IntroductionUse of licks for grazing cattle continues to be a relatively commonplace practice, however how much benefit do ruminant animals sincerely derive from their use? Several reasons are typically stated for their use:Animals want salt.Stock are licking patches of soil, so they should be lacking in something.There is a want to offer greater nutrients and minerals.Licks help prevent particular diseases and conditions inside the animals.Animals will consume what they need.Licks offer strength and protein.Usually, both those motives are not legitimate at all, or there are a long way greater green approaches of accomplishing upgrades in animal fitness and overall performance than through imparting animal lick salt.
The need for saltOnly whilst ruminant animals are under complete hand feeding with high levels of grain will they require supplementary salt in their diet. Under these instances it's miles far higher and more green to in reality upload 0.5% of quality salt to the feed than it's miles to provide salt blocks. Since stock absolutely like the taste, salt is also frequently used in feed mixes to improve palatability.
Stock licking soilsStock will every so often acquire cravings for certain flavours and it is without a doubt now not unusual for them to lick soil alongside creeks and dam banks. Also, stock will commonly simply eat salt whether they want it or not. Taken on the balance of evidence, it is unlikely that the behaviour of inventory is a good indicator of their need for extra dietary dietary supplements. Stock will even simply eat substances that are adverse to their health; the grazing of toxic vegetation is a good instance of this. As a cattle supervisor you must always make sure that animals have adequate strength, protein and good fine water before seeking to finetune their diet with introduced minerals and nutrients.
Which minerals and nutrients do ruminants actually want?It is recommended that as many as forty mineral elements might also have a few function in animal metabolism. However, only seven of those are required in portions enough to be considered major essential factors. These are calcium, phosphorus, potassium, sodium, chlorine, sulfur and magnesium. The more essential minor mineral elements consist of iron, iodine, copper, manganese, zinc, cobalt, selenium and chromium.While those factors may also be vital, it is also true that they are handiest required in minute portions. In traditional ruminant feeds and pastures, maximum minerals are present in enough portions to deliver the wishes of inventory.Under dry or drought situations, calcium and sodium deficiencies are the most common. These are most in all likelihood to arise in diets based totally on cereal grains. In this case it's miles a long way greater efficient to add lime and salt to the feed ration than it's miles to permit unfastened access to licks. When brought to the ration, animals will consume the additional minerals they need in percentage to the feed they consume.
