The best mineral feeders are the ones built to survive the animals using them, and for barns, pens, stalls and block stations that means molded plastic over thin stamped metal, drainage that lets rain escape, and a mount that an animal cannot paw, chew or shoulder off. We compared ten mineral feeders rated 4.0 to 4.7 stars with review counts from 44 to more than 1,100, and narrowed the field for small livestock, goats, horses, poultry and deer.
A mineral feeder only earns its space if the mineral inside stays dry. Loose mineral that cakes into a wet brick is wasted money, and a salt block that dissolves into mud is a melted block plus a dirty feeder. Weather protection, drainage and a secure mount matter more than anything else, which is exactly where the cheapest options tend to fall short.
If you are running a larger open-pasture herd, start with our deer feeder roundup and our game feeder picks first, since big-capacity ground units are a different category. This guide stays with the compact, mountable feeders that work in barns, on fence rails and at small-paddock mineral stations.
Top 3 Mineral Feeder Picks in 2026
Little Giant 3.5 Qt Mineral…
- Two compartments
- 3.5 qt wet or 3 qt dry
- Shatter and UV resistant plastic
Fortiflex 2-Comp 1-3/4 Qt…
- Two separated compartments
- Rubber and HDPE blend
- Top and bottom flanges
Little Giant 10 Qt Block Pan
- Holds a 50-lb block
- Gripping inner ribs
- Drain holes and raised rim
The Little Giant 3.5-quart two-compartment feeder takes the top slot because it does the most jobs on one wall: loose mineral on one side, salt or baking soda on the other, in a plastic body that goats have not managed to chew through. The Fortiflex two-compartment unit is the close runner-up for barns where animals shove and lean on the wall. The Little Giant 10-quart block pan earns its place as the pick for anyone feeding solid blocks rather than loose mineral.
All 10 Mineral Feeders Compared in 2026
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Read the table as three groups. Wall-mounted plastic trays serve goats, horses, calves and backyard flocks. Block holders and pans serve deer, cattle and anyone feeding a standard 50-lb or 4-lb solid block. Fence-mounted hoppers serve small herds that need metered grain alongside free-choice mineral.
1. Little Giant 3.5 Quart Mineral Feeder – Two Compartments and Shatter-Proof Plastic
Little Giant Animal Mineral Feeder 3.5 Quart Mineral Feeder (Item No. MF35BLACK)
3.5 qt wet or 3 qt dry capacity
Two separate compartments
Shatter and UV resistant plastic
13 x 6 x 5 inch
The Good
- Two-compartment design splits loose mineral and baking soda cleanly
- Tough DuraFlex plastic survives goat chewing and pushing
- Deep tray outlasts a small herd before it crusts
- Simple wall or fence mounting
The Bad
- Included attachment points can be worked loose by large goats
- No S-hooks or hanging hardware for the pre-drilled holes
- Capacity skews small for horse-sized animals
This is the feeder we kept coming back to while testing the group, because the two-compartment layout solves a problem most single-tray units create. One side holds your loose mineral, the other holds salt or baking soda, and neither gets contaminated by the other. The 3.5-quart wet capacity works out to 3 quarts dry, which is enough that a small flock does not empty it in a day.
The plastic is the real story. It is described as crack and shatter resistant and UV damage resistant, and owners running goats report that their animals have not chewed through the body or torn it off the wall. The tray is deep enough that mineral collects where the animal’s muzzle can reach it rather than sliding to the corners.
Two things tripped us up. The attachment points are the weak link, not the body, and larger or rambunctious goats can work fasteners loose over time, so several owners substitute baling wire or longer screws with washers. And while the unit has pre-drilled holes, no hooks or hanging hardware come in the box, which matters if you wanted to suspend it rather than screw it on.
We also noticed the capacity is right for goats, calves and small horses but modest for a full-size animal eating a larger daily ration. For a mixed flock where a 900-lb horse shares the wall, size up to a ground-level pan instead.
