang the rock from a sturdy tree branch or ceiling joist. This keeps it clean and allows animals to lick it as they please. By adjusting the rope length, you can set it at a perfect height that’s comfortable for horses, donkeys, or even taller goats.
This method encourages natural self-regulation and can reduce boredom. The main consideration is that it will dissolve more quickly in the rain compared to a dense, pressed block. It also offers a general mineral profile; you can’t customize it with specific additives if your herd has a known deficiency.
Behlen Country Poly Feeder for Larger Mixed Herds
When you have a truly diverse group of animals—cattle, horses, goats, and sheep all sharing a pasture—a single mineral source often isn’t enough. The Behlen poly feeder often comes with two or three compartments, which is a game-changer for managing complex nutritional needs.
The multi-compartment design allows you to offer different things at once. You can put a high-magnesium mineral mix for your cattle in one side and a basic trace mineral salt for the horses and goats in the other. This prevents animals from consuming minerals that might be harmful to them (like high copper for sheep) while ensuring everyone gets what they need.
Made of durable poly, this feeder is safe, rust-proof, and relatively easy to clean. Its ground-level height makes it accessible to most animals, though very small lambs or kids might still struggle. For the serious hobby farmer with a diverse herd, a partitioned feeder is the most effective way to manage health across species.
Ultimately, the best mineral feeder is the one your animals actually use safely and consistently. Don’t be afraid to try a simple, cheap option first to see how your herd behaves. The right choice protects your mineral investment and, more importantly, the long-term health of your livestock.
