Mineral question - is my area just full of ignorant feed dealers

dbarjacres · #21 07/02/08, 10:48 AM

Well, the few goat people that I know of locally I'd take their advice with a grain of salt! Non-tested, abcessed goats, even the "show breeders".

I think I'll stay with my current mineral as I am kind of worried about too much copper. I talked with my dairy farmer friend yesterday, who's big on nutrition and he said his cattle only get a trace mineral in their TMR mix and he thought 2000+ ppm seems very high. Said he never heard about anything for copper before. But then again, he does use BGH and has a fair amount of culls he passes thru. ARGH! So frustrating!!

#22 01/16/09, 03:03 AM

Does the yeast and kelp supply something that's lacking in the mineral mix? Can you get yeast and kelp in quantity at the feed store?

My goats get SweetLix Meat Maker mineral salt when they are in their yard and Sheep salt when they are out with the sheep. Both groups have a sulfur block... it's supposed to help them absorb/utilize the selenium in the mineral mix. Would adding yeast and kelp be beneficial for the sheep as well?

hoofinitnorth · #23 01/16/09, 11:28 AM

Kelp does have important trace minerals that occur naturally and the goats seem to do better on kelp than on a mix of something that's supposed to provide the same things, usually synthetically. I use bulk kelp here and the goats really like it. It has a natural salty taste to it so it draws them to their ration. I do not free-feed it. All my livestock get the kelp.

I also feed bulk brewer's dried yeast. It is supposed to be an excellent source of selenium and I think B vitamins (I would have to look it up again). It also draws them to their ration (maybe by smell?) and I use a very small amount. All my livestock get the yeast too.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #24 01/16/09, 11:38 AM

That's why I love my mineral soo much, no more mixing, it has kelp and nutritional yeast in it. Plus 3 forms of copper and chealted minerals. You don't want to be feeding high 1000's PPM's of copper if the only source is copper sulfate.

Heather, not sure where to look but there is old information on why you don't feed breeding bucks brewers yeast. Vicki

AnnaS · #25 01/16/09, 12:06 PM

dbarjminis-
try this mineral ... http://www.biggainwis.com/index.cfm?show=10&mid=34
Their dairy goat nutritionist is also a show/dairy goat breeder who has done very well at the National show and on Top Ten list. Several of us in MN used her mineral and feed and made Top Ten last year. She knows her stuff.

About ignorant feed people... it's hit and miss. I had one mill that was making custom feed for me- and my does suddenly had a horrible fat test. I asked her if she'd changed the formula- yep, they'd run out of rumen buffer, so she'd doubled the molasses powder instead.
Had another mill where the dealer was a retired dairy nutritionist. WOW.

dbarjacres · #26 01/17/09, 12:26 PM

How funny to see this post "alive" after so many months! I'm still using the mineral I was along with Kelp and Diamond V.

I did just drive by the Big Gain plant last week when we ran down to Beloit. There is only one feed mill here which will carry Big Gain stuff and I was quoted $54 for ONE 25 lb bag of mineral. No way. And it was special order. They also don't have what the ingredients are anywhere i can find it.

hoofinitnorth · #27 01/17/09, 05:37 PM

Vicki - I should have clarified that I feed the brewer's yeast to all that get grain. The bucks don't get grain (or at least they haven't in a long time as it's not needed).

I have never heard anything about brewer's yeast and breeding bucks. Do you mean only while they are breeding or any buck of breeding age? If you can find it, please let me know. I'm off to search on it.

#28 01/18/09, 05:29 AM

What is it about the "red" mineral mixes that's not good?

dragonchick · #29 01/18/09, 06:02 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by frogdog

What is it about the "red" mineral mixes that's not good?

The red has a lot of iron in it. This may be OK for those without a lot of iron in the soil and water. If your like me and have lots in both it binds to other minerals making the inaccessible.

Lazy J · #30 01/18/09, 08:00 AM

Quote:

Originally Posted by dragonchick

The red has a lot of iron in it. This may be OK for those without a lot of iron in the soil and water. If your like me and have lots in both it binds to other minerals making the inaccessible.

Actually, the Iron in and of itself is not the issue it is the source of the Iron. To make REd Blocks manufacturers use Iron Oxide which had a very low absotption rate in the body. Other sources such as Iron Sulfate are much mor absorbable but are much more expensive.

Jim

dbarjacres · #31 01/23/09, 09:10 AM

Okay, AnnaS, I just ordered a bag of Big Gain goat mineral yesterday. The mill I stopped at (cause it had a Big Gain tanker in front of it) ordered me in a bag 50 lbs for $24.50, so not bad at all. I was able to look in their book at the feed tag and it's 1450ppm copper and 32.5ppm selenium and 2:1 CA/PH as well. So, we'll see how it works. I may try the dairy lactation pellet. It was 18% and looked pretty good. Otherwise I normally feed a mare/foal pellet to my girls on the stand.

Vicki McGaugh TX Nubians · #32 01/23/09, 10:51 AM

What forms of copper are on the tag getting to 1450 ppm of copper? Thanks, Vicki