Farming and Agriculture - Has anyone built a cattle self feeder?

I want to build a cattle self feeder. I will have a roof, hold a about a half ton of feed. It will handle about 10-12 head. I want the feed to stay dry when it rains. I see plans online from colleges and govt, which looks good, but the plans are from early last century. I would like to think about using hardi-board so it will last. But is that safe? I know not to use treated wood. The feed I will be putting in it will contain salt to limit there daily intake.

Has anyone built something like this lately? Any plans and BOM I can use? I am not real handy, but I can follow directions :)

thanks

Hardibacker consists of concrete and plastic fibers. Toxicity would not be a concern. The salt on the concrete raises some concern because salt tends to damage concrete.

The shed-like construction on skids is still a good design for cattle self-feeders. It's just today wheels are preferred. You can adjust image size on this link: http://msucares.com/pubs/plans/5776.pdf

Your local Cooperative Extension Agent is a wealth of info. If you have a local chapter of a farmer or cattleman's group, they are also a wealth of info. Good bunch of guys to know, too.

Some self-feeder tips: SelfFeeders (http://beeflinks.com/selffeeders.htm)

Yeah, I saw that drawing before and I am really starting to warm up to it, now. I like the wheels because I will want to move it around. The salt in the feed will poison the ground after a while :(

If I went with this, I would use hardi board instead of the ship lap siding (whatever that is).

The drawing seems a bit vague on the wheel and axles. Where would you get those from?

thanks

I just kept Googling until I found the USDA design distributed by the Cooperative Extension Service. I have seen these portable self-feeders and always admired the resourcefulness of farmers.

Notes on bottom of plan indicate a "600 x 16 wheel and axle assembly. Other assemblies may be substituted with necessary modification provided feed through height as shown is maintained." Another link to the same design: http://bioengr.ag.utk.edu/Extension/ExtPubs/Plans/5776.pdf This link is from Univ. of TN Cooperative Extension Service. The other was from MSU Cooperative Extension Service.

Your best bet for wheel and axle assembly is to visit the local auto junk yard. Here's an interesting link from Mother Earth News (also a great resource of info) where a haywagon was built using a '64 Chevy undercarriage. I told you that farmers were resourceful! Make Hay :With A $75.00 Build-It-Yourself Wagon (http://www.motherearthnews.com/Do-It-Yourself/1976-03-01/Make-Hay-With-a-75-00-Build-It-Yourself-Wagon.aspx)

Again, I can't stress the importance of Cooperative Extension Service for a wealth of free info. Even if you live in a high rise and do container gardening on a balcony, the Cooperative Extension Service has info on every aspect of gardening on a mini-scale to farming and agriculture.

I do not use the so called mineral salt, but instead Something called Sea-90. This is much better for cattle, and will not hurt the land.