What to check before you mount it
Buy your own lag screws and washers rather than trusting the included attachment points, and pick a mounting height where the animal reaches the tray without stretching or scraping its neck. If you plan to hang it instead of screwing it on, source S-hooks separately.
Who should skip it
Skip this feeder if you have aggressive large goats that will work the mounting hardware, or if horses are your primary animals and you need more capacity than 3 quarts dry. A 50-lb block pan handles that case better.
2. Fortiflex Two-Compartment Feeder – Rubber and HDPE Blend for Rough Stock
Fortiflex Mineral Feeder for Small Animals, 2-Compartment of 1-3/4-Quart, Black
Two 1-3/4 quart compartments
Fortally-EPDM rubber and HDPE blend
6.25 x 12.75 x 5.75 inch
15.36 ounces
The Good
- Withstands goats pushing and shoving in a stall
- Two well-separated compartments for mineral and baking soda
- Shaped so horses and goats get their muzzle in easily
- Buyers report owning several stations
The Bad
- Regular screw holes rather than keyhole slots mean full removal to clean
- Mounting height is fixed with no adjustable bracket
This is the barn-feeder option. The body is a Fortally-EPDM rubber and HDPE blend, which gives it a little give when an animal leans into it, and the two 1-3/4-quart compartments are far enough apart that loose mineral and baking soda stay separated. Buyers running goats report it holds up in stalls where animals lean and shove.
At 12.75 inches long and 5.75 inches tall, the opening is wide and low enough that a horse or a goat can get a muzzle straight into it. Poultry keepers repurpose the same shape for grit and oyster shell, drilling drainage holes themselves.
What to check before you mount it
The flanges on the top and bottom are what give this unit its rigidity, so use all of them and fasten into a stud or a solid board rather than drywall. Plan on taking the whole unit off the wall to clean it, because the mounting holes are plain screw holes with no keyhole slots.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you want to check and scrape out a caked tray without unbolting the feeder, or if you need to move the feeding point frequently. The 1-3/4-quart compartments also refill more often than a 3-quart tray when a group shares one station.
3. Little Giant 10 Quart Salt and Mineral Block Pan – Ribbed Grip for a Full 50-Lb Block
Little Giant® Plastic Salt and Mineral Block Pan | Salt Block Holder | Livestock Salt Block Feeder Pan | 10 Quart
Holds a 50-lb salt or mineral block
Gripping inner ribs center the block
Raised rim with drain holes
10 quart capacity
The Good
- Gripping ribs lift and center a full 50-lb block
- Raised rim and drain holes keep the block out of mud
- Wide base resists tipping when animals crowd it
- Rinses clean fast and holds up outdoors
The Bad
- Open pan design gives no weather protection
- Extra corner drain holes are useful on sloped ground
- Takes more floor space than a wall-mounted holder
If you feed solid blocks, this pan is the single most useful item in the group. It is built around one job: hold a 50-lb salt or mineral block, grip it so it cannot walk out, and keep it out of the mud. The inner ribs lift and hold the block in place, which is the feature that separates it from a flat tray.
The raised bottom rim and the drain holes do the quiet work. Instead of letting a block sit in a puddle, water escapes and the block stays drier, which means less melt waste and less swallowed dirt. It also rinses clean quickly, so a weekly scrape-down is realistic.
What to check before you buy
Place it on level ground with a wide base. The design is deliberately not watertight, and owners on sloped or uneven ground drill a few extra corner drain holes. If your block sits in direct sun in a wet climate, add a simple roof over a post above it.
Who should skip it
Skip it if loose mineral is your primary format, or if you need genuine weather protection. An open pan in a high-rain region will soften a block faster than a covered feeder, and that is the trade you accept for the easy cleaning and the strong grip.
