Salt Lick

[Jodi]

A while ago, someone (not on the boards) mentioned to me something about an ingredient in salt licks to avoid when buying a salt lick for sheep. I can't for the life of me remember what it was though. Any ideas?

 

Thanks.

Jodi

[kajarrel]

Copper?

 

Kim

[Bill Fosher]

Generally it's a good idea to avoid all salt licks with sheep, as they tend to bite on them, producing premature dental wear.

 

Sheep are very sensitive to copper levels, and the levels found in most cattle blocks could be toxic to sheep depending on the levels of copper in other feeds and water.

[Valhalla]

Call your local feed store and ask if they carry loose minerals for sheep... it looks like sand.

[Jodi]

Thanks everyone. Will do.

 

Jodi

[kelli 1]

Hey Jodi,

 

How are you? We buy the salt blocks with the trace minerals. We've never had a problem with our sheep biting off pieces of it, we buy the 50 pounder. Yes, it's copper that can be toxic to sheep. We've had the same block for almost 2 years now (it's inside of their barn).

 

Bonnie

[Bill Fosher]

Kelli 1 --

 

Do you mean you put out one 50-lb block two years ago and the same one is still sitting there? How many sheep are feeding off that block?

 

For most of the mineral mixes I've seen, the recommended rate of consumption is a quarter to a half ounce per head per day, which would mean that 50 pounds should last 16 to 32 days per 100 sheep.

 

To put it another way, each sheep should eat between 11 and 22 pounds per year. So unless you only have two or three sheep and unless the block is very nearly gone, they're probably not getting enough macro- or micro-minerals from that block. My guesses as to why would be first that it's too hard, and second that it's not palatable.

 

Any vitmains that were included in the block have long since spoiled as well.

 

It's really much better practice to provide small amounts of loose trace mineral salt frequently and to monitor consumption and adjust salt to regulate intake (increase salt to decrease consumpton; decrease salt to increase consumption).

[juliepoudrier]

My sheep (in both places) just suck down the loose mineral. To me it looks more like crushed bricks (it's red) or maybe red sand....

 

J.

[kelli 1]

Bill,

 

We've only had 10 sheep until yesterday, now we have 13, so that's why the block has lasted so long. They also had some of the smaller ones in their feeder. Our sheep are all very healthy, so I don't worry about things like salt as long as the block is getting smaller. I keep my eye on them and know if something is amiss.

[J.E.S]

Jodi,

If I were you I would go with the loose minerals that Bill is suggesting. I had a small block for my goats and noticed the sheep were biting at it.

Bonny, sometimes by the time you notice something amiss, its too late. Bill has a lot of experience and I trust his judgment.

 

Joan

[juliepoudrier]

Kelli,

I have just 8 sheep here at the house and they still go through mineral at a good clip. The pregnant ewes and other sheep at my neighbor's farm are going through *pounds* of loose mineral a week.

 

J.

[Jodi]

I've only got ten sheep myself for now. I had a small block out there that I was keeping an eye on, but with all the moisture we had, I was concerned with how much was just dissolving and how much the sheep were actually getting. It sounds like it would be easier to monitor their intake with loose minerals. I'll drop by the feed store today and see what they have.

 

Thanks again.

Jodi

[kelli 1]

Guess I'll check out the loose minerals as well. I want to do the best I can for our sheep. Our salt block is inside their barn, so moisture is not a problem. How much loose minerals do you feed? We have 13 sheep now and they have a feeder. How do you know that some of them are not hogging it up and others not getting any?

 

I have another question no one seems to be able to answer. Everyone seems to be vaccinating with Covexin - but no one seems to know what it's for. Can someone answer this question? Should they be vaccinated with something else? I live in Southern California, soon to be a Northern Idaho transplant.

 

Thanks!

[Valhalla]

Originally posted by kelli 1:

How much loose minerals do you feed?

I have a large mineral feeder that rotates with the wind... I just keep minerals in there free choice. Everyone gets what they want when they want it.

 

Originally posted by kelli 1:

Everyone seems to be vaccinating with Covexin - but no one seems to know what it's for. Can someone answer this question? Should they be vaccinated with something else?

Covexin 8 takes care of overeating disease as well as blackleg and tetanus. This is all I use on my sheep.

[Guest grscott]

Originally posted by Bill Fosher:

Kelli 1 --

 

Do you mean you put out one 50-lb block two years ago and the same one is still sitting there? How many sheep are feeding off that block?

 

For most of the mineral mixes I've seen, the recommended rate of consumption is a quarter to a half ounce per head per day, which would mean that 50 pounds should last 16 to 32 days per 100 sheep.

 

To put it another way, each sheep should eat between 11 and 22 pounds per year. So unless you only have two or three sheep and unless the block is very nearly gone, they're probably not getting enough macro- or micro-minerals from that block. My guesses as to why would be first that it's too hard, and second that it's not palatable.

 

Any vitmains that were included in the block have long since spoiled as well.

 

It's really much better practice to provide small amounts of loose trace mineral salt frequently and to monitor consumption and adjust salt to regulate intake (increase salt to decrease consumpton; decrease salt to increase consumption).

Just curious. I live in central Texas, and average between 20 and 30 sheep in the flock. I also put out a plain salt block, and it lasts quite a long time. I see the sheep at it on occasion, but no indications of "biting" it. Typically, I use the "if it ain't broke, don't fix it" philosophy. My sheep always look good, gain weight fine, seem healthy, have healthy lambs, and I don't often lose young lambs. Internal parasites don't seem to be a problem, but I worm a couple of times a year anyway. My gut feeling is that, like with our dogs, we sometimes over-do with medications/supplements, rather than watching them for problems, and providing certain things as needed. Granted, there are some things, such as heartworms in dogs, that definitely need prevention. In general, though, wouldn't sheep that needed salt go for it. Kinda like feeding protein. Sheep might favor some forage over other, given one level of protein. But if one feeds higher protein, since they need the forage to process the protein, won't they go for forage that might be less palatable? In other words, won't they go for what they need, if available in their environment, with regard to mineral supplements, too? I'm no expert, though, by any means. Am I livin' a fantasy?

