Heifers are hammering mineral licks

[5S Cattle]

I have 17 heifers and a bull on a 25 acre coastal/Dallisgrass pasture. They have access to liquid feed and some mineral tubs, plenty of grass. The last tub lasted about 3-4 weeks. I put two more out late last week or early this week and they're already 60-70% through one already. Too muddy to check the other. I didn't have salt out yet but I went and put 100 lbs out this morning. Why are they hitting the mineral so hard right now? Salt?

 

[Margonme]

I have 17 heifers and a bull on a 25 acre coastal/Dallisgrass pasture. They have access to liquid feed and some mineral tubs, plenty of grass. The last tub lasted about 3-4 weeks. I put two more out late last week or early this week and they're already 60-70% through one already. Too muddy to check the other. I didn't have salt out yet but I went and put 100 lbs out this morning. Why are they hitting the mineral so hard right now? Salt?

Does your mineral contain common salt as in NaCl (table salt)? If not, i.e., Vitaferm, you are suppose to provide free choice white salt. Cows don't know table salt from a copper salt! If they need NaCl, they will consume your mineral to slack their urge. If your mineral contains NaCl, then might be normal consumption. I notice consumption changes.

Edited to add: I assume the tubs are 200 pounds. That don't seem that excessive!

 

[5S Cattle]

I have 17 heifers and a bull on a 25 acre coastal/Dallisgrass pasture. They have access to liquid feed and some mineral tubs, plenty of grass. The last tub lasted about 3-4 weeks. I put two more out late last week or early this week and they're already 60-70% through one already. Too muddy to check the other. I didn't have salt out yet but I went and put 100 lbs out this morning. Why are they hitting the mineral so hard right now? Salt?

Does your mineral contain common salt as in NaCl (table salt)? If not, i.e., Vitaferm, you are suppose to provide free choice white salt. Cows don't know table salt from a copper salt! If they need NaCl, they will consume your mineral to slack their urge.

Edited to add: I assume the tubs are 200 pounds. That don't seem that excessive!

Yes salt 9-11% I believe, 200 lb's. Purina wind and rain mineral. I figured that was why they were gettin after it. The last tub lasted a month almost, just don't understand how their on pace to knock this one out in a week and a half. Especially with another tub out there also

 

[Margonme]

I have 17 heifers and a bull on a 25 acre coastal/Dallisgrass pasture. They have access to liquid feed and some mineral tubs, plenty of grass. The last tub lasted about 3-4 weeks. I put two more out late last week or early this week and they're already 60-70% through one already. Too muddy to check the other. I didn't have salt out yet but I went and put 100 lbs out this morning. Why are they hitting the mineral so hard right now? Salt?

Does your mineral contain common salt as in NaCl (table salt)? If not, i.e., Vitaferm, you are suppose to provide free choice white salt. Cows don't know table salt from a copper salt! If they need NaCl, they will consume your mineral to slack their urge.

Edited to add: I assume the tubs are 200 pounds. That don't seem that excessive!

Yes salt 9-11% I believe, 200 lb's. Purina wind and rain mineral. I figured that was why they were gettin after it. The last tub lasted a month almost, just don't understand how their on pace to knock this one out in a week and a half. Especially with another tub out there also

Thanks. Then you should not be putting out white salt. The problem there is the reverse. They eat the NaCl and don't get the other minerals.

I hear good reports on that mineral, wind and rain by Purina. Check your label. At 10%, that should take care of their sodium and chloride ion needs.

 

[5S Cattle]

Does your mineral contain common salt as in NaCl (table salt)? If not, i.e., Vitaferm, you are suppose to provide free choice white salt. Cows don't know table salt from a copper salt! If they need NaCl, they will consume your mineral to slack their urge.

Edited to add: I assume the tubs are 200 pounds. That don't seem that excessive!

Yes salt 9-11% I believe, 200 lb's. Purina wind and rain mineral. I figured that was why they were gettin after it. The last tub lasted a month almost, just don't understand how their on pace to knock this one out in a week and a half. Especially with another tub out there also

Thanks. Then you should not be putting out white salt. The problem there is the reverse. They eat the NaCl and don't get the other minerals.

Learn something new every day! Well that ain't no good, because I can't afford to keep buying these tubs at the rate they're going haha. Thanks for the insight.

 

[Nesikep]

I bought a couple tubs a few years back.. I found them a terrible investment at the price I was able to get them for.. it was about $1/lb and has gone up since.. I certainly doubt I got a pound of weight gain per pound they ate. I think my grass is of better quality, so they just have to make do with that and mineral salt.. if they don't perform with that, they will grow wheels.

 

[Margonme]

Yes salt 9-11% I believe, 200 lb's. Purina wind and rain mineral. I figured that was why they were gettin after it. The last tub lasted a month almost, just don't understand how their on pace to knock this one out in a week and a half. Especially with another tub out there also

Thanks. Then you should not be putting out white salt. The problem there is the reverse. They eat the NaCl and don't get the other minerals.

Learn something new every day! Well that ain't no good, because I can't afford to keep buying these tubs at the rate they're going haha. Thanks for the insight.

Be sure to read the instructions on how the mineral should be administered in light of your total management program.

 

[Margonme]

I bought a couple tubs a few years back.. I found them a terrible investment at the price I was able to get them for.. it was about $1/lb and has gone up since.. I certainly doubt I got a pound of weight gain per pound they ate. I think my grass is of better quality, so they just have to make do with that and mineral salt.. if they don't perform with that, they will grow wheels.

Nesikep, Purina Wind and Rain Tubs are only mineral - not protein. Maybe I misread your post. Are you referring to protein tubs?

