# Confused About Loose Minerals



## Chebird (Jul 27, 2019)

Good morning! I'm confused about loose minerals. I have read that many people leave out minerals free choice for their goats. I bought Manna Pro goat minerals, and there is a caution on the bag stating not to let them eat more than the recommended amount. I've tried to hand-feed my guys a small amount, but they won't touch it. We have only had them a few days, and so far, their diet has been weeds, alfalfa, and Bermuda grass. How do you all feed minerals?


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## B&B Happy goats (Jul 27, 2019)

Chebird said:


> Good morning! I'm confused about loose minerals. I have read that many people leave out minerals free choice for their goats. I bought Manna Pro goat minerals, and there is a caution on the bag stating not to let them eat more than the recommended amount. I've tried to hand-feed my guys a small amount, but they won't touch it. We have only had them a few days, and so far, their diet has been weeds, alfalfa, and Bermuda grass. How do you all feed minerals?



I mix mine with the pellet goat feed and BOSS (black oil sunflower seeds)


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## Hens and Roos (Jul 27, 2019)

We add ours to their feed for now, they broke the mineral feeder we had.  When we did free choice they only took what they needed.  Once your guys get adjusted to their new place they might get better with eating it.


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## rachels.haven (Jul 27, 2019)

My experience says you can just leave it out for them. I don't think they're going to overdose.


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## Chebird (Jul 28, 2019)

Thank you all! I think I'm going to try to mix the minerals in with a little horse complete food (they love my old Arab's soaked food). I'm a little afraid to leave out free minerals in case the horse gets into it.


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## CrazyFarmers (Jul 31, 2019)

I saw a pretty cool feeder made from pvc pipe I'm gonna try it with my boys


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## babsbag (Aug 1, 2019)

I use feeders like the one in the picture. I leave the minerals out free choice.


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## Chebird (Aug 1, 2019)

CrazyFarmers said:


> View attachment 64842 I saw a pretty cool feeder made from pvc pipe I'm gonna try it with my boys


What is the blue stuff?


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## AlleysChicks (Aug 1, 2019)

Chebird said:


> What is the blue stuff?


 that has me curious too.


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## babsbag (Aug 2, 2019)

My guess on the blue stuff would be cobalt. 

For those of you that live near NE the absolute best minerals are from Wicks Livestock Nutrition. I'm in CA and I pay to have them shipped to me. My husband is bringing me home a pallet of them right now. He went to NE for minerals and to Iowa to pick up my new barn kit. He loves a good road trip.


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## Hipshot (Aug 2, 2019)

Animals get some if not most of their minerals , from the vegetation  they eat. Most people don't do a soil analyses  to see what is  in the soil . Am I feeding to much are to little mineral I just sprinkle lose mineral on their feed .they leave most of  it in the feed trough, I also give them a supplement block . I get that from my Farmers Co-op. They eat it like candy. I've always heard a rough coat means the animal is wormy . While Alaskan says it means a mineral deficiency. If your goats look good to the eye and would rather have weeds than grain or minerals' they are my kind of goats .The feeders look like a good ideal. Inside so supplements do not get wet . Just remember to keep all supplements and feed fresh .  I wouldn't put out a lot of something they aren't eating.


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## babsbag (Aug 2, 2019)

I live in CA and we have no summer pasture. We also have selenium deficient soil and the copper isn't absorbed well due to our well water. I have no parasite problems at all, ever. But I constantly battle Selenium, zinc, and copper deficiencies. I have 50 goats, 32 of them in milk, and go through about 50 lbs of minerals a week. I sometimes put the mineral on their hay and they lick it up, I also have the feeders for them.  I also give them a cobalt block. Their coats have changed to a nice smooth coat with darker coloring since I started using the minerals from NE.


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## Chebird (Aug 2, 2019)

Oh my, I haven't heard that goats need cobalt. Can someone please explain?


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## babsbag (Aug 3, 2019)

I can't really say why they need cobalt but most people I know put a cobalt block out for them. If a person mentions that the goat's milk has an off flavor it is often suggested to give them cobalt.  I leave a block out for them and they do eat it.


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## ragdollcatlady (Aug 26, 2019)

I had found a small article hidden in some other stuff, a few years ago when I was scouring the internet when I had issues with Bailey one of my best boer does, having issues with pink milk after kidding 9 or 10 lb triplet doe kids. It was not mastitis, and it cleared up when we managed to get her calcium/magnesium and cobalt sorted out. I had to order a cobalt supplement I gave her in a pill form and I put out a block for everyone else and now they use the block almost exclusively. I like the Sweetlix loose minerals for their general maintenance, sometimes I use the Magnum Milk, sometimes I use the Meat Maker, depends on what I am feeding as the main diet to the majority of my herd.


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## BrendaJune (Aug 28, 2019)

Tell a little bit about your barn kit.  Who makes it?  Do they ship?  How big is it?  What company in NE has the minerals you like?  Thanks!


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