# Loose Minerals



## CTChick (Sep 3, 2012)

As prices on EVERYTHING continue to escalate, I am writing to ask if anyone has alternatives to the packaged loose minerals at Benedict's or Tractor supply.  An 8-lb bag runs beween $16 up - lasts me about 3 weeks between my 4 goats.  I know the blocks aren't good because they chew them and its bad for their teeth.  One breeder (at a fair we went to recently) told me about something called "Sunshine 100?" sprinkled on food every few days to add Selenium and other minerals to the diet.   

So - my question is what are you all doing to ensure proper minerals are added to your goats diet?  As I live in the Northeast, Selenium is a concern - although I understand too much is every bit as bad as not enough!

Laura


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## 20kidsonhill (Sep 3, 2012)

If you have a dealer for cargill cattle feeds in your area the cargill Right Now Onyx loose minerals for cattle are good for goats. You can look it up on-line to see if there is a dealer near you.C
Sweetlix meat makers minerals are in a 25 lb bag and sell for about $13.00,  Again you can look them up on-line and see where the closest dealer is to you for sweetlix

another pretty good brand is Ultralyx minerals for goats.  

Another option is sweetlix protein tub for goats Called Sweetlix Meatmaker roughage balancer poured, comes in a 50 lb tub. And in our area costs $26.00  http://www.sweetlix.com/products/C14A34/meat-maker-products.aspx


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## Goatherd (Sep 3, 2012)

I just bought Sweetlix minerals on Saturday an paid $16 for 25#.  My 7 take a long time to finish a bag.

Forgot to say I buy them from an independent feed store.


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## Catahoula (Sep 28, 2012)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> If you have a dealer for cargill cattle feeds in your area the cargill Right Now Onyx loose minerals for cattle are good for goats. You can look it up on-line to see if there is a dealer near you.C
> Sweetlix meat makers minerals are in a 25 lb bag and sell for about $13.00,  Again you can look them up on-line and see where the closest dealer is to you for sweetlix
> 
> another pretty good brand is Ultralyx minerals for goats.
> ...


20Kidsonhill, are you feeding your goats the Onyx minerals? I am ordering a 50 lb bag but it will take couple weeks. I suspect my kids might have some mild copper deficiency. I am reading a lot of positive reviews and can't wait to try it.


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## that's*satyrical (Sep 28, 2012)

That is a lot for the 8lb bag of minerals. It's 9.99 for the 8lb manna pro goat mineral here at TSC. Serious mark up going on there!!


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## ragdollcatlady (Sep 28, 2012)

I think I paid $23 for  a 25 lb bag of Sweetlix Magnum Milk loose minerals. I am in CA by the way.


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## ksalvagno (Sep 29, 2012)

I would take the label of the loose mineral you like and compare to other  minerals in your area and find something like it.


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## 20kidsonhill (Sep 29, 2012)

Catahoula said:
			
		

> 20kidsonhill said:
> 
> 
> 
> ...


yes, we have used it. The goats loved it. I switch between three minerals, Sweetlix meatmaker, Cargil right Now Onyx and a Tennessee Forage Master brand that one of our local feed stores carry. They really like the cargil, I was worried about the fact that the cargill Label states only iron oxide in the ingredients, and unless I am missing it, I don't see any other source of iron in it. Iron Oxide is pretty much a waste of time.  

Co-op Forage Master Goat mineral has Ferrous Sulfate in it and kelp Meal, which is nice. But the ratio of Calcium to phosphorus reads 8% on the phosphorus and 11 to 13% on the Calcium. That is a terrible ratio for wethers, so I have decided to not use this one, when my wethers are in the field with the does. 

The Sweetlix MeatMaker has the best looking label, but honestly the goats don't seem to like it as much. Maybe it is adjusted so they don't eat as much, because the quality is better. Not sure about that. It also seems to absorb moisture worse than the other two minerals. And since I leave mine out in mineral feeders, not sure I like that.  But they do seem to still eat it.  And I have heard a lot of great reviews about it.  And the Calcium to Phosphorus ratio is the best of the three.  So this is my choice when I have my wethers still with mom and I am feeding everyone together in a big group. 

Hope that helped.


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## Catahoula (Sep 29, 2012)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> yes, we have used it. The goats loved it. I switch between three minerals, Sweetlix meatmaker, Cargil right Now Onyx and a Tennessee Forage Master brand that one of our local feed stores carry. They really like the cargil, I was worried about the fact that the cargill Label states only iron oxide in the ingredients, and unless I am missing it, I don't see any other source of iron in it. Iron Oxide is pretty much a waste of time.
> 
> Co-op Forage Master Goat mineral has Ferrous Sulfate in it and kelp Meal, which is nice. But the ratio of Calcium to phosphorus reads 8% on the phosphorus and 11 to 13% on the Calcium. That is a terrible ratio for wethers, so I have decided to not use this one, when my wethers are in the field with the does.
> 
> ...


