how much $#^$ salt do they need to eat???

[Nesikep]

I don't know what's with the cows this year,... 20 cow/calf pair, 4 heifers and a bull are nearly eating a block of salt a week... in the last month, they've eaten 2 complete blocks, plus another 30ish lbs of 50% mineral 50% salt mix... if they chew up the current block in the next week I'm going to put them on a low-sodium diet... At this rate it'll cost me about $600 in minerals and salt for they year, and that's just too much for a herd of 20 cows

 

[TennesseeTuxedo]

Not to mention the cost of treating them for high blood pressure. :shock:

 

[Nesikep]

I don't think high BP is a problem among them at this point... they're all rather lazy and laid back

 

[Howdyjabo]

Move the salt/minerals away from their water. They will eat less if they have to walk a long way to get a drink.

 

[Nesikep]

our place isn't big enough to do that... biggest field they're in is about 3 acres... I usually put it as far away as I can already...

 

[banekar]

I have always heard if they are eating it, it means they need it.

 

[circlebllc]

I have the same head with the same results. Using fescue equalizer at $50/hundred. Getting pretty dang $$$!!

 

[Nesikep]

I heard cattle will eat *far* more salt than they need... look at any wildlife and see how much salt they get, they seem to do quite alright... Maybe it's the deer that are eating all my salt... I saw 2 yearling does and a buck under a bush by the cattle today :O

 

[angus9259]

I know I eat far more salt than I need. That said, how do you know with cattle??

 

[Banjo]

I know I eat far more salt than I need. That said, how do you know with cattle??

According to most nutritionists people should eat unrefined sea salt, not the refined, stripped, bleached junk called white salt......especially if your a salt junkie. Sea salt has a huge number of different trace elements in it.
I found a Redmond Natural Salt dealer about a half an hour away from where I live about a year ago. I have been feeding my cattle the natural sea salt for about a year now. They like it and I want them to eat all they want. I feed it loose and keep it out free choice. They are doing good and looking good.

 

[dieselbeef]

melting?

 

[TexasBred]

I know I eat far more salt than I need. That said, how do you know with cattle??

According to most nutritionists people should eat unrefined sea salt, not the refined, stripped, bleached junk called white salt......especially if your a salt junkie. Sea salt has a huge number of different trace elements in it.
I found a Redmond Natural Salt dealer about a half an hour away from where I live about a year ago. I have been feeding my cattle the natural sea salt for about a year now. They like it and I want them to eat all they want. I feed it loose and keep it out free choice. They are doing good and looking good.

:bs: :bs: on sea salt and Redmond Salt. You could mine a ton of the stuff, remove the "Trace" minerals and it wouldn't fill up a half a teacup. You're drinking the cool aid son and getting nothing in return except a big salt bill every month. You feed salt for sodium.You feed mineral for mineral supplementation. It is not "salt junk". ALL salt comes from the sea or froma location that was once an ancient sea. I guess you put it on your been sprouts and tofu as well? (The good stuff that is).

 

[wbvs58]

Salt is cheap, it is only when it is put into blocks with other minerals it gets sold at a very high premium.
Why not just put out a source of pure salt like some rock salt to satisfy their craving.
Ken

 

[Banjo]

I know I eat far more salt than I need. That said, how do you know with cattle??

According to most nutritionists people should eat unrefined sea salt, not the refined, stripped, bleached junk called white salt......especially if your a salt junkie. Sea salt has a huge number of different trace elements in it.
I found a Redmond Natural Salt dealer about a half an hour away from where I live about a year ago. I have been feeding my cattle the natural sea salt for about a year now. They like it and I want them to eat all they want. I feed it loose and keep it out free choice. They are doing good and looking good.

:bs: :bs: on sea salt and Redmond Salt. You could mine a ton of the stuff, remove the "Trace" minerals and it wouldn't fill up a half a teacup. You're drinking the cool aid son and getting nothing in return except a big salt bill every month. You feed salt for sodium.You feed mineral for mineral supplementation. It is not "salt junk". ALL salt comes from the sea or froma location that was once an ancient sea. I guess you put it on your been sprouts and tofu as well? (The good stuff that is).

FYI I don't feed the sea salt so the cattle will get their RDA of minerals. I feed it because its in its whole form..natural form. I'm sure you can't understand that. We live in a refined world....everything from top to bottom is refined to increase shelf life,convenience, its called "progress"
I quit drinking the " kool aid " a long time ago. What about you?
You think I have a big salt bill? I would venture to say that my salt/mineral/fertilize/feed/medication/ bill is far less than yours.
BTW I don't like tofu.

 

[RD-Sam]

Have you gotten allot of rain this year, could be the grass is washed out and they are hitting the mineral harder? I feed loose mineral and it only has about 20% salt, the rest is mineral and vitamins, which they need more than the salt. They could be consuming allot trying to get the minerals they need.

 

[TexasBred]

FYI I don't feed the sea salt so the cattle will get their RDA of minerals. I feed it because its in its whole form..natural form. I'm sure you can't understand that. We live in a refined world....everything from top to bottom is refined to increase shelf life,convenience, its called "progress"
I quit drinking the " kool aid " a long time ago. What about you?
You think I have a big salt bill? I would venture to say that my salt/mineral/fertilize/feed/medication/ bill is far less than yours.BTW I don't like tofu.

We could never afford cool aid. Still can't. The differenes in the two salts is miniscule but the price is not. Your choice and you've made it. Get you some Redmond Conditioner too...it's great stuff too. I'll stick with plain ol' Morton Stock Salt. (It has added iodine). :mrgreen:

 

[Anonymous]

 

[TexasBred]

:lol2: :lol2: :clap: :clap: :lol2: :lol2:

 

[Ouachita]

My cattle have consumed more salt than usual lately. Salt and mineral intake varies greatly for reasons unknown to me. I've never used any type of blocks for the cattle, but I have put them out for deer, and my wife buys some special type block for the goats. Big difference in how long they last protected from sun and rain vs. out in it.
15 mommas with 11 baby calves, plus 1 bull consumed 50 pounds loose salt ($4.50 Morton iodized :lol2: ) in the last 5 weeks. They don't like the Purina Wind & Rain loose mineral that I just started late winter. I have to mix salt with it so they'll finish it off. Could be they like that tub better. Grass is crunchy at my place. No measurable rain in weeks.

 

[Banjo]

FYI I don't feed the sea salt so the cattle will get their RDA of minerals. I feed it because its in its whole form..natural form. I'm sure you can't understand that. We live in a refined world....everything from top to bottom is refined to increase shelf life,convenience, its called "progress"
I quit drinking the " kool aid " a long time ago. What about you?
You think I have a big salt bill? I would venture to say that my salt/mineral/fertilize/feed/medication/ bill is far less than yours.BTW I don't like tofu.

We could never afford cool aid. Still can't. The differenes in the two salts is miniscule but the price is not. Your choice and you've made it. Get you some Redmond Conditioner too...it's great stuff too. I'll stick with plain ol' Morton Stock Salt. (It has added iodine). :mrgreen:

I guess I misspoke previously... I should have said that I am certain that my salt/mineral/fertilize/medication/ bill is much lower than yours....on a per head basis.
You are absolutely right, I have made my choice. You have made yours....If you can say that your farm or ranch is becoming more productive every year and your cattle are getting healthier every year, good for you, if you can't say that then maybe you should reevalute things. I'm not gonna laugh and ridicule you or others...like you and your buddy do....because you don't do what I do or subscribe to my way of thinking, that's a bit juvenile IMO.