Can cattle OD on minerals

[TexasJerseyMilker]

I have two Jersey cows on green pasture, grass hay with 1 lb of 20% cattle cubes a day. I had High Magnesium Wind and Rain out free choice in the pasture and they occasionally ate some. It says on the bag cattle need 4 oz, per day.

When I moved the container into the barn breezeway because of all the rain and filled it with 6.5 lbs of new Wind and Rain, came back in a few of days and they had eaten the whole thing. One heifer is 6 months bred and the other is aged and open. Is this bad for them? Should I ration out 4 oz per head per day? They also have access to a selenium salt block in the barn lick.

 

[bird dog]

No. You are over thinking it. Put out the smallest amount they will clean up in a week or so. Keep it fresh.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Yea, but 2 cows eating 5 and a half pounds in 2 days? thats 1 1/3lb per cow per day.

 

[coachg]

Their body will use what they need and they will poop or pee the excess out just like you if you take too many vitamins. It just is expensive for them to do this !

 

[Travlr]

Yea, but 2 cows eating 5 and a half pounds in 2 days? thats 1 1/3lb per cow per day.

From a quick google...

Salt toxicity is seldom seen in cattle because of their high tolerance for salt. The one-time lethal dose for mature cattle is 4 to 5 pounds salt. Salt is rapidly absorbed from the intestinal tract into the bloodstream. It is then excreted by the kidneys through urine.

The acute oral lethal dose of salt in swine, horses, and cattle is ~2.2 g/kg; in dogs, it is ~4 g/kg, but clinical signs of toxicosis can appear after ingestion of 2–3 g/kg. Sheep appear to be the most resistant species, with an acute oral lethal dose of 6 g/kg.

nervous signs such as tremors, blindness, holding the head abnormally, circling and convulsions. rapid loss of condition and weakness. coma and death.

 

[4hfarms]

They will slow down when it's not needed. I once had a lick on bad pasture 2 summers ago. It was gone a week. Took a month on average before and since then. I could smell it in the plop on the ground after they were done with it.

 

[Caustic Burno]

No. You are over thinking it. Put out the smallest amount they will clean up in a week or so. Keep it fresh.

Yep ain't rocket science?
Grass in front of the cow bull behind.

 

[Travlr]

No. You are over thinking it. Put out the smallest amount they will clean up in a week or so. Keep it fresh.

That or put out a simple, inexpensive mineral block that they can't chew and have to lick. Something that will last them a month because they can't eat it.

 

[redcowsrule33]

You said they started over consuming when you moved it in the shed. I assume they are spending more time inside as well with bad weather. Cattle will sometimes over consume due to boredom. Probably won't hurt them but spendy.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

They have a selenium salt block. They consumed it last summer but now don't show much interest in it now. They are going after the Wind and rain high mag.

Actually they don't spend much time in the shed row. They come in, stand around and eat mineral, then leave.

Dairy cows are not managed like beef cattle. They are like hot house flowers. Jerseys milk off their backs as they say, quickly loosing weight to the point of looking skeletal when producing large amounts of milk. When they come fresh they can go down with milk fever from not enough available calcium to run their muscles. When in milk they need at least one pound of 16% grain for every gallon they produce. The grain has to be started and gradually increased 2 weeks before calving. If they don't have enough magnesium when grazing in the spring grass they can get grass tetany. The grass stays green here except in the summer, The days are getting longer and the grass is just starting to grow, Maybe that explains the sudden intake of Wind and Rain High Mag, I'm supposed to put out baking soda when they are in milk and eating a lot of grain.

 

[wbvs58]

Se is one mineral that comes to mind that can be overdosed.

Ken

 

[Ebenezer]

Where is the water? Minerals close to the water will get overconsumed.

 

[gcreekrch]

They have a selenium salt block. They consumed it last summer but now don't show much interest in it now. They are going after the Wind and rain high mag.

Actually they don't spend much time in the shed row. They come in, stand around and eat mineral, then leave.

Dairy cows are not managed like beef cattle. They are like hot house flowers. Jerseys milk off their backs as they say, quickly loosing weight to the point of looking skeletal when producing large amounts of milk. When they come fresh they can go down with milk fever from not enough available calcium to run their muscles. When in milk they need at least one pound of 16% grain for every gallon they produce. The grain has to be started and gradually increased 2 weeks before calving. If they don't have enough magnesium when grazing in the spring grass they can get grass tetany. The grass stays green here except in the summer, The days are getting longer and the grass is just starting to grow, Maybe that explains the sudden intake of Wind and Rain High Mag, I'm supposed to put out baking soda when they are in milk and eating a lot of grain.

Our nurse cows with 2 or three calves on them get 15 lbs of barley/pea pellets daily until mid July and they are bred back. We start giving the same mix in mid Sept again.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

Yikes too much selenium. They have only been eating 1 and a third pounds of Wind and Rain a day for the last few days. One of the water trough is 40 feet away from the mineral.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

This might be a clue. From Purina website
DIRECTIONS:Feed this product free choice to cattle grazing green, fast-growing forage. Feed this product 1 to 2 weeks before cattle are placed on pasture. Optimum intake is 4 ounces per head per day. Cattle receiving phosphorus deficient diets may over-consume this product when it is first offered. Place the mineral feeder near the water supply or inthe animals' loafing area. Put out fresh mineral at least once per week.Feeding free choice salt is not required with this mineral. Provide fresh,clean water near the feeding area.