4. Fortiflex Small Plastic Mineral Feeder – The Shallow Stall Option
Fortiflex Small Plastic Mineral Feeder with Fasteners
1.75 quart capacity
Shallow wall-mount profile
Rubber and HDPE blend construction
Item weight 0.43 kg
The Good
- Sturdy plastic holds up to goats pawing at it
- Works well zip-tied to a chain-link fence
- Affordable enough to run several stations
- Shallow profile suits stalls and tight fence lines
The Bad
- Advertised screws or clips sometimes arrive missing
- Open bottom collects rainwater unless you drill it
- 1.75 quart capacity needs frequent refills for larger groups
This is the small-capacity unit for a single stall or a short fence run, and the shallow profile is the reason it exists. It mounts on a wall, a stall board or a chain-link fence, and goat owners report zip-tying it to fence wire successfully when the fence is the only structure available.
The same rubber and HDPE blend construction shows up here as on the larger Fortiflex, and buyers describe it as sturdy enough to take repeated nosing and pawing without cracking. Several owners bought multiple units to cover more than one pen.
What to check before you mount it
Have your own fasteners ready. Multiple reviews report the screws or clips described in the listing arriving missing, so plan on a pack of screws. The open bottom also collects rainwater, and drilling two or three drainage holes is the single improvement most owners make.
Who should skip it
Skip it for a group larger than a few head that shares one station, since 1.75 quarts goes quickly. It is also the wrong choice if you cannot drill drainage holes and the mounting spot is exposed to rain.
5. ASF EZ Block Feeder – Powder-Coated Roof for Deer and Wildlife
ASF All Seasons Feeders – EZ Block Deer, Wildlife and Farm Animal Feeder – Holds Salt, Mineral, Wormer & Other Standard Feed Supplement Blocks
Holds two standard blocks
Powder-coated metal with roof
38 x 10 x 22 inch
Mounts to a post or tree
The Good
- Keeps blocks dry and off the ground
- cutting block waste
- Assembles quickly with clear instructions
- Handles a full two-block load outdoors
- Wildlife including coons find it fast
The Bad
- Not all standard blocks seat properly
- Included straps cannot be tightened enough
- Two-block load puts weight outboard so posts must be solid
This is the only genuinely covered block feeder in the group. It is powder-coated metal with a weather-resistant roof, and it holds up to two standard salt, mineral, wormer or protein blocks off the ground. For deer and wildlife properties, that combination is the whole point: blocks stay dry, they stay clean, and they stay put.
Reviewers on these properties report that wildlife, raccoons included, locate and use the feeder quickly, and that block waste drops noticeably compared with placing blocks directly on the ground. Assembly is straightforward with the supplied hardware, and the 38 by 10 by 22 inch body takes a full two-block load outdoors without complaint.
The fit is the caveat. Several reviewers report that not every standard block seats properly, and that a 25-lb cube can fill the holder so a second block will not go in. Check the block dimensions against your mineral supplier before committing to two-block loads.
Hardware is the second caveat. The included straps cannot be tightened enough for some setups, so owners substitute 1-inch ratchet straps, and one unit had a weld tab separate on first block insertion. Loaded with two blocks, the weight sits outboard, so a solid mounting post is not optional. If you are building out a full property setup, our guide to wildlife-proof feeders covers the hardware side.
What to check before you mount it
Confirm your block dimensions seat fully inside, and pick a post rated for the outboard weight of two blocks. Bring your own ratchet straps rather than relying on the supplied webbing, and allow new deer a few days to get used to a metal unit before judging whether they use it.
Who should skip it
Skip it if your blocks vary in size and you cannot confirm fit, or if you have no solid post to mount to. It is also heavier than a plastic pan and less practical for a spot that needs to move between paddocks.
6. LBH Market 4-Pound Block Holder – Plastic Solves the Rust Problem
LBH Market Small Plastic 4lb Mineral Salt Block Holder for Deer, Whitetail, Goat, Horse – Salt Lick Block, Stall Wall Fasteners Included (Black)
Sized for 4-lb bricks
Open front, no metal bars
Plastic body will not rust
Mounts to a post or tree
The Good
- Plastic eliminates the rust that ended earlier metal holders
- Feels thicker and sturdier than same-class holders
- Open front lets animals lick without bars in the way
- Easy single-screw installation
The Bad
- Advertised fasteners were missing in some packages
- Supplied screws are steel and corrode fast against salt
- Sized only for 4-lb bricks
- not larger blocks
This holder exists because of a specific, very common failure: a metal salt holder that rusted away in a salty environment and left a rusted mess in place of a working feeder. The plastic body here never corrodes, and the reviews make clear that plenty of owners bought it to replace exactly that.
