Livestock self-feeder

A livestock self-feeder actuable by feeding livestock for dispensing a controlled quantity of feed from a storage hopper substantially independent from the quantity of feed retained within the storage hopper comprising main hopper means for storing feed material and including a hopper discharge opening through which the feed material contained therein may pass under gravity, a feeder base for supporting said main hopper means and including a feeding trough, said feeder base further including a generally horizontal central supporting portion defining an area at least as great as the area of said discharge opening and positioned beneath said hopper discharge opening for receiving and supporting feed material in said main hopper means;

• said hopper discharge opening and said central supporting portion of said feeder base cooperating to define a lateral discharge opening through which feed material may pass, means forming a dispensing hopper positioned in communication with said lateral discharge opening for receiving feed material passed laterally therethrough, livestock actuable dispensing means for removing feed material retained in said main hopper means and passing said feed material through said lateral discharge opening into said dispensing hopper, and said feeder base including means cooperating with said dispensing hopper defining a dispensing gate for controlled dispensing of feed material from said dispensing hopper into said feed trough in response to actuation of said livestock actuable dispensing means.