Mineral/Salt blocks

[LittleRibbie]

Cam has discovered his mineral block....I have 1 in the stall and a bigger ones in pasture...he never bothers the one in the pasture. I have watched him for 15 min. at a time licking the one in the stall. Am I not giving him something else that he needs or is this just a good new taste for him to try. This is when the stall door is open and there are other things around ....in other words i dont think hes bored and just looking for something to do. Hes drinking water and of course still on mom. So I guess my ? is....Can a foal have too much and is there something I should be watching for if he continues to go at it like hes doing.

Thanks

heidi

 

[HGFarm]

My personal opinion from my own observations is that Minis eat a LOT more salt than the full sized horses. And I have noticed that foals start on the salt blocks pretty early. I have never limited salt on a horse and never had a problem with them eating 'too much'.

I also think they need a lot of minerals, etc.. while they are growing- much more than an idle mature horse.

Actually I have lately switched to the 'sea salt' type blocks that look like a big rock?- they LOVE them and these have WAY more in them in the way of minerals, etc...

 

[Reignmaker Miniatures]

I have had foals who got too interested in eating the salt. Inevitably they get runny poop but it is easily cured when that occurs by taking the salt away until they are older/bigger.

 

[chandab]

My personal opinion from my own observations is that Minis eat a LOT more salt than the full sized horses.

That's interesting, cause mine hardly touch their salt. I've tried blocks and loose, plain white and trace mineral, and they aren't that interested. They'll sample it, but don't really go to town on it. This year, its been hard to keep the salt available with all the rain we've had, it keeps desolving it.

 

[Mini Love]

I allways keep Mineral Trace blocks ( red one ) out, 1 near there water 1 in the barn, My rescue foal found it and really enjoyed it for a few days, then switched to a lick here and there. They will last for ever.

 

I bought a Dumor Mineral Block @ 10.00 ( more a compressed mineral Flakes) and they flocked to it, kicking it around and in a week it was gone, i thought man they must be lacking something bad.

 

Went to go get another one

 

 

Well after talking to a good Feed person at my store who see's how hard i try, he informed me the Dumor block i gave them was mostly food, he siad if your looking for minerals stay away from blocks with piece of corn or grain, they are small but they are there

. I am lucky I didnt make any one sick

 

 

He said if I am worried about them lacking something ( new rescues & and the ones i have had to cut back on feed - to fat LOL ) & they all ready have have a salt mineral trace block he recommed

Free Balance ®12:12 Supplement

 

NOT a FEED laced Block and it is 94+% Minerals and only 5+% salt

 

Down fall is the price 31.00 BUT they dont eat it they lick it, I bought mine all most 3 weeks ago and it has few lick mark rutts that they use - they are not chewing it or kicking it around... at that price it is kept in side rain will melt it away.

 

 

Purina Mills

 

 

Heres a link to the Guaranteed Analysis

 

http://www.valleyvet.com/ct_library_info.html?product=9c5b33a2-ded9-46f1-bcf3-c10f4caa07ff&showText=1

 

 

Just so you know I do not work for purina.

 

 

But after trying many feeds, supps and so on over the last 3 years with these rescues, I will be sticking with Purina Miniature & Pony Feed and the 12:12 Block

 

I for once do not have 4 and 5 different bags I am working out of

Yet most of what i was using is now in one bag...

 

Cant beat it price wise.Calcium (min)

 

12.0%

​

Calcium (max)

 

14.0%

​

Phosphorus (min)

 

12.0%

​

Salt (min)

 

4.50%

​

Salt (max)

 

5.50%

​

Potassium (min)

 

0.40%

​

Magnesium (min)

 

1.20%

​

Copper (min)

 

1,740 ppm

​

Zinc (min)

 

6,800 ppm

​

Selenium (min)

 

35 ppm

​

Selenium (max)

 

36 ppm

​

Iodine (min)

 

40 ppm

​

Iron (min)

 

4,300 ppm

​

Cobalt (min)

 

9 ppm

​

Manganese (min)

 

3,400 PPM

​

Sulfur (min)

 

0.10%

​

Vitamin A (min)

 

80,000 IU/lb

​

Vitamin D (min)

 

8,000 IU/lb

​

Vitamin E (min)

 

1,400 IU/lb

​

Ruminant Meat and Bone Meal Free

 

 

[frostedpineminis]

not a problem, but have seen a foal get very dehydrated at the clinic I work at and needed IV fluid, was a big foal but still same principal, just make sure that you see him drink water often.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Laurie, thanks interresting...I do have one of the "big rock' sea salt types in the other horses area...I havent noticed if they lick more or less of it.

never had any horses eat/lick feed type blocks...never new it.

I think cam has lost his interrest in the block b/c i have not seen him go at it like before. No loose stools either. Will have to check for corn/grain in blocks...Im not even sure what kind i buy! Thanks Mini love for giving me something to look into.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Thanks Diane, I have seen that and never bought it. Do you even bother w/the big blocks?

 

[LittleRibbie]

I understand, thanks!! Are you getting the rain storms there yet...horrible all day here!! Nasty..but at least its a little cooler!!

 

[HGFarm]

I keep regular white blocks out too- they have access to both, and use both, depending on what they want.

 

[LittleRibbie]

Thanks laurie, I think I will continue to leave mine out with the others as well...though i dont even have one in the foal pasture yet.

 

[MindyLee]

I work at TSC and just today I went to a fall meeting where we learned about a lot of our products and in one of my classes covered: forage, supplements, and wormers.

I found out that horses can over dose on selenium salt if they eat to much and could possibly die from it.

Scarey!

OFF THE SUBJECT BUT WOULD LIKE TO SHARE

* I also learned that a horse NO MATTER WHAT can NOT live without some kind of forage in their diet. Which I mean is, If all you feed was grain and supplements, the horse may live but only for about 9 months before it passes away, because it's insides would shut down.

* ALSO, A pound of feed (hay as a example) either pelleted, flaked, cubed, or compressed, a pound is a pound no matter what.

* AND lastly, Nutrina Feeds offers a 40lb bag of a supplement/nutriance mix.

 

[Tab]

I would agree that this is not a problem.