salt mineral?

[wildhorse]

A friend of my moms lost a cow he told mom that he had given her a salt/mineral block and that she bloated and died from it....Is that possible? I could see an overload on really rich grass causing bloat but a salt and mineral block.

[gone-a-milkin]

I have a friend whose HORSE got into a mineral lick with molasses~ ate about half of it and died. She was a really pushy type of lead mare and was clearly eating it all so none of the other horses could get any...(I think the molasses in it was the draw).

Never heard of that with cows, but I suppose it is possible. I always watch carefully for a while whenever introducing anything new to the animals. You can just use a loose mineral though, and not put too much out at once.

[agmantoo]

I have seen mineral starved cattle eat a huge amount of the protein blocks in a short period with no obvious consequences. Also, I have never seen a caution on the labels warning about over consumption. I can believe it would have been detrimental to a horse however. Horses founder rather easily.

[Chaty]

Never had a problem with salt or mineral blocks and I put them out all the time. I also use loose minerals. I also during the winter use the medicated loose minerals.

[copperhead46]

usually the salt is there to prevent them from over eating the mineral. I've never heard of one bloating on mineral or salt. But then, there are a lot of things I've never heard of..............
P.J.