6 Best Galvanized Feed Tubs For Pigs That Prevent Waste

There’s nothing more frustrating than watching a pig flip a full feed pan, turning expensive pellets into trampled mud. It’s a common sight on any farm, but it doesn’t have to be your reality. Choosing the right feeder isn’t about fancy gadgets; it’s a direct investment in your bottom line.

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Why Galvanized Steel Tubs Reduce Pig Feed Waste

The secret to a good pig feeder is simple: it needs to be heavier and tougher than the pig. Galvanized steel tubs excel here. Their sheer weight makes them difficult for even a determined sow to shove around or tip over, keeping feed in the pan where it belongs.

Unlike plastic, which can be chewed into pieces, or rubber, which can be bent and flipped, galvanized steel stands up to abuse. A pig’s powerful snout is no match for heavy-gauge metal. This durability means you buy a feeder once, not every season.

Furthermore, the smooth, non-porous surface of galvanized steel is a key feature. Feed doesn’t cake into corners or soak into the material, which makes cleaning a breeze and ensures pigs can eat every last bit. Less caked-on feed means less waste and a healthier environment for your animals.

Behrens 3-OV Oval Tub: Classic Durability

The Behrens oval tub is a classic for a reason. Its shape is its biggest advantage. A round pan can encourage a "king of the hill" dynamic where one pig pushes others out, but the oval design allows two or three pigs to eat comfortably side-by-side, reducing competitive shoving and the spillage that comes with it.

Built from heavy-gauge galvanized steel, this tub is designed to last. It features an offset bottom to keep it slightly off the wet ground and a wire-reinforced rim that adds significant strength. This isn’t a flimsy bucket; it’s a piece of equipment that can handle being knocked around in a busy paddock. For a small group of growers, this shape and size is nearly perfect.

Little Giant HDPAN: Low Profile, Less Spillage

If you have a pig that has mastered the art of flipping its feeder, the Little Giant HDPAN is your solution. Its design is all about a low center of gravity. The pan is wide and shallow, making it almost impossible for a pig to get enough leverage underneath to tip it.

This feeder is stamped from a single sheet of heavy-duty galvanized steel, meaning there are no seams or crevices. That seamless interior is crucial—it prevents feed from getting packed into corners and wasted. It also makes cleanup incredibly fast. The wide, flat base ensures it sits securely, even on the uneven ground of a pasture.

CountyLine Round Feeder: Heavy-Duty Stability

Sometimes, the best solution is just brute force. The CountyLine Round Feeder is built on the principle of sheer, unmovable weight. This is the feeder you get for your biggest hogs or the most destructive groups, where lighter pans just won’t survive.

Its heavy-duty construction resists dents and warping from boisterous animals. While a round shape can sometimes cause more jostling, the stability of this feeder’s wide base and substantial weight means it stays put. A pig pushing on one side is simply counteracted by the immense weight on the other. It’s a simple, effective tool for preventing waste through pure stability.

Tuff Stuff KMT100: Resists Tipping by Hogs

Don’t let the "stock tank" label fool you; the Tuff Stuff KMT100 makes an outstanding hog feeder, especially for larger groups. Its greatest strength is its incredibly wide base and thick, rolled rim. This combination creates a fortress of a feeder that resists tipping from every angle.

Pigs often try to get their snout under the lip of a feeder to flip it. The KMT100’s rounded, heavy-duty rim denies them that leverage. While it’s one of the larger options, that size can be an advantage, allowing multiple full-grown hogs to eat at once without the intense competition that leads to wasted feed. It’s an investment, but it’s one that will outlast the pigs you’re feeding today.

Fortiflex F-20 Pan: Reinforced Rim Saves Feed

The Fortiflex F-20 brings a smart design feature to the table: a specially reinforced rim. While made of a tough rubber-polyethylene blend rather than steel, its design principles are focused entirely on waste prevention. Pigs love to use their snouts to scoop and push feed out over the edge, and this pan’s thick, inwardly-curved lip helps keep the feed where it belongs.

This pan proves that it’s not always just about weight. The clever rim design actively works against a pig’s natural rooting behavior. It’s also flexible enough to absorb impacts without cracking, giving it a different kind of durability than steel. For pigs that are more "scoopers" than "flippers," this design can save a surprising amount of feed.

Rugged Ranch Hog Feeder: Divided for Less Sorting

This feeder takes a different approach to waste reduction. Instead of a single open pan, the Rugged Ranch Hog Feeder is a long trough with built-in dividers. This simple addition solves two major waste problems: competition and sorting. The dividers give each pig its own personal dining space, dramatically cutting down on the shoving and head-butting that sends feed flying.

This design also tackles the costly issue of sorting. Pigs will often root through feed to pick out their favorite bits (like corn), pushing the rest onto the ground. By creating individual feeding stations, the dividers encourage each pig to clean up its own portion before moving on. It’s a behavioral solution to a physical problem, and it’s highly effective for groups of similar-sized pigs.

Key Features for a Waste-Free Galvanized Feeder

When you’re standing in the store, it’s easy to get overwhelmed. Ignore the marketing and focus on the features that actually prevent waste. The right feeder for your farm will have a combination of these traits, tailored to your pigs’ size and habits.

Look for these key elements:

• Weight and a Low Profile: A low center of gravity is the number one defense against flipping. The heavier the pan for its size, the better.
• A Reinforced Rim: A thick, rolled, or inwardly-curved rim is harder for a pig to bite, lift, or scoop feed over.
• Seamless Interior: No cracks or crevices where feed can get stuck, mold, and go to waste. This also makes cleaning far easier.
• A Wide, Stable Base: The feeder needs to sit flat and resist tipping, even on the lumpy ground of a pasture or a deeply bedded pen.
• The Right Shape and Size: An oval trough might be better for reducing competition in a group, while a small, heavy pan is perfect for an individual. Don’t buy a giant feeder for two small pigs; the feed will just get stale.

Ultimately, the best feeder is one that matches your specific situation. A feeder for two kunekunes on pasture will be different from one for a pen of four feeder hogs. Observe how your pigs eat and where the waste is happening, then choose a feeder designed to solve that specific problem.

Feed will always be your biggest cost when raising pigs, and every handful they waste is money thrown on the ground. Investing a little more in a heavy, well-designed feeder isn’t an expense; it’s one of the fastest ways to cut your feed bill. It pays for itself in saved grain and saved sanity.