I find when it comes to goats...nothing make sense! I am suspecting my kids has a bit copper deficiency... From reading more about it, I found that there are many different reasons that could prevent a goat from absorbing copper. I also found that many people like the onyx minerals. It is not easy for me to get some but I did find it. I plan to leave all different minerals out to see what happens. They also get kelp meals. I want to try different routes before the copper bulus. Our current minerals is made specifically because of our CO soil...so that what the company said.


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## Blarneyeggs (Oct 10, 2012)

Newbie question here, how do I offer the minerals?  A bowl?  How much at a time?  I only have one goat.  She is sad and lonely, I am working on another.


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## Straw Hat Kikos (Oct 10, 2012)

Blarneyeggs said:
			
		

> Newbie question here, how do I offer the minerals?  A bowl?  How much at a time?  I only have one goat.  She is sad and lonely, I am working on another.


Here you go. Just fill it up or just give enough for a day or what I like best, a few days. That way it doesn't get nasty.


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## Catahoula (Oct 10, 2012)

Blarneyeggs said:
			
		

> Newbie question here, how do I offer the minerals?  A bowl?  How much at a time?  I only have one goat.  She is sad and lonely, I am working on another.


Yes, I put mine in a small hanging feeder. I put about half a cup and  add more when it gets low. I only have two right now so that's how I do it.


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## 20kidsonhill (Oct 11, 2012)

In smaller pens with just one or two goats, we just put it in a corner of a feeder that is already in the pen, or in a small separate hanging feeder like this one.  http://www.jefferslivestock.com/mineral-feeder/camid/LIV/cp/FX-MF/  Or one like this that hangs over a fence. But the homemade feeder that Strawhat suggested is  very nice as well.


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## Goatherd (Oct 11, 2012)

> But the homemade feeder that Strawhat suggested is  very nice as well.


I made that feeder and it's not a favorite of mine at all.  Maybe if you have a lot of goats it would be efficient, but with only a few, you have to put too much minerals in there to make it come up to a level where the goats can reach them.  Even if you fill the bottom of the feeder with some other substance to fill the void of space, it's not an efficient and economical feeder.  When the minerals get damp, and they will, the goats won't touch them and then you waste a lot of it when you have to replace them.


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## s&kfatrms (Oct 23, 2012)

I just bought minerals today at my local feed store a 50# for $5.98


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## Ironmonkey (Oct 28, 2012)

20kidsonhill said:
			
		

> The Sweetlix MeatMaker has the best looking label, but honestly the goats don't seem to like it as much. Maybe it is adjusted so they don't eat as much, because the quality is better. Not sure about that. It also seems to absorb moisture worse than the other two minerals. And since I leave mine out in mineral feeders, not sure I like that.  But they do seem to still eat it.  And I have heard a lot of great reviews about it.  And the Calcium to Phosphorus ratio is the best of the three.  So this is my choice when I have my wethers still with mom and I am feeding everyone together in a big group.


I had the same experience with this.  Looked great.  Goats ignored it.  Eventually the calves ate it.  I'm actually going to the feed store today to get minerals to last through the winter.  I have great soil here in N. California so when I'm feeding pasture and forage I don't seem to have many problems, but in the winter I have to supplement.


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## Ironmonkey (Oct 28, 2012)

Goatherd said:
			
		

> > But the homemade feeder that Strawhat suggested is  very nice as well.
> 
> 
> I made that feeder and it's not a favorite of mine at all.  Maybe if you have a lot of goats it would be efficient, but with only a few, you have to put too much minerals in there to make it come up to a level where the goats can reach them.  Even if you fill the bottom of the feeder with some other substance to fill the void of space, it's not an efficient and economical feeder.  When the minerals get damp, and they will, the goats won't touch them and then you waste a lot of it when you have to replace them.
> ...


I use a hog feeder for my minerals.  
You'll have to wire the lid up or remove it but it works great.  They can get to every last scrap and during rainy times I only put enough in there to last a day or so, that way I don't waste mineral.


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## WhiteMountainsRanch (Oct 28, 2012)

ragdollcatlady said:
			
		

> I think I paid $23 for  a 25 lb bag of Sweetlix Magnum Milk loose minerals. I am in CA by the way.


*
I'm in So Cal and a 25# bag costs me about $15 bucks.*


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## ragdollcatlady (Oct 28, 2012)

Lucky You!

I had contacted the company, but at the time at least, no one in the valley carried it.

Up near Sacramento...Ione and Jackson area I found it for $18 last year (bought 2 bags), but I don't head up that way often with gas costing me $150 round trip that way. My family lives in San Jose and can get it for me for $23 so I take what I can get...


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