Question on minerals and tubs

[Ouachita]

This is mostly a curious question. What would be the reason my herd of cows are not using the lick tub AND the loose mineral???
The reason I ask is because this time last year, and the years previous, they were consuming a lot more.
They are eating plenty of loose salt; maybe a bit more than normal right now, but nothing that would prompt me to even think about.
For the past 2 years I have used PVM tubs. I use the natural during the winter and switch to the PVM IGR in early spring. During the winter, my 27 head herd consumed about one tub every 6-8 weeks, just like the winter before. But this year when I switched to the IGR back in early March (just a bit later than I did last year), they have barely touched it. It's a 225 pound tub, and I think there is still 200 pounds in it. Same with the loose mineral. I've always used Purina wind and rain and they would consume about 1 bag of mineral for every 2 bags of salt. Now, If I didn't mix it half and half with salt they wont touch it.

The only other tub I've experimented with are a couple different Vitalix tubs. The only ones available in town. They are cheaper, but the cows eat them like candy. One tub will be gone in a week. I can't justify that expense. There are a couple other brands available at Atwoods, but the tubs are smaller and cost more

I have been improving my soil with lime and litter, and my grass is better this year than last year. But the cows have basically stopped using the tub when I switched from the natural to the IGR. Do I possibly have a "bad mix" in this tub that remains near full after over 2 months? Or is it possible the cattle are getting what they need from the grass because of soil nutrient improvement? This is also the first year in 3 that we have had a "normal spring" with plenty of rain, pasture recovering well.

Otherwise, my cattle look healthy and I'm not overly concerned about their diet. Just curious if I should consider changing brands on tubs and mineral, or not lose any sleep over it and let the cows decide what they wanna eat. When I rotate them, I feel like I'm wasting my time moving the tubs and mineral. Not the salt, they are consuming that at about 50 pounds every 2-4 weeks depending on the pasture I have them in. They have free access to salt in every pasture. I move the tubs and loose mineral feeder with the cattle.
Apologies for the long post, just wanted to offer up all the info I could first time around.

 

[3MR]

I would say if they look healthy otherwise then dont worry about it. If they arent going through it like before then they are most likely getting what they need from other sources, ie: the better pasture. I wouldnt stop moving the tubs though. They still need free acces to minerals and its not like they arent using it at all, they just arent using it as much.

 

[TexasBred]

With plenty of grass available they probably just don't need it. They may lick it a bit out of curiosity. Other than losing the benefits of the IGR I'd probably just put it up and save it for later.

 

[Dega Moo]

I have read and heard in conversation, that outside of salt, cattle do not have an innate desire or urge to eat minerals which may otherwise be lacking in their diet. In other words, a copper deficiency would not manifest itself as a cow choosing a mineral with copper over another mineral. A salt deficiency or need would lead a cow to seek and eat from a salt supply which if found in the mineral would ensure the mineral intake. I can't vouch for this as fact and imagine it might be controversial , but if it is correct then providing salt in more than a single manner could be self defeating. It's possible your cows are getting all their salt needs met from the loose salt and ignore the other offerings.

 

[TexasBred]

Regardless of the salt in the mineral or totally separate from the mineral, a well formulated mineral should have enough "attractants" in it to encourage consumption at the recommended rate. Many companies will use cottonseed meal, DDG, dried molasses and even some wet molasses to make it more palatable so the cattle will consume it. Other than calcium and phosphorus the other minerals are included in very small amounts and are highly concentrated so you won't often have deficiencies in those unless there are outside factors that affect the utilization of the trace minerals. If you're not getting any real mineral consumption 5-6 lbs. of cottonseed meal to a bag of it and mix it well. Should help some on intake.

 

[muleskinner]

In doing some research with salt. We found out that you should feed your white salt in a block form and put the loose mineral in the feeder. Just put them both in the same feeder. Also we found out that in providing plan white salt to Cow/calf pairs in a setting that they could choose what they wanted, the calves that had access to a plain white salt block and loose mineral gained 2/10 tenths of a pound a day better than the claves that just had access to a trace mineral salt. That is cheap extra gain. Cows will choose loose white salt over loose minerals every time.

 

[TexasBred]

In doing some research with salt. We found out that you should feed your white salt in a block form and put the loose mineral in the feeder. Just put them both in the same feeder. Also we found out that in providing plan white salt to Cow/calf pairs in a setting that they could choose what they wanted, the calves that had access to a plain white salt block and loose mineral gained 2/10 tenths of a pound a day better than the claves that just had access to a trace mineral salt. That is cheap extra gain. Cows will choose loose white salt over loose minerals every time.

2/10 of a pound huh?? That's about the recommended feeding rate for most minerals. :lol2: A salt block in the feeder is only a bit better than a big rock. Naturally they would eat the mineral as they can't stand there long enough to get all the salt they want....but if it works for you what the he77.

 

[Ouachita]

Thanks for the replies. I suspect the forage quality has a lot to do with less mineral/tub intake, but it is so drastically different than this time last year(s), I was curious if there was something I was overlooking.
My loose mineral feeder that I move with the cattle has 3 compartments. I keep straight salt in one, straight mineral in one, and mix them in one. They don't touch the straight mineral. It's still full since February

 

[dun]

Thanks for the replies. I suspect the forage quality has a lot to do with less mineral/tub intake, but it is so drastically different than this time last year(s), I was curious if there was something I was overlooking.
My loose mineral feeder that I move with the cattle has 3 compartments. I keep straight salt in one, straight mineral in one, and mix them in one. They don't touch the straight mineral. It's still full since February

As long as you're not feeding IGR in the minerals that would work. If you're feeding IGR in the minerals the IGR would be a waste of money if they aren;t eating enough to do the job it's intended for.

 

[Ouachita]

That was information I was looking for. I have been mixing it just so they will entertain the idea of eating it. Thanks dun

 

[1982vett]

My cattle have never consumed any mineral at "the recommended" rate. However I have purchased cattle that readily consumed mineral for a period before they slowed consumption also. I'd say they are getting what they need.

 

[Ouachita]

I'm thinking now I am overly concerned about this situation. All of you have offered opinions that are good, and I appreciate it. Thanks

 

[JSCATTLE]

I use PVm also . My cows eat a tub a month in the winter . About 50 head . I put out a tub February 22 and its still half full . They hit it in passing . When the grass starts losing nutrients and gets tuff they will pick up on the tubs against . That's usually around August/ September here .

 

[TexasBred]

I use PVm also . My cows eat a tub a month in the winter . About 50 head . I put out a tub February 22 and its still half full . They hit it in passing . When the grass starts losing nutrients and gets tuff they will pick up on the tubs against . That's usually around August/ September here .

That's exactly how they are formulated to be utilized.