The open front is the design choice that matters. There are no metal bars between the animal and the block, so a horse or a goat can lick without working around hardware. It mounts to a wood post or a tree with two exterior wood screws, and several owners run one per stall.
Two complaints recur. Fasteners were missing from the package in a couple of separate reviews, so verify what is in the box. And the screws that do come with it are standard steel, which the reviewers note corrode quickly in a salty barn; several wished stainless steel had been included, and that is good advice.
What to check before you mount it
Confirm your block is a 4-lb brick. This holder is sized specifically for small bricks, including goat mineral blocks, deer salt licks and Himalayan salt bricks, and larger blocks simply will not fit. Bring stainless screws if you are mounting in a damp or salty spot.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you feed a full 50-lb block, since the dimensions do not accommodate one. It is also not a loose mineral feeder and offers no way to feed a powder.
7. QWORK Nickel-Plated Block Holder 2-Pack – Metal That Outlasts Salt
QWORK 4lb Salt Block Holder for Deer Blocks, 2 Pack Mineral Salt Block Holder, Used for Goat Mineral Block
Two-pack of 4-lb block holders
Nickel-plated solid metal frame
0.67 kg each
Mounting hardware included
The Good
- Nickel plating resists the salt-induced oxidation that kills holders
- Reinforced frame has survived a large goat herd and a donkey
- Two holders let you cover two posts at once
- Screws are included in the box
The Bad
- One review reported welds failing while hanging the unit
- Welded joints appear inconsistent between pieces
- Salt block is not included
Most owners choose plastic over metal for a reason: salt destroys steel. This holder takes the opposite approach and makes the metal work, using a reinforced solid metal wire frame with nickel plating that resists salt-induced oxidation and moisture. The plating is the feature, and reviewers say so directly.
Strength is the other selling point. Owners report the frame holding up with a large goat herd, and one mentions a donkey pushing on it without damage. Because it ships as a two-pack, you can cover two posts or two stalls in one order, which is convenient when you are setting up a run of stations at once.
The build consistency is the one flag in this listing. One detailed review describes the welds joining the mounting bar to the block holder failing while the unit was being hung, and advises against use by animals over roughly 10 pounds because of inconsistent welds across units. Inspect the weld at the mounting bar before you load a block onto it.
What to check before you mount it
Check the mounting bar weld closely and make sure both pieces look identical. Mount to a post or a stall wall using the included screws, and keep the blocks elevated so the licking face stays cleaner than it would on the ground.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you cannot inspect the welds, or if your animals are large and forceful and a weld failure would drop a heavy block. The all-plastic option is the safer choice there, and no salt block comes with the holder.
8. Sydell Fence-Mounted Feeder – Metered Flow on a 25-Pound Hopper
Sydell Sheep and Goat Grain Mineral Feeder, Large Outdoor Forage Grain Feeding System, Supports Up to 10 Small Livestock, Weather Resistant Heavy-Duty Plastic, Fence Mounted
25 lb capacity, supports up to 10 head
Adjustable flow control
Weather-resistant with cover
12 x 7 x 27 inch, 1.4 kg
The Good
- Large hopper holds days of feed for a small herd
- Covered elevated design keeps feed out of weather and animals
- Adjustable flow helps control intake and cut waste
- Stands up to young stock jumping on it
The Bad
- Lid releases too easily in wind or rain
- Flow damper does not seat snugly so feed can rush the tray
- Needs a rigid post
- not a flexible fence
- Hopper is small for adult goats and sheep
This is the only unit in the group built around a hopper with metered flow rather than an open tray, and that changes what it is for. Instead of making mineral freely available, it lets you regulate how fast feed comes down, which one goat owner credits with preventing a selenium toxicity problem in their flock.
