minerals and salt blocks.

[hersh]

Is keeping a mineral blocks around enough or should I buy a bag of it, and how much? Is the mag the most important thing? I am feeding 3 1yo heifers.

 

[Cow_Town]

I recommend bag mineral myself, put it somewhere where the rain wont hit it. Since you only have three heifers, one bag should be enough to last a good while.

Oh yeah, mix with salt and leave the salt blocks out. They'll eat it better that way.

 

[Cow_Town]

I recommend bag mineral myself, put it somewhere where the rain wont hit it. Since you only have three heifers, one bag should be enough to last a good while.

Oh yeah, mix with salt and leave the salt blocks out. They'll eat it better that way.

 

[Crowderfarms]

Is keeping a mineral blocks around enough or should I buy a bag of it, and how much? Is the mag the most important thing? I am feeding 3 1yo heifers.

That Mineral block is not enough. Get a GOOD quality Hi-Mag mineral. I prefer loose, but in the case of feeding only 3 head, you may want to use a block.

 

[dun]

Sine the yearling heifers aren;t milking, the hi-mag isn;t really a big deal.
Some loose minerals have salt in them and are meant to be fed without additional salt available. Others don;t have slat in them and are meant to have additional salt available. We just use minerals and have a plain white salt block sitting around. Some months they elly hit the salt. others the barely touch it.

dun

 

[novatech]

Sine the yearling heifers aren;t milking, the hi-mag isn;t really a big deal.
Some loose minerals have salt in them and are meant to be fed without additional salt available. Others don;t have slat in them and are meant to have additional salt available. We just use minerals and have a plain white salt block sitting around. Some months they elly hit the salt. others the barely touch it.

dun

There you go again, more stuff I have to cram in my brain that I did not know.

Thanks Dun

 

[hersh]

Well I got a bag of loose, plus the block I have is trace mineral. What is the illness from the lack of minerals in the pring?

 

[Crowderfarms]

Grass Tetany.

 

[houstoncutter]

I have done it both ways, but the cows seem to consume more loose mineral and and more loose salt than doing it with blocks. They also seem to preform better with the loose salt and mineral.

 

[KS Cattle]

Well I got a bag of loose, plus the block I have is trace mineral. What is the illness from the lack of minerals in the pring?

Would any of you guys like to eat a trace of a steak? I never understood trace mineral blocks.

 

[Limomike]

KS.. I been to places that only serve a trace of steak....
But, we keep mineral blocks as well as loose around for the cows to lick on. They seem to do well with both. Some cows like one or the other I have noticed, so to me both is better.

 

[BC]

Some minerals will say that the cow needs 1 to 2 ozs. per day. That figures out to about 1 sack per cow per year. Read the bag and see if it recommends adding salt or if the mineral already contains salt.

 

[MoGal]

I've posted a link in another thread about an article Gerald Fry had about mineral requirements and deficiency signs/toxicity signs but this is the summary table:

Calcium 7500 to 8500 mg per day
Phosphorus 400 mg per day
Copper 150-250 mg per day
Manganese 1200 mg per day
Zinc 1200 to 1600 mg per day
Selenium 4-6 mg per day
Iodine 25-28 mg per day
Magnesium 5000 - 10,000 mg per day

Read on your "trace mineral block" and see where it compares and I imagine it will fall short in all aspects. If you're gonna have cows why not feed them a good mineral, one that provides their daily requirements.

 

[hersh]

I have a regular mineral block now and a bag. I am keeping the mineral block in the feed trough and will offer the bag once in a while to see if they feel they 'need' it. I am glad you guys set me straight on the trace thing. Thanx

 

[3MR]

I've posted a link in another thread about an article Gerald Fry had about mineral requirements and deficiency signs/toxicity signs but this is the summary table:

Calcium 7500 to 8500 mg per day
Phosphorus 400 mg per day
Copper 150-250 mg per day
Manganese 1200 mg per day
Zinc 1200 to 1600 mg per day
Selenium 4-6 mg per day
Iodine 25-28 mg per day
Magnesium 5000 - 10,000 mg per day

Read on your "trace mineral block" and see where it compares and I imagine it will fall short in all aspects. If you're gonna have cows why not feed them a good mineral, one that provides their daily requirements.

You shouldnt have to be providing the total requirment for all the minerals. They should be getting most if not all of it from their feed. Its like a multivitamen. If you have to give more than trace amount you need to relook at you pastures and or feeding program. Im not saying that bag minerals arent good, they will use what they need, but blocks will meet most needs as well.

 

[MikeC]

"Trace Mineral Blocks
In most grazing situations, trace mineral containing salt blocks cannot provide sufficient trace mineral intake to meet nutritional needs. Formulated as a hard, salt-based block, cattle are often unable to consume enough product to achieve their necessary level of trace mineral supplementation. Nevertheless, some grazing situations dictate the need for this type of supplementation. When cattlemen are physically unable to provide loose mineral or fortified supplements on a regular basis, trace mineral fortified salt blocks provide an opportunity to offer long-term mineral supplementation, therefore lessening the potential for trace mineral deficiency."

 

[KS Cattle]

Trace mineral blocks are 97% salt. So for almost 5 bucks you are feeding salt blocks. For 12 bucks you can feed a 12-12-12 loose mineral. I'd say go with a 3.25 salt block and a bag of REAL mineral.