Mineral strangeness

[Minelson]

I have been using Cargill Right Now Onyx minerals. It lasts a long time and I hardly ever saw the goats eating it. Only Flossie because she has to show me her appreciation and nibble on anything I put out for them while I clean their stall. She is such a sweetheart
Any way, I still have some of the loose minerals left and just left it out planning on discontinuing when all gone because I give them Replamin once a week. Since I started giving Replamin I noticed they are chowing the loose minerals down! I see them all in there eating it up.
I would think it would be the exact opposite and they wouldn't feel the need to eat them with their mineral needs met with the Replamin.
Why do they always have to do something strange to worry me?!

[Alice In TX/MO]

Mine are doing that, too.

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

Mine are doing that, too.

So what do you think Alice? Are they just messing with us or do they need the minerals and the Replamin some how sparked the craving?

[LoneStrChic23]

I bet they just want the salt

[Dreamgoat Annie]

Actually, mine have eaten a LOT more loose mineral (Right Now Onyx) since I started Replamin almost 4 weeks ago. I could hardly get them to eat it before. Go figure.

Sue

[CJBegins]

Mine too and one of my black goats is turning a shiny chocolate color. Makes no sense to me......

[Alice In TX/MO]

I haven't been very vigilant with giving the Replamin every week since the end of October, thanks to various uproars in my life.

I put out about 1/2 cup of Onyx Right Now or Purina's goat mineral, and it usually lasts three days for ten goats.

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by LoneStrChic23

I bet they just want the salt

I don't think there is any salt in it....let me check

Oh it does have salt in it 20 - 24% from a 2008 post from Lamncha Paul (what ever happened to him?) It sure doesn't seem salty like other minerals....

[LoneStrChic23]

Yes, it has salt... I've tasted it

From my bag lable:

Salt: 14-16%
Sodium: 5.3-6.5%

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by LoneStrChic23

Yes, it has salt... I've tasted it

From my bag lable:

Salt: 14-16%
Sodium: 5.3-6.5%

But why would they want the salt in it when they never wanted it before??

[LoneStrChic23]

Because they are goats and like to make you wonder

Really, I dunno... I know my girls always have ate more minerals in the fall/winter, though I'm not sure why.

[JBarGFarmKeeper]

Originally Posted by Minelson

But why would they want the salt in it when they never wanted it before??

Winter....in the winter cattle guys feed "salt mix" and white salt blocks...I don't know...

[LoneStrChic23]

Pretty much all minerals have salt in them..... The salt is what attracts them. They don't eat the minerals because they know they need copper, they eat it for the salt That's why some of the lower quality minerals aren't very good... They are full of cheap filler salts, and the goats get their fill of salt before they get enough of the minerals..... Right Now Onyx is pretty low in salt compared to some of the minerals available locally, so they consume more of the minerals while trying to get their salt fix.

[Minelson]

Maybe it's a sign that we are going to have a really tough winter. They have never done this before no matter what the season. It just started after the consistent Replamin.

[Frosted Mini's]

Most goats I think eat more minerals when bred. And in winter, they may not be getting enough vitamins/minerals in the rest of their feedstuffs, especially if they are eating greens in the summer time and go to dry hay winter. But hay loses quality over time anyway, so in winter it will be lower in nutrients than when it was first cut, so even dry-lotted goats probably get a little more in summer out of it.

On the other hand, I do think it is mostly the salt craving driving mineral intake. Perhaps the Replamin is doing something with their electrolyte balance, which is causing them to crave more salt.

[Alice In TX/MO]

If we can judge by the Fire Ant beds, it is going to be a wet and nasty winter. The goats put HEAVY winter coats, too. Maybe the mineral thing is related?

[Minelson]

We welcome a wet winter even if it comes with nasty. We need it so bad.

[LoneStrChic23]

Originally Posted by Alice In TX/MO

If we can judge by the Fire Ant beds, it is going to be a wet and nasty winter. The goats put HEAVY winter coats, too. Maybe the mineral thing is related?

Wish mine did! None of my girls have even half of their normal winter coats... It snowed here at the begining if the week and they were all miserable (but loved their hot soaked beet pulp breakfast).

Of course, today we hit 70°....... Stupid weather.....

[PKBoo]

Uh oh - I thought that once they started the Replamin that we didn't need to put out loose minerals... I've been using Replamin weekly for a few months now.

I thought that would be too many minerals - that the Replamin was supplying everything they needed

I've got Right Now Onyx that I was using before starting Replamin - should I be putting that out too?

[Minelson]

Originally Posted by PKBoo

Uh oh - I thought that once they started the Replamin that we didn't need to put out loose minerals... I've been using Replamin weekly for a few months now.

I thought that would be too many minerals - that the Replamin was supplying everything they needed

I've got Right Now Onyx that I was using before starting Replamin - should I be putting that out too?

That is my understanding too. That using the Replamin replaces the need for loose minerals and copper bolus. We are supposed to be saving money not spending more lol!! I'm wondering if I should take the loose away...I don't want them to OD on Selenium.