05/10/2025
Did you know we have barrels of minerals around the pastures for our cattle?
We have half barrels with a thick rubber lid that the cows can lift with their nose and lick some of the minerals inside. This keeps it out of the weather and the dirt. Salt and mineral blocks are good too but they tend to break down out in the elements and leech into the ground. Then the cattle lick the ground for the minerals and that's not efficient or healthy.
Minerals help cattle in various ways. It helps limit flies in the summer, prevents hoof rot in the winter when it's wet and muddy, and deters lice throughout the year. Having to treat for all these symptoms individually would be time-consuming and stressful as we have to work them in a corral system to treat for these things. Their bodies tell them when they are deficient in certain areas so they only take in what they need. While it's a little pricey, it certainly helps with the health of the herd and is a time saver.
