Salt blocks come in a variety of colors, as any trip to your local feed store will tell you. The specific color of the block will tell you two things about it. One of those is what kind of nutrients are contained in it. The second one is what kind of use it is intended for.
With the different varieties out there it can be quite confusing as to which block is best for you. The one that is best for you depends on what mineral(s) are deficient in your particular operation.
Importance of Mineral Supplementation
Minerals, including salt, are some of the most important nutrients that your animal can consume. They control things like overall performance, health, and reproductive efficiency. I go over more about the importance of proper mineral consumption here.
Making sure that your animals get the correct amount of nutrients they need can be a daunting task. The forages they consume won’t provide every single one that they will need. Also the amount that they provide can change from one year to the next. The table below can give you a general ballpark figure of what your forages will provide.
Mineral output can change from one region to another, and even different areas in the same county. Things like soil type, time of year, and rainfall can affect the mineral output.
The only way that you can know for sure what you would be deficient in is to have your forages tested. Your local county extension agent would be able to assist you with this.
Why do cattle need salt?
Much like humans cattle have a nutritional requirement for salt.
Salt is one of the few minerals that cattle will actually “crave”. Though despite this craving their consumption of it can vary greatly. Some studies have found that cattle will not go to a salt block for several days then go back to it then overconsume it.
Salt provides for the proper function of the nervous and muscular systems in beef cattle. It can also help regulate the body pH as well as the amount of water that is retained in the body. Promoting water intake can help maintain or improve milk production and overall herd health
A deficiency in this nutrient will cause a loss of appetite which will in turn cause inefficient weight gains or body weight loss.
Generally speaking a mature cow, roughly 1,300 to 1,400 lbs. ,requires between 35 to 45 grams of salt per day,
Different types of salt blocks
Now that I have gone over some of the importance of providing a salt/mineral supplementation here are some examples of the different types of salt blocks out there. Have also included their designated uses to give you a better idea of which one would be best for you.
White Salt Blocks
- This one contains just regular table salt nothing more
- Since it provides no other nutritional value this one is not really recommended
- About the only use that this one has is using it to draw cattle into underutilized areas of the pasture
Yellow Salt Blocks
- Along with salt this one contains sulfur as well
- Developed for use in southern US pastures that have a problem with insects and ticks
Red Salt Blocks
- Contains salt, iron, and iodine
- This particular block is generally needed in the Great Lakes, Midwest, Northeast, and Rocky Mountain regions of the US
Blue Salt Blocks
- This one contains cobalt and iodine
- it was created for deficiencies in the British Columbia and Alberta regions of Canada
Brown or Trace Mineral Salt Blocks
- Contains cobalt, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and manganese
- This is a good all-around salt block to use
- Producers in the Western ranges should use this one
Black Salt Block
- Contains everything in the brown one plus has selenium
- Lack of selenium in the diet can cause white muscle disease
- Word of caution: only use this one if you have a deficiency because too much selenium can also be dangerous
There are many different resources out there that you can find about what the mineral requirements for cattle are and how to best provide them. I find the one from the University of Georgia very helpful and you can find it by clicking here.
