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Keep an eye out for cattle licking concrete walls, floors, slats and urine, as these are signs that animals are lacking trace elements in their diet.
Cattle to watch include weanlings and stores getting rolled barley on top of silage without any form of mineral supplementation.
Even if weanlings are getting 1kg/day of a compound ration, the mineral levels included in the mix may be insufficient to meet the nutritional requirement of these animals.
Highly digestible forage can also be a contributing factor, as feeds are passing through the rumen too quickly before minerals can be absorbed.
Added benefit
Salt blocks and supplementary minerals can help to curtail this problem, as can introducing more fibre to improve rumen function.
An added benefit with salt licks is that it can improve overall feed intakes, benefiting growing cattle or cows in milk.
Cattle usually self-regulate their intake when salt blocks are offered, reducing the risk of animals of over-dosing. If the problem persists, consult with your vet.
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