My horses are eating minerals like crazy

I have never seen my horses go so nuts over their minerals before. Normally, I keep out free choice minerals and salt and see someone on a rare occasion utilizing them. But this winter, I can't seem to keep the mineral containers full. (They do get plenty of good food twice a day plus beet pulp once a day with ample hay and daily turn out.)

My first reaction is we must have a terrible mineral deficiency here somehow; after all it is winter. Maybe Purina may have once again changed their Purina 12-12 mineral recipe to make it taste like candy. Or maybe my hay isn't the best this year as we did have a drought again and the hay is certainly not its best. Perhaps its this terrible cold, nasty winter we are having that is causing this sudden love of minerals. OR, a combination of all of the above. I will continue to keep the containers full and hope this will eventually level off once spring is here.

Has anyone else noticed this in their horses?

Mine dont typically go through the minerals but do the salt. The only ones that get any type of grain is the two older ones. However this year they dont have the access as normal becuase everytime I put them out the get burried in the snow. Right now its so deep that its not possible to even get to it. I cant put them in side as one mare will corner the others and kick the crap out of them if given the chance. Everything has to be out in the open.

Marty,

I just refilled the minerals again this morning. They are going through plenty of it. I keep free choice horse minerals out and a salt block. It's the minerals that certain ones want.

I haven't notice them licking the mineral licks any more then usual, in fact one gelding has thrown his to the back of his stall, but then on the other hand, my brood mares have two buckets of water, one with just water, one with electolits added. They have been drinking out of both. Maybe it's the dry air. They only drink the elctrolit water when it is really needed. Then again It's been a funny year all around.

I just put out the Purina Free Balance 12:12 Mineral Blocks along with the 16 % (200 lb) Protein Tubs without urea that are made specifically for horses in all (7) of our paddocks about 2 weeks ago and I haven't noticed any increased interest in them with the exception of (1) specific paddock. Each of our paddocks has about (7-8) horses in them. So I'd think that if there was something different about the 12:12 Mineral Block I'd see something across the board.

 

Along with that they also have free choice coastal hay all day and they get feed good leafy green, green alfalfa daily. Then there are a few of them that are hard to keep and their given Strategy daily as well.

 

I didn't place any Salt Blocks out with them because research shows that there not recommended to be utilized in conjunction with the other product since they already include salt in them. Otherwise, your horses will be more inclined to consume the salt block and not consume the other vitamins/nutrients that they actually need....

Pica is the condition where an animal will eat unusually due to a deficiency. Although it does happen, its really quite rare.

In general animals eat what tastes good and feed companies know this. Just be aware and don't 'feed' minerals, vitamins, or proteins. Just supplement them.

Dr Taylor

No changes here.

I keep the 50# mineral salt blocks in all pastures and paddocks and 4# bricks in all stalls along with white salt blocks and bricks, but I only give the inevitably "sweet" mineral licks/tubs to new horses that I know or suspect are in need (you can usually tell when you buy a horse if it's "had the best" or "done without" in its life). I try to feed my horses a high quality, well-balanced diet and I don't do a lot of supplementation unless there is a specific need in an individual animal. I do know that the hay that I was able to obtain this year was not as good as in years past (sans testing, I can tell just by looking at it) and their mineral consumption seems to be right on track with last year, which kind of shocked me.

I only use the #1 salt blocks in the stalls. None of mine seem to be using them excessively except for the double reg. Shetland. He can go thru a salt block in about a month. His first block was finished in 2 weeks. However, before I had him I was told he drank water excessively and peed his stall full. Since he's been here and had the salt blocks and free access to water day and night, he's down to drinking about 5 gallon or a bit less a day and restricts his wet to one small area of the stall. "good boy!"

No changes here, either. My girls, actually, haven't touched their salt licks for years. I guess it's because they're on Gro 'n Win which is fortified with lots of vitamins, salt, and minerals. I do change the blocks when they get old and crumbly, but it's in vain lol

Sandee said:

I only use the #1 salt blocks in the stalls.

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I have never seen (or heard of) a 1 pound salt block, I have only seen the small 4 pound bricks and the large 50 pound blocks. Where do you get your 1 pound bricks? What do they look like? How are they shaped (square, rectangle, etc.)?

Annabellarose said:

I have never seen (or heard of) a 1 pound salt block, I have only seen the small 4 pound bricks and the large 50 pound blocks. Where do you get your 1 pound bricks? What do they look like? How are they shaped (square, rectangle, etc.)?

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Woops, miss typed. Actually they didn't seem to weigh that much (4 lb) but that must be what they are.