Free choice minerals.

[20kidsonhill]

OUr mineral mix is all mineral, no protein, Although there is a protein tub available. The main mineral we purchase is an all mineral product that pours out of the bag. The protein tub is solid and the goat has to chew and lick it out.

http://sweetlix.com/products/C14A34/meat-maker-products.aspx?gclid=CMrV58HUnKsCFcPe4AodyzCojQ
This is the label for Sweetlix mineral meat Maker 16:8:

GUARANTEED ANALYSIS:

Calcium, Min 14.00%
Calcium, Max 16.80%
Phosphorus, Min 8.00%
Salt, Min 10.00%
Salt, Max 12.00%
Magnesium, Min 1.50%
Potassium, Min 1.50%
Cobalt, Min 240 ppm
Copper, Min 1,750 ppm
Copper, Max 1,810 ppm
Iodine, Min 450 ppm
Manganese, Min 1.25%
Selenium, Min 50 ppm
Zinc, Min 1.25%
Vitamin A, Min 300,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D-3, Min 30,000 IU/lb
Vitamin E, Min 400 IU/lb

INGREDIENT STATEMENT:

Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Molasses Products, Roughage Products, Processed Grain By-Products, Magnesium Oxide, Potassium Chloride, Ferrous Sulfate, Manganous Oxide, Zinc Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Sulfate, Mineral Oil, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Sulfate, Sodium Molybdate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement, Red Iron Oxide and Artificial Flavoring.

For additional information, please contact your Sweetlix representative

 

[20kidsonhill]

Nutrient Guarantees
Calcium, Min 14.5%
ultralyx meat maker: 16:8


http://www.ultralyx.com/products/Goats/f5_loose-minerals.aspx

Calcium, Max 17.4%
Phosphorus, Min 8.0%
Salt, Min 15.0%
Salt, Max 17.0%
Magnesium, Min 2.0%
Copper, Min 1,500 ppm
Copper, Max 1,700 ppm
Manganese, Min 4,000 ppm
Selenium, Min 50 ppm
Zinc, Min 4,000 ppm
Vitamin A, Min 300,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D-3, Min 75,000 IU/lb
Vitamin E, Min 400 IU/lb
Product Ingredients
Monocalcium Phosphate, Dicalcium Phosphate, Calcium Carbonate, Salt, Magnesium Oxide, Processed Grain By-Products, Molasses Products, Hydrogenated Soybean Oil, Manganous Oxide, Manganese Sulfate, Zinc Oxide, Zinc Sulfate, Copper Chloride, Copper Sulfate, Sodium Selenite, Ethylenediamine Dihydriodide, Calcium Iodate, Cobalt Carbonate, Vitamin A Supplement, Vitamin D-3 Supplement, Vitamin E Supplement and Red Iron Oxide.

 

[20kidsonhill]

We are looking into having a ton of feed made this year for us during kidding season for, but a ton of feed is a lot for us to store, and we don't use enough of it in the summer months to use it up before it spoils.

How far ahead do you make your feed? How long do you find your feed keeps in the warm weather.

We graze in virginia from from April to beginning of November, on a good year, on a bad year we have less graze time. depends on the amount of rain. the last 4 or 5 years here in virginia it has been fairly dry.

Ofcourse the United states varies so much between regions, but we have had a pretty good pasture season this year.

We have never ran a soil test. been wanting to and have talked about it for a few years , never get it done. We really need to put lime on our fields.

 

[The Old Ram-Australia]

G'day ,my ,that was quick!......My first reaction is that the mineral component of the mix is less than 50% in both the products shown.Both have sugars and grain or grain by-products in the ingredient list,which although "not stated" appear to make up about 50% of the volume...I suspect that the sugars could "ferment" the grain portion in warmer weather........Have you considered using "rodent proof" containers and mixing a grain /chaff menu for the goats?.......You can buy the grains/chaff individually,your local Ag guy should be able to give you a nutrient breakdown of the different grains easy enough...........As I said we do not hand feed at all,all they get is the available pasture on a year round basis(this does take considerable planning),what we make up is just minerals on a as needed basis,even though it will sometimes get wet ,it does not go off and when it dries out I just add some fresh and away we go.......I would also question the "need" to feed Phosphorus to livestock,P like N "grows grass".....Is it practicable for you to have "excess pasture" baled into hay?........Do you have any idea what your pasture is comprised of?......What is the need to Lime based on?(IE: local conditions/everyone else does?)
Have you considered feeding Kelp meal(Seaweed meal down here) in a container ad lib to cover a lot of the mineral requirements as well as trace elements?

As I said before this thread is such a "great topic".....................T.O.R..................................

 

[Goatherd]

My goats are not big fans of loose minerals, but they do have it available to them at all times. As TOR mentioned, I have started feeding kelp meal on a regular basis to compensate for anything they may be lacking in their nutritional needs. Fortunately, they are very receptive to the kelp meal. It is rather pricey, but it does go a long way as it is dense with a fine texture.

