Shipping Container Makes Great Feed Bin

Shipping Container Makes Great Feed Bin LIVESTOCK Beef Mack Rankin needed extra feed storage for his 60-cow herd so he bought a shipping container The dairy farmer’s simple modifications made the container ideal for using his skid steer-based feed system     “Standard bulk bins are great but the size we needed cost $5 000 ” says Rankin “The shipping container cost half that plus we already use our skid steer to scoop supplement With the container we can use it to scoop up cornmeal as well ”     Rankin set the container on a shale pad for drainage The shale prevented the locking rods on the door from engaging so he used his angle grinder to remove the bottom tabs and shorten the rods slightly He also added a ramp leading up to the doorway     “The doors still seal tightly with just the rod tops engaging ” says Rankin     The biggest change was to cut a hole in the roof for easy access by the delivery truck He made a lid for the opening by cutting a 35-gal drum in half and setting it over the hole     To secure the barrel he bent threaded rod inserted the bent end through the lower wall of the barrel and the other rod end through the top of the container and tightened them down     “I used rubberized silicone and a light coat of Flex Seal around the barrel and the fasteners ” adds Rankin     He built a lid out of scrap wood and steel roofing and hinged it to the top of the barrel It can be opened with an 8-ft 2 by 2 from the inside and closed from the ground outside     “With a little shoveling we can fit 11 tons of cornmeal into the 20-ft container ” says Rankin “We had a tight budget and this works great Even if the skid steer tracks in some mud once it dries it is easy to sweep out ”     Contact: FARM SHOW Followup Mack Rankin 415 Cobb St Groton N Y 13073 mackrankin1@aol com

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