My cattle don't seem to like minerals

[NonTypicalCPA]

My small herd of Belties don't consume much of the granular minerals I put out. The only minerals they seem to like is the tub variety which includes molasses. I've put out Purina wind and rain from TSC on a few occasions and they never finish the bag. They're all healthy and well conditioned, maybe they don't need any supplemental minerals?

 

[TexasBred]

My small herd of Belties don't consume much of the granular minerals I put out. The only minerals they seem to like is the tub variety which includes molasses. I've put out Purina wind and rain from TSC on a few occasions and they never finish the bag. They're all healthy and well conditioned, maybe they don't need any supplemental minerals?

Add about 5 lbs. of dried molasses or cottonseed meal to a bag of mineral. Will give it a little better taste.

 

[slick4591]

My group won't consume that particular Purina product, but will tear up VitaFerm Concept-Aid.

 

[kilroy60]

At what rate are they consuming the mineral? And, how many cattle do you have? Rule of thumb that I have gone by is that the cattle should consume about 4 oz per day. Also, do you have salt blocks out for the cattle? Cattle crave salt so, they may be consuming more salt and staying away from the mineral. Purina wind and rain has salt mixed in with the loose mineral so you don't have to feed salt. If you're feeding the mineral tubs, then you need to have salt available.

 

[elkwc]

I have used many of the products including Purina Wind and Rain. Currently use Vita Ferm Heat in the summer and Concept Aid in the winter. Consumption varies greatly with pasture conditions. We also keep out a loose rock salt and blocks. Have heard and read all the arguments. Currently our 100 head is consuming 4 sacks a week. Two months ago it was 2 sacks a month. I don't worry about the variances. Over a year it evens out.

 

[Bright Raven]

My group won't consume that particular Purina product, but will tear up VitaFerm Concept-Aid.

Yep. They consume VitaFerm well.

 

[slick4591]

Not sure what the number of cattle has to do with it, but I have nine at the moment. I have a white salt block in the middle of the mineral and they are both used pretty well. The time I had the Purina out they hit the salt but turned their noses up at the mineral. The only reason I bought the Purina was because the feed store was out of the Vitaferm and they talked me into trying the Purina. The Purina must have been good for the grass because it didn't take long for the grass to green up in the area I slung it. Apparently, it doesn't have enough salt in it to kill grass.

 

[TCRanch]

I use Animax 6000 with CTC and they're going through it like crazy, even the calves.

 

[DCA farm]

Nobody around me carry's vitaferm I keep
Hearing about it. I looked for a dealer near me on their website closest one is 1&1/2 hours away

 

[NonTypicalCPA]

I'll have to look into Vitaferm. I put a bag of Purina out in the spring and most of it is still there - 6 adults on the pasture.

Edit: Closest dealer is 45 miles. Think I'll try dry molasses.

 

[TexasBred]

I've used a Purina product for several years now with no consumption problems. I don't try to calculate consumption but I do see them licking it. I use the All Season AV-4 and it does have salt included in the formulation

 

[TexasBred]

I have used many of the products including Purina Wind and Rain. Currently use Vita Ferm Heat in the summer and Concept Aid in the winter. Consumption varies greatly with pasture conditions. We also keep out a loose rock salt and blocks. Have heard and read all the arguments. Currently our 100 head is consuming 4 sacks a week. Two months ago it was 2 sacks a month. I don't worry about the variances. Over a year it evens out.

They should eat around 25 lbs. per day so they are overconsuming a bit but as you said itwill balance out over time.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

I'll have to look into Vitaferm. I put a bag of Purina out in the spring and most of it is still there - 6 adults on the pasture.

Edit: Closest dealer is 45 miles. Think I'll try dry molasses.

A bag should last at least a month for 6 head.

 

[wbvs58]

I don't stress with the consumption of it, it is there when they need it. With mine phosphorous is the biggest driver of consumption.

Ken

 

[snoopdog]

Mine eat the purina like its candy, I can't afford it, but it is good mineral and weathers well, better than the ragland that I've been using, if I put a salt block out it does slow consumption. Its strange how the different cattle in different areas treat the same product, I wish I knew where every poster was, just a general area, would make for more interesting analysis.

 

[kilroy60]

Not sure what the number of cattle has to do with it, but I have nine at the moment. I have a white salt block in the middle of the mineral and they are both used pretty well. The time I had the Purina out they hit the salt but turned their noses up at the mineral. The only reason I bought the Purina was because the feed store was out of the Vitaferm and they talked me into trying the Purina. The Purina must have been good for the grass because it didn't take long for the grass to green up in the area I slung it. Apparently, it doesn't have enough salt in it to kill grass.

The reason I asked about how many head of cattle he had was because he mentioned that the mineral wasn't being consumed too fast. Two head are going to consume less than 50 head. I was just trying to determine what the consumption rate was.

Yes, the cattle will hit the salt more than mineral since salt is what cattle crave. That's why you don't have to use loose salt with the wind and rain - it has salt already added. And with 16.5 to 18.5 percent salt, you're not going to kill grass with the mineral.

 

[M & P]

Sounds to me you have a problem of old mineral not tasting good, having sat out for what sounds like months the salt is long gone there for it doesn't taste good.
Putting out smaller amounts weekly or even daily would probably solve your problem

 

[CreekAngus]

In the past I used Purina and my cattle inhaled the stuff, fast forward 10 years and they barely touch the stuff. I put our selenium blocks (includes salt) and they lick that thing every day. I bought some concept aid and will dump the Purina into my spreader and see if they take to the Vita-Ferm.

 

[TexasBred]

I'd also encourage everyone to pay close attention to the list of ingredients in the mineral and purchase one that has more minerals as chelates with some sulfates rather than oxides. Cattle utilize such a small amount of oxides it really doesn't matter if they consume the mineral or not.

 

[Double R Ranch]

When we were using Purina wind and rain we ended up with deficiencies. They wouldn't touch it.
When dramatic deficiencies were noticed we had to do something to get them back on track. We've used molasses tubs to get them back on track and finally found a place that can order Vitaferm for us. We are using the Vitaferm loose mineral vs the tubs as the tubs are EXTREMELY over priced to get in our area. Since putting the Vitaferm loose out they are consuming it at a reasonable rate and no deficiencies to date. Will not be using purina minerals again that for sure.