6 Mineral Feeders For Alpacas That Prevent Common Issues

You walk out to the pasture after a hard rain and find your alpaca’s expensive mineral supplement is a single, solid brick. Or worse, it’s a soupy mess that no animal will touch. Choosing the right mineral feeder isn’t just about convenience; it’s a critical part of maintaining a healthy, thriving herd.

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Why Loose Minerals Matter for Alpaca Health

Alpacas can’t get everything they need from pasture and hay alone. Soil quality varies, and forage nutrient levels fluctuate with the seasons, leaving nutritional gaps. Loose mineral supplements are designed to fill these gaps, providing essential elements like selenium, copper, and zinc that are vital for strong immunity, healthy fiber growth, and successful reproduction.

Unlike cattle, alpacas don’t have rough, raspy tongues. They can’t effectively lick a hard salt or mineral block to get what they need. This makes providing a high-quality, free-choice loose mineral mix non-negotiable. Without it, you risk seeing subtle health issues escalate into serious problems, from poor cria development to a compromised immune system that can’t fight off parasites.

The goal is to offer these minerals in a way that encourages consumption while protecting them from the elements. A feeder that lets rain turn your supplement into a useless clump is wasting your money and depriving your animals of crucial nutrients. The right feeder keeps minerals clean, dry, and accessible 24/7.

Behlen Country Poly Mineral Feeder for Durability

If you need a simple, tough, no-frills option, this is it. The Behlen Country feeder is a single-piece molded poly unit with a heavy rubber flap. It’s designed to take a beating from the weather and the animals.

Its strength is its simplicity. There are no complex hinges to break or lids to get ripped off in a storm. The weight of the rubber flap is usually enough to keep rain and snow out while still being light enough for an alpaca to nudge open. This is a workhorse feeder for anyone prioritizing durability over all else.

The main tradeoff is that the flap design isn’t completely foolproof. In a driving, sideways rain, some moisture can still get in. It’s also a ground model, so you have to be mindful of placement to keep it from getting filled with dirt or manure if an animal kicks it around.

Brower Poly Feeder: Weatherproof Ground Option

The Brower feeder takes a different approach to weather protection. Instead of just a flap, it features a large, rotating hood that covers the mineral pan. Alpacas learn quickly to nudge the hood to the side to access the minerals, and it swings back into place when they’re done.

This design offers excellent protection from rain and snow, keeping the contents consistently dry. Because it sits low to the ground and has a wide base, it’s also very stable and difficult for animals to tip over. It’s a great fit-and-forget solution for pastures where you can’t check on things every day.

The primary consideration is its ground-level placement. You absolutely must place it on high, dry ground away from common manure piles. Its low profile is great for stability but increases the risk of contamination if not managed properly. It’s an excellent choice for weather resistance, but it demands thoughtful placement.

Little Giant Fence Feeder for Versatile Mounting

Not everyone has the space for a large, ground-based feeder. The Little Giant Fence Feeder is a compact option designed to be mounted directly onto a fence rail, stall wall, or even a T-post with the right hardware. This gets the minerals up off the ground, significantly reducing the risk of fecal contamination.

This versatility is its biggest selling point. You can easily move it between pens, bring it into the barn during harsh weather, or place it at the perfect height for your animals. For small herds or operations with rotating paddocks, this flexibility is invaluable.

The downside is its capacity and weather exposure. It holds significantly less mineral than ground models, requiring more frequent refilling for larger herds. While the snap-on lid offers some protection, it’s more vulnerable to driving rain and isn’t as robust as the hooded or flapped designs. It’s a fantastic solution for small-scale, managed environments.

Tuffy Bull Feeder: A Wind-Resistant Ground Model

Don’t let the name fool you; this feeder’s design is excellent for alpaca owners in windy regions. The Tuffy is a low-profile, exceptionally heavy-duty feeder with a rubber flap. Its weight and low center of gravity make it incredibly difficult to tip or blow away.

The core feature here is stability. If you’ve ever arrived at the pasture to find your feeder has been blown across the field and is now empty, you understand the value of this design. The flap provides good, but not perfect, weather protection, similar to other flap-style feeders.

This is your go-to choice if wind is your primary enemy. It’s built to stay put. Like other ground feeders, however, placement is key to keeping the contents clean. It’s a simple, rugged solution for a very specific and common problem.

Agri-Plastics 2-Compartment Mineral Feeder

Sometimes, you need to offer more than one type of supplement. The Agri-Plastics 2-Compartment Feeder is designed for exactly this scenario. It allows you to offer your standard alpaca mineral mix in one side and another supplement, like kelp or sodium bicarbonate, in the other.

This prevents waste and ensures animals can choose what they need. Keeping supplements separate is often better than mixing them, as it prevents picky eaters from sorting through the mix. The hooded design provides good weather protection for both compartments.

This feeder is ideal for the owner who wants to fine-tune their herd’s nutrition. It provides flexibility that single-compartment feeders can’t match. The only potential drawback is that it might be more than you need if you only plan to offer a single mineral blend.

Sioux Steel Upright Mineral Feeder for Herds

For those with a larger herd, feeder competition can become a real issue. The Sioux Steel Upright Feeder addresses this with a large-capacity bin and 360-degree access. Multiple alpacas can eat at once, reducing stress and ensuring timid animals get their share.

This is a serious piece of equipment. It features a heavy steel base for stability and a tough poly hood and body. Its large capacity means you spend less time refilling, a huge benefit for busy farmers. It’s built to last for years in a demanding pasture environment.

The investment in both cost and space is the primary consideration. This feeder is overkill for a few alpacas but an essential tool for managing herds of ten or more. It solves the problem of mineral access at scale, making it a smart investment for growing operations.

Proper Feeder Placement to Reduce Contamination

Where you put your feeder is just as important as which one you buy. Alpacas have a tidy habit of creating communal "poop piles" or latrine areas. Never, ever place a mineral feeder near one of these spots. This is the fastest way to spread parasites and other diseases through your herd.

Instead, place the feeder in a high, dry area of the pasture that sees regular traffic but isn’t a latrine. Placing it near a favorite lounging spot or on the path to their water source (but not right next to it) can encourage use. Water and minerals don’t mix—placing them too close leads to wet, clumpy minerals from dripping mouths.

Routinely move the feeder a few feet every week or two. This prevents a single area from getting muddy and over-grazed. This simple habit helps keep the minerals clean, the ground healthy, and your alpacas safer from internal parasites.

Ultimately, the best mineral feeder is the one that your alpacas will use consistently and that you can manage effectively. By matching the feeder’s design to your specific challenges—be it rain, wind, herd size, or pasture layout—you turn a simple piece of plastic into a powerful tool for long-term herd health.