minerals/blocks

[dexterfarm]

need a little more info. what kind of blocks are you talking about? The hard brown trace mineral blocks or something else? What kind of time frame are we talking about? they may just need more time to get use to them. Do they have other salt blocks available if so they may never touch the mineral ones.

[zephyrhillsusan]

Cattle don't generally do well with mineral blocks like the red blocks you get at Tractor Supply. Those are about 90% salt, if I remember correctly, and have very few minerals in them, nothing like the quantity cattle need. Also, cattle generally don't lick at them as much as horses do, so they don't get much benefit from them. They do much better with loose minerals. I don't know what would be the ideal mix for your area, but if you have a Co-op they could probably tell you. I have to special order what we use, Copperhead 6% from Sweetlyx. We switched to that when I noticed that our cattle weren't shedding out properly and had reddish coats on the black ones. It was because our area is deficient in copper, and they needed more. The Copperhead 6% is specially formulated for Appalachia, which we're considered to be, and it has really made a difference for them.

You might also think of getting them a protein tub or range cubes if you think they need something else. There are all kinds of protein tubs available; the baked ones are the best because they last longer and the cattle can't eat too much of them. No one at our Tractor Supply knows anything, really, they just stock what the company sends. We mostly use an independent feed store now who gets specialized products from a dealer in Alabama. If you can't get any help from your co-op, why not ask your vet what he would suggest? It might be a good way to start getting to know a vet--a relationship you're going to want to cultivate!

[pauld]

Well the mineral blocks are tractor supply blocks as follows:
1. Producers Pride 37%Range Block supplemental feed for cattle on pasture
2. Dumor Pasture Mineral Block

Both of which are the red blocks.
I will check out the area for a local COOP and give them a call and I do need to hook up with a vet in the area.
We have had the cattle for almost 1.5 months. The bull is very social and loves to head butt the girls in a playful manner and the heifer is timid and does not get close unless we have food.

We are new to raising cattle thus our knowledge is very limited. We are really looking forward to raising dexters.

Thanks

[zephyrhillsusan]

The Producer's Pride Range Block is equivalent to a protein tub, just a smaller form.  I looked up the content out of curiosity:

Ingredients:
Cottonseed Meal, Corn Gluten Feed, Wheat Meddlings, Molasses, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Urea, Corn Distillers Dried Grains, Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Magnesium Sulfate, Potassium Sulfate, Vitamin E supplement, Vitamin A Supplement, Copper Sulfate, Ethylenediamine Dehydriodide, Cobalt Carbonate, Magnesium Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Ferrous Sulfate, Mineral Oil, Sodium Selenite.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Crude Protein (min.) 37.00% ( This includes not more than 16.00% equivalent crude protein from non-protein nitrogen) Crude Fat (min.) 1.50%, Crude Fiber (max.) 8.50%, Calcium(Ca) (min.) 2.25%, Calcium(Ca) (max.) 2.75%, Phosphorus(P) (min.) 1.00%, Salt(NaCl) (min.) 9.00%, Salt(NaCl) (max.) 10.80%, Sodium(Na) (min.) 3.00%, Sodium(Na) (max.) 4.00%, Magnesium(Mg) (min.) .45%, Potassium(K) (min.) 1.00%, Copper(Cu) (min.) 50.00ppm, Selenium(Se) (min.) 2.50ppm, Selenium(Se) (max.) 2.60ppm, Zinc(Zn) (min.) 150.00ppm, Vitamin A (min.) 20,000IU/lb, Vitamin D3 (min.) 1,000 IU/lb, Vitamin E (min.) 20 IU/lb Ruminant meat and bone meal free.

The Dumor Mineral Block looks like it's specific for cattle, as opposed to those red trace mineral blocks that I was talking about, the ones with a round dip in the top for the horses to start licking.  Content:

Ingredients:
Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium phosphate, Salt, Calcium Carbonate, Molasses, Wheat Meddlings,Magnesium Oxide, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Copper Sulfate, Ferric Oxide, Vitamin E Supplement, Ethylenediamine Dehydriodide, Vitamin A Supplement, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin D3 Supplement, Calcium Iodate, Ferrous Carbonate, Anise/fenugreek Flavor, Sodium Selenite, Mineral Oil.
Guaranteed Analysis:
Calcium(Ca) (min.) 12.00%, Calcium(Ca) (max.) 14.40%, Phosphorus(P) (min.) 12.00%, Salt(NaCl) (min.) 11.50%, Salt(NaCl) (max.) 13.80%, Sodium(Na) (min.) 5.40%, Sodium(Na) (max.) 6.50%, Magnesium(Mg) (min.) 1.20%, Potassium(K) (min.) .50%, Manganese(Mn) (min.) 1800.00ppm, Cobalt(Co) (min.) 18.00ppm, Copper(Cu) (min.) 500.00ppm, Iodine(I) (min.) 125.00ppm, Selenium(Se) (min.) 20.00ppm, Selenium(Se) (max.) 20.50ppm, Zinc(Zn) (min.) 1950.00ppm, Vitamin A (min.) 60,000IU/lb, Ruminant meat and bone meal free.

It's good that they're "ruminant meat and bone meal free."  When I bought our protein tub I wasn't aware that the higher protein ones often contain urea.  Now that I know, I'd rather not feed it to my animals, so I'll be changing to a lower-protein, urea-free one next, which also happens to be all natural.  There are SO many products available, I was back and forth on the phone for days between the feed store, the distributor, and the company--and still didn't end up with what I really wanted!  Next time around, though!  

Here's the Sweetlix Copperhead 6% that we use:

WARNING: This product, which contains added copper, should not be fed to sheep or any species that have a low tolerance to supplemental copper.

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:
Calcium, Min 19.00%
Calcium, Max 22.80%
Phosphorus, Min 6.00%
Salt, Min 13.00%
Salt, Max 15.00%
Magnesium, Min 2.00%
Cobalt, Min 15 ppm
Copper, Min 1,800 ppm
Iodine, Min 60 ppm
Manganese, Min 5,400 ppm
Selenium, Min 26 ppm
Zinc, Min 5,400 ppm
Vitamin A, Min 165,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D-3, Min 16,500 IU/lb
Vitamin E, Min 200 IU/lb

In particular, it's the higher copper (and also selenium) that got me interested in this product.  But it all depends on what you need for your area, so this is just for discussion purposes.    

[dexterfarm]

try the trace mineral blocks. True they are mostly salt but they do have the minerals they need. That is all the minerals I give and mine do great on it. They are suppose to be formulated for the area you are in. Of course if the hay you feed is not of good quality then you may need additional supplements.

[Dahdo]

There is a good article on mineral supplements in the Summer 2007 issue of the ADCA Bulletin. It's online here, the article starts on page 31.
www.dextercattle.org/bulletin_archive/bulletins_2001_2010/2007%20Summer%20ADCA%20Dexter%20Bulletin.pdf

In a nutshell, cattle can't get enough minerals from a block, loose minerals are the way to go. Gerald Fry has written quite a bit on the subject and says (quoting from memory), "a cow would have to have a tongue the size of an aircraft carrier to get enough minerals from a block"