Build mineral feeders for livestock from rain barrels.
Empty barrels and drums have a variety of uses above and beyond acting as containers for their original substances. Once a container is empty, the drums can be used in a number of situations, including being cut in half and used as a mineral feeder for cattle, horses and other types of livestock. Building a mineral feeder out of a barrel or drum allows you to have a lightweight yet sturdy feeder that you can move around the pasture as needed.
Instructions
1. Take a metal rain barrel and place it in an area away from chemicals or other substances that could start a fire. Mark the center of the barrel around the entire circumference. Put on the work gloves and the torch safety glasses and cut the barrel in half. Allow the edges to cool, and then check to make sure there are no jagged corners that an animal could catch its head or neck on. Smooth the edges over with additional heat from the torch.
2. Mark the circumference of a plastic barrel in a similar fashion, and then place the barrel between your legs or between something else to hold it in place. Cut the barrel in half using the reciprocating saw. Clean out the inside of each half and smooth the edges down if any rough areas remain. Wash the inside of the plastic barrel for additional cleaning if desired.
3. Place the barrel halves in the field and fill them with the desired minerals, depending on what type of livestock you own. Weigh down plastic barrel halves by placing rocks in the bottom to counteract the lightness of the plastic when the mineral levels are almost depleted. Move the barrel halves around periodically to avoid the livestock trampling the grass and churning up mud in certain areas of the field or yard.
Tags: barrel halves, plastic barrel, barrel half, mineral feeder, place barrel