At 25 pounds of capacity and a stated ability to support up to 10 small livestock, the hopper means a small herd does not need daily refills. The cover and weather-resistant body keep feed protected, and the elevated design stops animals from reaching the top, which also keeps feed out of reach of contamination. It mounts to a fence with zip ties or screws and survives young stock jumping on it.
What to check before you mount it
Mount it on a rigid wall or post, not a flexible fence, because vibration empties it too quickly. Test the flow damper before you fill it, since owners report feed finding a path around the damper rather than through it, and check the lid latch because it can release in wind or rain. The mounting holes are smaller than ideal, so pick your fastener size accordingly.
Who should skip it
Skip it for adult goats and sheep, since several owners find the hopper too small for them; it fits kids and small breeds better. It is also the lowest-rated option here, so treat the mechanical caveats above as real rather than edge cases.
9. Little Giant SBPU Universal Holder – Tall Sides Carry a 50-Pound Block
Little Giant SBPU Universal Block Holder and Feeder; Grain/Supplement Feeder for Cattle, Horses, Goats, Sheep, Alpacas & Llamas; Polypropylene Plastic, Holds 50-Lb or 6.5 Quarts, 12.63″x14.25″x9.69″
Holds a 50-lb block or 6.5 qt loose
Impact-resistant HDPE
Tall sides stop block loss
12.63 x 14.25 x 9.69 inch
The Good
- Carries a genuine full 50-lb block
- verified by multiple owners
- Long mounting slot resists being knocked off a rail
- Fits wire livestock panel
- wooden rail or stall pen
- Doubles as a loose grain and protein-tub feeder
The Bad
- No drainage holes as built
- so rain pools when mounted outdoors
- Wide deep shape needs more space than a slim wall holder
- Not a tight seal
- so blocks still get wet in exposed spots
The tall sides are what set this holder apart. They stop cattle, horses, goats and sheep from knocking the block loose or gnawing the corners, and the long mounting slot makes the unit genuinely hard to dislodge from a rail. Owners report the first unit holding up for over a year and then buying three more.
It is also the most versatile item here. The same unit holds a 50-lb salt or mineral block, or up to 6.5 quarts of loose grain, feed or protein tubs, and the back slot fits a square wire livestock panel, a corner fence rail or a 2x board. The molded high-density polyethylene is impact resistant, which matters when a block is being levered in and out.
The one suggestion that appears across nearly every review is to drill drainage holes yourself. As built there are none, so rain pools in the bottom when it is mounted outdoors, and the unit is not a tight weather seal. Two small holes in the base resolve both points and take a minute with a drill.
What to check before you mount it
Drill one or two drainage holes in the bottom before you fill it, and confirm the mounting slot grips whatever you are hanging it on. If you plan to use it for loose protein tubs rather than a block, check the 6.5-quart figure against how much your animals eat per day.
Who should skip it
Skip it if you have no way to drill drainage and the spot is fully exposed to rain, or if space is tight, since the wide, deep footprint is larger than a slim wall holder. It is not a loose mineral tray for free-choice powder.
10. LBH Market 3.6 Quart Goat Mineral Feeder Kit – Screws Included, Light on Build
LBH Market Goat Mineral Feeder Kit Includes Mineral Feeder 3.5 Qt with 5 Wood Screw Fasteners Suitable for Goats and Horses
3.6 quart mineral feeder tray
Five wood screws in the kit
Wall or wood fence mounting
13.11 x 6.5 x 5.28 inch, 1.01 lb
The Good
- Five good-quality wood screws mean no extra purchase
- Easy to install on a fence and easy to clean
- Holds a good amount of loose mineral for free-choice feeding
- Sturdy for typical daily use in a goat pen
The Bad
- Some reviewers find the build cheap and thin
- Reported too small for horses and larger animals
- One report describes sheep tearing it apart as a back scratcher
This kit is the simplest answer to a simple problem: getting a free-choice mineral tray onto a wooden goat pen. The 3.6-quart tray takes loose salt, minerals and treats, and the box includes five wood screw fasteners, so installation needs no second purchase. Owners report easy installation and easy cleaning, and free-choice feeding works well for goats.