 

Regards

[donna frankland (uk)]

i am confused!

in america what is a salt lick and is it the same as what you call a mineral lick?

cos here they are different and my sheep had both.

here a salt lick is just that, a huge lump of rock salt, nothing added to it and my sheep licked it when they wanted. my lump lasted my sheep for the 2 years i kept them and is still going strong at their new home.

here a mineral lick is a type of feed block. brownish red and sticky. full of vitamins and minerals and molasses. one 25kg block would last my 10 ewes and their lambs about 6-8 weeks. i kept both in the sheep shed and they just helped themselves.

not that it really makes any difference to me now i am sheepless, but i am a nosey sort and perhaps someone could enlighten me??

[Bill Fosher]

They can only go and get what they need if it's there in sufficient quantities.

 

You may be lucky enough to live in a place where mineral supplementation is less critical than it is here in the Northeast, but unless they are getting just the right balance of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, and trace minerals, they will lag behind what they could be doing with a proper mineral program. They might not die -- although some mineral issues can be fatal-- and you might think they are doing just fine -- and for a small low-input operation, they may be. But they will do better if their mineral status is within proper limits.

[kelli 1]

GR/Texas:

 

I agree with you - if it isn't broke, don't fix it. My sheep seem to be doing just fine, nice weight, healthy. I keep a good eye on them and would know if something wasn't right. It just doesn't make sense putting out loose minerals, salt, etc. Some will eat more than others. I have one wether that would probably eat everything you put out there. We feed a good quality alfalfa hay, and grain, when needed. We vaccinate yearly and worm at least twice a year. They are fed in a feeder, so worms shouldn't much of a problem. I am not an expert, but have had animals all of my life and use good common sense.

 

Everyone has their own point of view when it comes to animal husbandry, and I appreciate that.

[Bill Fosher]

Hi Donna,

 

What most people in the US call a salt lick is a block of trace mineralized salt. They are not at all like the mineral licks you get in the UK; if anything they are harder than plain salt blocks. The main ingredient in them will be salt, but they will also contain limestone, dicalcium and/or monocalcium phosphate, and trace minerals such as copper, selenium, cobalt etc.. They are usually intended for cattle, which can obtain enough of the minerals by licking. In some cases they also include vitamin supplements, particularly vitamin E.

 

To both kelli 1 and GR, I'd add this final note of caution. Mineral problems don't generally show up really obvious ways. The two exceptions to this would be a selenium/vitamin E deficiency in lambs that manifests itself at white muscle disease, and cobalt deficiency that manifests itself as Cobalt pine. Both these conditions are much more common in young lambs up to yearling sheep. If you're not breeding, your sheep will probably toodle along okay without much in the way of mineralization unless and until they are stressed. Poorly mineralized sheep handle stress very poorly and have weakened immune systems.

 

I think that a great deal of the blame for the old saw "sick sheep seldom survive" can be laid at the feet of shepherds who don't provide proper mineralization to their flocks.

 

At the same time, I can fully appreciate why someone with just a few sheep might not be able to put out the time and money that's needed to develop a good mineral program for their area. In these cases, at the very least, I'd hope they'd use a product that was intended for sheep, and if it's available, one that's tailored for their part of the country.

[Guest grscott]

Originally posted by Bill Fosher:

To both kelli 1 and GR, I'd add this final note of caution. Mineral problems don't generally show up really obvious ways. The two exceptions to this would be a selenium/vitamin E deficiency in lambs that manifests itself at white muscle disease, and cobalt deficiency that manifests itself as Cobalt pine. Both these conditions are much more common in young lambs up to yearling sheep. If you're not breeding, your sheep will probably toodle along okay without much in the way of mineralization unless and until they are stressed. Poorly mineralized sheep handle stress very poorly and have weakened immune systems.

 

I think that a great deal of the blame for the old saw "sick sheep seldom survive" can be laid at the feet of shepherds who don't provide proper mineralization to their flocks.

 

At the same time, I can fully appreciate why someone with just a few sheep might not be able to put out the time and money that's needed to develop a good mineral program for their area. In these cases, at the very least, I'd hope they'd use a product that was intended for sheep, and if it's available, one that's tailored for their part of the country. [/QB]

In my limited experience, it has become obvious to me that, as Mr. Fosher states, the part of the country one lives in governs many of these issues. I have had a run-in with white muscle disease (selenium/vitamin E deficiency), BUT it was with two of three sheep bought at a sale, from where I have no idea. I do know that white muscle disease is VERY uncommon in this part of the country, but is more of a concern in other areas of the US. My sheep survived after the appropriate injection, so there was no post-mortem diagnosis to confirm white muscle disease. They just exhibited the characteristic gait, especially after stress (working them with a dog). I certainly agree that the stress of breeding will bring problems to the surface, and were I having problems with lambing I would certainly look for a cause, but that hasn't happened, yet. I also see Mr. Fosher's point concerning small flocks, but with small flocks, problems might be more quickly observed if they do develop. I have learned a lot by talking to the sheepmen I know, and have patterned my care after what those who are in my area have been doing for many years. Thanks for the tips.

 

Regards

[donna frankland (uk)]

thanks bill!