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Post by Deleted on Sept 11, 2014 9:39:16 GMT
We have had salt/mineral block out full time and its time to replace. We love our local T S C store. Went to get new mineral block or loose last weekend and they had two types. Only thing is both said not to give to lactating cattle or goats. Why ? Sorry don't remember brand or name.
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Post by lakeportfarms on Sept 11, 2014 13:25:53 GMT
Salt/mineral blocks are ok to have around, but not as your primary source of mineral. The blocks you were looking at also probably contained some type of medicine or something that has a milk withdrawal time. A good quality loose mineral is far better at providing their needs. In areas that are selenium deficient, such as around the Great Lakes and Pacific Northwest, I'd suggest also putting out a high (Se90) loose mineral mix in addition to the range mineral. The high selenium is relatively inexpensive ($7 or so)and consists of mostly salt along with the selenium, but the good quality range mineral is going to be between $17-25 for a 50 lb bag. This is why you don't want to get it wet where it clumps, or waste it spilling all over! Purina Wind and Rain is a good choice; I know Tractor Supply doesn't carry it around us, so check your local mill.
We have used 55 gallon plastic barrels, with a hole cut in the side, mounted to the fence post near our water. This keeps the mineral relatively dry and allows you to always keep plenty on hand for them. When we rotate pastures we also have a rolling mineral feeder similar to our water that we move along with them. Keep it near water if you want to increase consumption, farther away from water if you want to decrease it.
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Post by jamshundred on Sept 11, 2014 20:17:29 GMT
My cows have always liked chawing on the salt block so I put out the mineral salt block just as a courtesy. There is also a feeder with loose mineral salt. I also buy alternatively beef minerals and then dairy minerals and those are fed free choice. And 10 years ago when I was hit with multiple cases of pink-eye, I was told to feed Kelp. It is expensive . . . but that is also given free choice. The kelp puts beautiful shiny coats on the animals and I believe it significantly boosts their immune system. Last year. . . . . the animals on the Legacy Preserve were hit with pink eye. Nearly every single one except for a couple older cows. Horrible cases! There was no kelp in the area where they are kept, so only when I made the trip ( rarely in the winter) and took kelp did they receive it. As soon as the pinkeye hit I made sure to have kelp there and I was surprised that almost every case with the exception of one little bull calf healed up very nicely by this spring. The same think happened on my farm in 2012. I was not diligent about bringing in the kelp during the winter and I got hit with pink eye . Really bad cases. Two of my favorite bulls have cloudy eyes now. I have not been negligent since! This year the flies have been here in droves and not a single case of pink eye.
Judy
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Post by Deleted on Sept 12, 2014 9:44:14 GMT
Thanks for info. Got Hubbard non med. minerals last night. Seems extremely fine. Can they eat to much ? Cost was $23. Also started Lucy on small amount of grain mix because of calf and her age. I am concerned that Lucy is too fat she looks more like beef than milk cow. P.S. Girls always ride along to the feed mill but where disappointed yesterday because the boys there had there shits one due to it only being 64 deg. Any SNOW yet Hans?
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Post by lakeportfarms on Sept 12, 2014 12:43:15 GMT
If it is really fine you'll have to keep it protected so wind doesn't blow it away. To control consumption you have to vary how far from the water it is, but no, they are probably not going to eat too much. Mineral is good for them and other than selenium in high selenium areas it would be pretty hard to overdose on anything else in the mineral.
No snow here, but with the North wind with a long fetch off the still relatively warm lake and cool temperatures (highs in the lower 50's) we're getting lake effect rain today and tomorrow. I guess it's better than lake effect snow which is soon to come, though the pastures are getting pretty muddy and stomped up during the brief time they're in there due to the managed grazing. I don't think we'll have enough warm weather and grass recovery to get another quick rotation before the frost and freezes start. I have so much to do outside it's mind boggling, and if I don't finish we're sure to have another brutal winter. That's how it seems to go!
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Post by wvdexters on Sept 15, 2014 15:54:15 GMT
We get our loose mineral from Southern States. We also keep salt blocks in blue barrels hanging from trees. The cows seem to enjoy working at them and the little bulls love to "fight" them. Most mornings it is a toss up as to whether the rooster wakes us up or the banging. LOL
Have you noticed the deer are looking pretty gray/brown already this fall? Heavy coats/hard winters.
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Post by Deleted on Sept 15, 2014 16:54:25 GMT
Cant explain it but Nancy and I are preparing for the worst this winter and praying for the best. We had burning bushes turn in August already and the 6 dear that play in our front yard are indeed heavy coated already, all the nut trees in the woods or over loaded too.
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