It is also the lowest-rated option in this group at 4.0 stars, with 17 percent one-star reviews, and the criticism is consistent enough to take seriously. Several reviewers describe the plastic as thin and cheaply made, with the blunt observation that the same feeder could be built from a simple box. That is a fair description of where this unit sits.
What to check before you mount it
Use all five screws into solid wood and check the mounting height for your tallest goat. The listed animals include goats, horses, calves, sheep, pigs, deer and chickens, but the capacity reports cluster around goats and small barns rather than horses.
Who should skip it
Skip it for horses, for larger animals, or anywhere sheep have access and tend to rub and scratch, since one owner reported a hair sheep using the feeder as a back scratcher until it came apart in about a week. The higher-rated two-compartment units are the better call for the same money range.
How to Choose a Mineral Feeder
Start by deciding the mineral format, because the feeder has to match it. Loose mineral needs an open tray with a raised rim and drainage. A 50-lb block needs gripping ribs or a pan sized for that weight. A 4-lb brick needs a small holder that keeps the licking face open. A 25-pound hopper with adjustable flow serves a different purpose again, restricting intake rather than leaving it free-choice.
Next, judge the material honestly. Plastic resists the salt corrosion that destroys bare steel, holds its shape in cold weather, and needs no paint. Powder-coated or nickel-plated metal handles heavier loads and hangs better on a post, provided the coating has no damage. The forum consensus among cattle producers is blunt on this point, with repeated complaints about cheap plastic and unpainted steel giving out within a couple of seasons.
Mounting security is the third filter, and it is where most of the complaints in our reviews landed. On every plastic unit in this group, the body survived and the fasteners did not. Longer screws with washers, or a stainless fastener in a salty barn, costs very little and prevents the most common failure.
Drainage is the fourth. Pans and open trays need drain holes, either factory-made or drilled. Reviewers added holes to nearly every open unit they owned, and it is the cheapest improvement available. A feeder that holds water holds caked mineral, and caked mineral is money in the dirt.
Finally, match capacity to group size. Timid or smaller animals get crowded out of a single station, so a second unit at another location is usually worth more than a larger unit in one place. If you are balancing intake, remember that free-choice loose mineral target is roughly 2 to 4 ounces per head per day, which turns a bag of mineral into a simple consumption estimate once you know the head count.
How Many Mineral Feeders Do You Need?
The working rule for cattle pasture is one station for roughly 20 to 40 head, and smaller stock needs more rather than fewer. Sheep, goats and young stock are timid and will lose a competition for a single tray, so plan closer to one station per 10 to 15 animals for them.
Two stations is the minimum for any group that rotates paddocks, because one feeder still means one point of travel and one patch of ground that gets trampled bare. A third station wins you a working option when a feeder is being cleaned, moved or repaired.
Loose Mineral vs Mineral Blocks vs Lick Tubs
Loose mineral gives the most control over intake because you can watch what is left in the tray, and it is the easiest format to top up. Its weakness is weather, since it cakes and then turns into a wet brick that animals refuse and you waste. That is precisely why a covered or well-drained tray matters with loose mineral.
Mineral blocks remove the caking problem almost entirely. They also remove your ability to see intake, since a block simply gets smaller, and a partially melted block on wet ground is a total loss. For deer and wildlife where you are not present daily, blocks are the more practical format. Our game feeder guide covers how block and hopper formats compare on open ground.
Lick tubs are the third option and sit between the two. They are easy to set out and animals rarely waste them, but a tub is a large, heavy object that gets bumped, dragged and tipped, and a tipped tub is a spilled supplement. A tub placed inside a used tire solves both problems at once, a trick cattle producers describe as reliable for keeping protein tubs from spreading across a pasture.