 

[20kidsonhill]

G'day ,my ,that was quick!......My first reaction is that the mineral component of the mix is less than 50% in both the products shown.Both have sugars and grain or grain by-products in the ingredient list,which although "not stated" appear to make up about 50% of the volume...I suspect that the sugars could "ferment" the grain portion in warmer weather........Have you considered using "rodent proof" containers and mixing a grain /chaff menu for the goats?.......You can buy the grains/chaff individually,your local Ag guy should be able to give you a nutrient breakdown of the different grains easy enough...........As I said we do not hand feed at all,all they get is the available pasture on a year round basis(this does take considerable planning),what we make up is just minerals on a as needed basis,even though it will sometimes get wet ,it does not go off and when it dries out I just add some fresh and away we go.......I would also question the "need" to feed Phosphorus to livestock,P like N "grows grass".....Is it practicable for you to have "excess pasture" baled into hay?........Do you have any idea what your pasture is comprised of?......What is the need to Lime based on?(IE: local conditions/everyone else does?)
Have you considered feeding Kelp meal(Seaweed meal down here) in a container ad lib to cover a lot of the mineral requirements as well as trace elements?

As I said before this thread is such a "great topic".....................T.O.R..................................

Hmmm: haven't had problems with the loose minerals fermenting in the summer, We keep it out all the time, although they normally eat up what I put out with in a couple of weeks. It can get wet, occasionally does, and just dries out, although the feeder we are using is designed to help keep out most of the rain.
and I have no idea what you are referring to when you say Grain/chaff menu. The products I have listed above are only loose salt like minerals, not a grain or pellet type thing. What is Chaff??? YOu will have to explain in more simple terms for my simple brain.



I know the most common thing people around us have do to their soil is add/spread lime on it. I have no idea what our soil is comprised of, sorry.
no we haven't looked into kelp. Have never seen it for sale, perhaps it is. I suspect it is very very expensive.

 

[Hickoryneck]

Hi I think this is a great topic

Most herdsmen here in America do not have the know how or resources you do in other countries we have become used to just buying a 50lb bag of premixed goat feed storing it in a trash can and then repeat once gone most of the herds here are hobby sized 2 - 20 head and a ton of feed is to hard to deal with and the average hobby farmer has no clue what to mix if they wanted to. It's sad but with some research and help we can gain the knowledge to do better.

I do mix my own feeds but do not add minerals all the minerals are offered free choice I have copper, di-calcium, salt, dolomite and a loose mineral mix all are offered separate from each other so the goats can choose what they need.

I would love to get my hand on some kelp but not sure where to look any suggestions?

I am going to try and do soil test this fall

 

[Goatherd]

would love to get my hand on some kelp but not sure where to look any suggestions?

I go to an independent feed store. It's small, but he carries a ton of stuff! And what he doesn't carry, I just ask and most times he says "sure, I can get that for you."

I asked about kelp meal after I looked on line for it. Not only do you have the cost of the product, but then you have to add shipping. Then it really becomes unaffordable.

To give you an idea of what I paid, it's roughly $1 per pound. A 50# bag was just shy of $50 by a few cents. If a cloud can have a silver lining, I guess I'm grateful not to have to pay shipping!

 

[kstaven]

G'day ,my ,that was quick!......My first reaction is that the mineral component of the mix is less than 50% in both the products shown.Both have sugars and grain or grain by-products in the ingredient list,which although "not stated" appear to make up about 50% of the volume...I suspect that the sugars could "ferment" the grain portion in warmer weather........Have you considered using "rodent proof" containers and mixing a grain /chaff menu for the goats?.......You can buy the grains/chaff individually,your local Ag guy should be able to give you a nutrient breakdown of the different grains easy enough...........As I said we do not hand feed at all,all they get is the available pasture on a year round basis(this does take considerable planning),what we make up is just minerals on a as needed basis,even though it will sometimes get wet ,it does not go off and when it dries out I just add some fresh and away we go.......I would also question the "need" to feed Phosphorus to livestock,P like N "grows grass".....Is it practicable for you to have "excess pasture" baled into hay?........Do you have any idea what your pasture is comprised of?......What is the need to Lime based on?(IE: local conditions/everyone else does?)
Have you considered feeding Kelp meal(Seaweed meal down here) in a container ad lib to cover a lot of the mineral requirements as well as trace elements?

As I said before this thread is such a "great topic".....................T.O.R..................................

One thing you have to realize is that over the past decades soil and the management of forage/grazing has been pushed to the side in favor of supplemental feeding. AKA: Deal with the symptoms rather than the problem. Feed suppliers don't make money off of teaching one to manage the land when dealing with animals. Quick fixes in many cases win out over long tern viability. One of the many reasons I hang out on this forum rather than some others is because people here think rather than blindly swallow everything some sectors try to feed us.

 

[kstaven]

G,day, My interest in this thread "grows" by the minute.....Kstaven:.My understanding of high soluble Al is associated with low PH levels,if your low PH is confined to the top 6ins of your soil profile you may be able to correct it with the application of lime.(our Granite based soils run from 4.5/5.5 and the acidity runs down to bedrock,we could apply lime for 100 yrs and still not have any impact).......

In a test plot we tried lime and the PH levels which we had a handle on altered severely. I am assuming the PH reaction to lime was from a reaction with the heavy amount of Ponderosa Pine needles.