 

[5S Cattle]

Just mineral tubs. I drove over and checked. Ended up being right about the salt(9-11%). BUT it says to also feed salt. im far from a nutritionist but I'm just not sure these suckers are worth $2-300 a month

 

[Margonme]

Just mineral tubs. I drove over and checked. Ended up being right about the salt(9-11%). BUT it says to also feed salt. im far from a nutritionist but I'm just not sure these suckers are worth $2-300 a month

Says to supplement with NaCl, common salt. That might cut down on Consumption. What are your figures for arriving at the 200 to 300 per month?

 

[Nesikep]

I found it worse in warm weather when the molasses are soft, they take big bites out of it.. when it's cold they gotta work at it a bit

 

[TN Cattle Man]

Unless you are using the W&R tubs for convenience purposes, the way to go in my opinion with the W&R is by using the loose mineral. A lot of studies have been done that show W&R consumption maintains pretty steady at around 4oz per head per day (making sure that you don't let your mineral feeders get empty). The loose mineral along with plain basic white salt blocks will give your cattle everything that they need. The mineral tubs work, but they can be a costly addition.

 

[5S Cattle]

Just mineral tubs. I drove over and checked. Ended up being right about the salt(9-11%). BUT it says to also feed salt. im far from a nutritionist but I'm just not sure these suckers are worth $2-300 a month

Says to supplement with NaCl, common salt. That might cut down on Consumption. What are your figures for arriving at the 200 to 300 per month?

One tub lasting a week and a half. I think they were $80 a piece roughly?

 

[5S Cattle]

I found it worse in warm weather when the molasses are soft, they take big bites out of it.. when it's cold they gotta work at it a bit

I've noticed the horses in another pasture doing that. The cows just seem to be licking it. Didn't see any hunks missing

 

[5S Cattle]

Unless you are using the W&R tubs for convenience purposes, the way to go in my opinion with the W&R is by using the loose mineral. A lot of studies have been done that show W&R consumption maintains pretty steady at around 4oz per head per day (making sure that you don't let your mineral feeders get empty). The loose mineral along with plain basic white salt blocks will give your cattle everything that they need. The mineral tubs work, but they can be a costly addition.

Hmm, the guys at the feed store said the tubs were the way to go. Goes to show, don't take advice from someone vested in it.

 

[wbvs58]

The two main minerals that get cattle craving after are phosphorous and sodium. Sometimes when pastures are lush they can be low in phosphorous in the leaf material and you get increased consumption of mineral, I definately notice it at that time. If you keep it up to them they seem to satisfy their needs and consumption drops back to more normal levels.

In Australia we have very phosphorous deficient soils and cattle can chew on bones from old carcases and be a major problem with botulism.

Ken

 

[Margonme]

The two main minerals that get cattle craving after are phosphorous and sodium. Sometimes when pastures are lush they can be low in phosphorous in the leaf material and you get increased consumption of mineral, I definately notice it at that time. If you keep it up to them they seem to satisfy their needs and consumption drops back to more normal levels.

In Australia we have very phosphorous deficient soils and cattle can chew on bones from old carcases and be a major problem with botulism.

Ken

Ken, the opposite here. This region of Kentucky has high phosphorus levels. My soil samples show twice the level of phosphorus as required. I fertilize my hayfield with muriate of potash and urea. Potash provides potassium and urea provides nitrogen.

I agree on the fluctuations in mineral consumption. I agree on the sodium ion craving too.

 

[TexasBred]

Just mineral tubs. I drove over and checked. Ended up being right about the salt(9-11%). BUT it says to also feed salt. im far from a nutritionist but I'm just not sure these suckers are worth $2-300 a month

Says to supplement with NaCl, common salt. That might cut down on Consumption. What are your figures for arriving at the 200 to 300 per month?

One tub lasting a week and a half. I think they were $80 a piece roughly?

Put out some loose mineral and forget the tubs.

 

[Rafter S]

Unless you are using the W&R tubs for convenience purposes, the way to go in my opinion with the W&R is by using the loose mineral. A lot of studies have been done that show W&R consumption maintains pretty steady at around 4oz per head per day (making sure that you don't let your mineral feeders get empty). The loose mineral along with plain basic white salt blocks will give your cattle everything that they need. The mineral tubs work, but they can be a costly addition.

Hmm, the guys at the feed store said the tubs were the way to go. Goes to show, don't take advice from someone vested in it.

I agree about the loose mineral. I keep it out year round. However, I'll disagree with TNCM about the white salt blocks. I keep loose salt out instead. And instead of the white salt, get the EDDI salt. It has iodine in it to help prevent foot rot. That's important in our part of the country, especially in wet springs like we've had the last few years. Not all feed stores carry it, but there's one in Navasota that does.

I had quit putting out the EDDI salt a year or two ago and put out loose white salt instead, thinking "I don't need the EDDI salt. I never have trouble with foot rot." Well guess what? Apparently the reason I'd never had trouble with it was because I'd always fed the EDDI salt, because not long after making the change to white salt I had several cases. I haven't had any more trouble with it since switching back.

 

[TN Cattle Man]

Unless you are using the W&R tubs for convenience purposes, the way to go in my opinion with the W&R is by using the loose mineral. A lot of studies have been done that show W&R consumption maintains pretty steady at around 4oz per head per day (making sure that you don't let your mineral feeders get empty). The loose mineral along with plain basic white salt blocks will give your cattle everything that they need. The mineral tubs work, but they can be a costly addition.

Hmm, the guys at the feed store said the tubs were the way to go. Goes to show, don't take advice from someone vested in it.

I can tell you as both a cattleman as well as a Feed Store owner who sells Purina... Tubs have their place and we have customers who prefer them, but for my money loose mineral is the way to go. Not only will you save money, but test have shown that you will get a more accurate intake.