Can cattle get too much mineral? Not from a correctly formulated free-choice mineral in normal conditions, because salt limits intake. Overconsumption becomes a risk when mineral is mixed into a total ration or when a single feeder has a high-selenium formulation and every animal hits it hard. The same feeder question comes up for sheep, where copper tolerance is the real concern and goat mineral should never be shared with sheep.
Where to Place Your Mineral Feeder
Put the feeder near water, not far from it, and on the route the animals already walk. A feeder placed 200 yards off the water trough is a feeder that sits full. Shade matters in hot climates for the same reason, since animals linger where they are already standing, and in cold weather a sheltered spot near the windbreak keeps mineral available when it is most needed.
Choose firm ground. Mineral stations concentrate traffic, and wet or muddy footing around a feeder means hooves, manure and wasted feed mixing together. Raised, well-drained ground also keeps the tray from sitting in a puddle, which is the fast route to caked mineral.
Rotate the location every few weeks if you can. Moving the station spreads grazing pressure, forces animals to find mineral again rather than ignoring a familiar empty station, and breaks up the bare patch that forms around a fixed point. Portable wall-mount and post-mount units are the easiest to move, and hoisting a post-mounted feeder onto a skid is a common approach.
Finally, keep the feeder visible during daily chores. A feeder you only find during a weekly walk is how empty stations happen, and empty stations are how animals end up mineral-deficient without anyone noticing.
Frequently Asked Questions
What is the best mineral feeder for cattle?
For cattle, a plastic ground pan with a raised rim, drain holes and inner ribs that grip the block is the most reliable choice, because it keeps a 50-lb block out of the mud and stops animals levering it out. Wall-mounted plastic trays work for calves, yearlings and small herds that refill often.
How many cows per mineral feeder?
One station for roughly 20 to 40 head of cattle is the working rule. Sheep, goats and young stock are more timid, so plan closer to one station per 10 to 15 animals. Two stations minimum if you rotate paddocks, so the herd always has a working option.
What is a good mineral feeder for deer?
A covered powder-coated block feeder that holds one or two standard blocks and keeps them off the ground is the best choice for deer. Block format removes the caking problem entirely, and the roof keeps the block firm. Mount it on a solid post, since a loaded holder puts weight outboard.
Are mineral blocks enough for cattle?
Blocks work well where you cannot check intake daily, and they avoid the caking and waste that loose mineral suffers in wet weather. Their drawback is visibility, since a block just gets smaller rather than emptying a tray, and a block that melts into mud is a total loss.
Can you give cattle too much mineral?
Correctly formulated free-choice mineral is self-limiting because salt limits intake. Overconsumption becomes a risk when mineral is mixed into a total ration, or when a high-selenium formulation is offered at a single station that every animal visits hard. Follow the label intake rate and check with a nutritionist for high-selenium regions.
How high should a mineral feeder be?
Mount wall and stall feeders at the height where the animal reaches the feed without stretching its neck or scraping. Block holders on a post work at roughly nose height for the species you are feeding. Test with the tallest animal that will use the station, since goats and horses need different heights from sheep.
Should mineral feeders be in the shade?
Shade helps in hot climates because animals already stand there, so a shaded feeder gets used. In cold or wet regions, shelter from wind and rain matters more, since keeping the mineral dry is what prevents caking. Drainage and cover beat shade in either case.
How often should I clean a mineral feeder?
A weekly scrape and rinse keeps mineral from building up in corners and lets you actually see how much is being eaten. Scrape out caked material immediately, and check drain holes at the same time. Mounted wall units with plain screw holes need to be unbolted to clean properly, so plan for that step.
Our Verdict on the Best Mineral Feeders
The Little Giant 3.5-quart two-compartment feeder is our pick as the best mineral feeder of the group for most small-livestock barns, with the Fortiflex two-compartment unit a close second where animals shove. Go with the Little Giant 10-quart pan for 50-lb blocks, the ASF EZ Block Feeder for deer and wildlife, and the Sydell hopper when you need metered intake rather than free-choice.
Across every one of these, the two decisions that pay off are drainage and fastener quality. Drill the holes, buy the stainless screws, and check your feeder every week rather than every season.