The Accidental Smallholder Forum
Livestock => Other => Topic started by: langdon on January 29, 2010, 02:00:25 pm
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can anyone pls explain why one of these are needed for goats pls
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Hope this sumarises it for you
Why Do My Stock Need Salt ?
Salt is an essential part of the daily diet of all livestock if they are to perform cost effectively.
It plays a major role in the diet and is essential for efficient feed utilisation. Additionally, it stimulates saliva production, promoting digestion and making fodder more palatable.
Deficiencies are most likely in rapidly growing animals and also in lactating stock.
Salt deficiency can lead to :
Loss of appetite and poor intakes
Depressed growth rates in growing and fattening stock
Poor milk production in lactating livestock
Visible symptoms of salt deficiency are often seen in the form of cravings for salt, drinking urine and the licking of gates, walls, stones and soil are examples of this.
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thanks mate for that exc info,
will get my hands on one, is one enough for two goats :)
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They come in different sizes but 1 would be enough for a while. If you leave it outside the rain can "eat it away".
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and make sure its well away from your other animals, as they need different minerals & can become ill with the wrong sort.
Smallholder suppliers/agricultural merchant also sell plastic holders, if you dont want to make your own!
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how much do they cost? ;D :goat:
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just a few pounds really.
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I get the small yellow ones for the goats, and the sheep like that one. I think the red coloured one has copper in, so not to be given for to sheep. If you look on the label, it does say if there is copper in them. They also come in mint and carrot flavours, which my horses like. Sometimes the goats lick and lick them, and break chunks off......so they do not last long.
I think the small ones are around £2.50. You can get a giant sized one, which you can put string through the middle and tie to a gate or fence post, and those last for ages.
Having said this, if the goats, sheep or whatever are fed a mix, its usually got minerals in that.
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You can also buy loose minerals or seaweed in most agricultural merchants which you can sprinkle on top of their food. I would use a salt lick too, cause its something else to amuse them.
We use the red rockie licks, and sometimes the yellow ones. I like codlivene manager mate holders to put them in though.
http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Super-Codlivine-Manger-Mate-Holder/productinfo/MANMATEHOL/ (http://www.hyperdrug.co.uk/Super-Codlivine-Manger-Mate-Holder/productinfo/MANMATEHOL/)
Beth