Livestock feeding apparatus

Abstract

A livestock feeder having a plurality of animal feeding openings includes feed-holdback apparatus for preventing unnecessary waste of feed. The feeder comprises a support frame having a floor surface and at least one vertically extending side wall comprised of elongated upwardly extending pipe segments. A feedreceptive enclosure is defined between the side wall and the floor surface and is accessible to the livestock through a plurality of animal feed openings disposed within the vertical walls between the pipe segments therein. The holdback means comprises substantially C-shaped brackets which include an upper and lower horizontal portion and an integral vertical portion extending between the horizontal portions. The horizontal portions of the holdback structures include means for attaching same to the vertical segments of the side walls. The holdback apparatus defines a feeding compartment into which livestock may extend their heads for eating feed within the apparatus. Importantly, the holdback apparatus slows the rate at which food may be withdrawn from the feeder and prevents unnecessary waste. The latter effect is enhanced by an elongated trough which extends along the feeder frame at the bottom of the side walls and which prevents discarded food from falling to the ground. The means whereby the holdback apparatus is mounted to the side wall of the feeder is adjustable to permit movement of the holdback means upwardly and downwardly with respect to the frame and inwardly and outwardly with respect to the feed enclosure thereby enabling the apparatus to accommodate a plurality of different sized livestock.