Conveyor Belts Make Durable Feeder

Conveyor Belts Make Durable Feeder LIVESTOCK Feeding Equipment Worn out conveyor belts and old truck tire rims make indestructible grain feeders for beef cattle says Sterling Jones He came up with the design with the help of a local welder and a free load of discarded conveyor belts from a local gravel operation The homemade feeder is a big improvement over the poly feeders he’s purchased over the years “The trouble I’ve had is that cattle step into the feeders and rip holes in the liners ” Jones explains “I’ve had cases where cattle have gotten a foot wedged between an end plate and the plastic liner and hobble around dragging the whole feeder My best bull actually nearly cut his dew claws off trying to free his foot ” His welder cut tire rims in half and welded them to a pipe frame with 2 1/2-in wide 1/4-in thick flat steel on the bottom to support the 2-ft wide conveyor belts Pieces of 24-in long flat steel under the legs keep them from sinking into the mud The belt is heavy he notes and he overlapped a couple of pieces to line the 24-ft long feeder Even if cattle step on it they can’t destroy it and he can pull it back in place “It was relatively cheap for me and works great ” Jones says Discarded conveyor belts are likely available from various operations and he suggests they can be put to many uses A friend who has horses spreads her hay out on a belt and lined the floor of the barn with them Jones’ daughter uses them for flooring in the aisle of her goat milk parlor Contact: FARM SHOW Followup J Sterling Jones P O Box 581 Goochland Va 23063 ph 804 457-4054; jsterlingjones@gmail com

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