Author Topic: Life span of mineral buckets? (Read 1393 times)

moprabbit · « **on:** November 29, 2018, 09:31:10 am »

I just wondered how long mineral buckets lasted terms of their usefulness. Mine last ages, but I've only got 4 sheep, who I must admit get fed up with them pretty quickly! But in terms of the mineral content, how long are they useful? Thankyou

shep53 · « **Reply #1 on:** November 29, 2018, 10:59:21 am »

Will be a best before date on the bucket somewhere , if open and subject to the weather then this may be the limit or if unopened or covered then should be ok for a bit longer

landroverroy · « **Reply #2 on:** November 29, 2018, 11:19:02 am »

Quote from: shep53 on November 29, 2018, 10:59:21 am

Will be a best before date on the bucket somewhere , if open and subject to the weather then this may be the limit or if unopened or covered then should be ok for a bit longer

Minerals do not go off or disappear with time. It is a simple chemical fact! For example - have you ever known salt to go off in a salt cellar? Complex chemicals will denature in time like antibiotics or proteins, but minerals such as potassium, selenium, calcium, magnesium and all the rest, are the basic element itself and cannot denature any further and therefore are stable.

moprabbit · « **Reply #3 on:** November 29, 2018, 04:31:47 pm »

Thanks for the replies! I'll have a look on the buckets to see what the best before date is.

Black Sheep · « **Reply #4 on:** November 29, 2018, 05:57:04 pm »

Quote from: landroverroy on November 29, 2018, 11:19:02 am

Minerals do not go off or disappear with time. It is a simple chemical fact! For example - have you ever known salt to go off in a salt cellar? Complex chemicals will denature in time like antibiotics or proteins, but minerals such as potassium, selenium, calcium, magnesium and all the rest, are the basic element itself and cannot denature any further and therefore are stable.

But mineral buckets are not made of pure minerals - the majority of it is molasses, which will spoil over time.

SallyintNorth · « **Reply #5 on:** November 29, 2018, 07:15:16 pm »

Plus don’t they have added vitamins? I think you can probably expect the vitamins to degrade after a while - maybe six months ish?

shep53 · « **Reply #6 on:** November 29, 2018, 07:30:02 pm »

My sheep nuts say the vitamin levels will be retained for 3.5 months ?

sheeponthebrain · « **Reply #7 on:** November 30, 2018, 07:32:49 am »

good point Sally. the best before relates to the vitamins. whilst minerals don't degrade vitamins do. after the BB date the vitamin content will be less than stated on the bucket.