Mineral Buffet Starter Kit

Livestock Mineral Buffet

Did you know that animals get cravings too?

Well, now they can veg out on the things they actually need….

Animals instinctually eat the things they need. They will choose weeds and grasses according to taste, just as they will lick at a salt or mineral block, because their bodies are telling them that they need whatever is in it.

Livestock in a natural, pasture-based setting will eat just enough of what is good for them if it is available. Notice I said pasture based. I don’t mean your silly ole billy goat who finds a way to bust into the feed room and eats his heart out like Scooby and Shaggy at a “haunted” sandwich festival. Its impossible for any animal to have self-control in a feed room with all the yummy smells.

Deficiencies in our livestock occur for many reasons. The main one is the lack of availability of needed minerals in their diets from pasture and hay sources. Let’s take for example the hay you

buy in the winter… The hay pastures are rarely rotationally farmed with different crops, plant matter is not added back into the soil to reintroduce nutrients, chemicals are sprayed to kill

other grasses and bugs…in the long run this reduces the bioavailability of the nutrients in the hay, and it is not as nutritious as naturally managed fields.

Well, what about your pasture? Do you do extensive soil testing to see what your pasture grasses are deficient in? Do you add costly “amendments” to the soil to try to correct the problem? Do you add in plant matter and compost to help? Truthfully, most of us don’t and we don’t know exactly what is going on out there in the back forty.

The beauty of the mineral buffet is you don’t have to! You can let the animals do the work for you. By putting out each individual mineral you allow the animals to choose exactly what their body is craving. This is much better than only setting out salt blocks or putting out a mixed loose mineral where they must consume minerals their body wont use and therefore waste your money.

The mineral buffet works for all livestock: cattle, swine, sheep, goats, chickens, rabbits, horses, etc. I have personally used it with our horse, sheep herd, KuneKune pigs and chickens.

This gives your animals the freedom of choice as their unique needs will vary with life stages and the seasons, and they won’t overeat it. The minerals also have zero flavor enhancers that make them want to consume it purely for taste so there is no overindulgence like you’d expect from that inconvenient feed room break in.

Why is this important for pet farm animals AND livestock for human consumption?

Many diseases in humans and animals are caused by malnutrition. Just because you’re eating doesn’t mean its good for you and that it’s giving your body everything that it needs to thrive. This is how we add nutrients back into our animals either for their longevity as loved pets or to provide available nutrients to the people who feed themselves and their families with them.

The animals store minerals in their bones, fat and muscle. They also poop it out back into the environment where it can be absorbed back into the earth. Our hope is that as time goes on, the minerals the animals reintroduce will improve our soil and pasture grasses, improve how well they reproduce, and improve our own health.

How much do I need to buy for my farm?

Start with the “starter kit”. This gives you 1-2lb bags of 20 different minerals that you can put out and see how your herd does and what they seem to be needing the most. As a particular mineral gets low you can get a “refill” of the individual minerals in 2lb, 5lb, or 25lb bags. This system is ideal for smaller herds.

*We do offer different pricing for those with very large herds so they can have several set ups or be able to offer enough mineral to ensure they don’t run out of anything before all the animals get a chance to take in what they need.

What do I feed it in?

We can help you come up with different feeder options based on your livestock type and herd size along with your pasture set up. Some people need mobile feeders to be able to move around as they rotationally graze. Some farms have set pastures and can have a stationary set up. There are a handful of DIY things we can tell you how to make or we can build you a custom order partitioned feeder.

The minerals and what they do…

The minerals you get in the starter kit are: Acid Neutralizer, Alkaline Neutralizer, Boron, Calcium, Cobalt, Copper, Iodine, Magnesium, Manganese, Molybdenum, Phosphorus, Potassium, Salt, Silicon, Sodium, Selenium/Vitamin E, Sulfur, Vitamin V4 (AD&E), Vitamin C&B, and Zinc.

Phosphorus: With Calcium it makes up 90% of the minerals in bones and 50% of the minerals in milk. It is also a protein building block, regulates enzyme activity, and helps maintain fluid balance between the body’s cells.

Calcium: Regulates nutrient absorption and blood clotting while also is required for bone and tooth development.

Magnesium: Helps muscle function

Sodium: Helps regulate fluid balance between cells, aids the heart in muscle contractility, and helps balance the bodies acidity.

Iodine: Required mineral for the thyroid to function appropriately. The thyroid is responsible for growth and reproductive health.

Potassium: Helps maintain correct fluid pressure between cells and helps in the bone building process. Aids the rumen efficiency by assisting bacterial growth.

Sulfur: Promotes hoof, horn and hair development.

Vitamin A: Works to keep the GI, respiratory, and reproductive tracts functioning appropriately.

Vitamin E: Required to absorb and store Vitamin A.

Vitamin D: Required to utilize both Calcium and Phosphorus.

Copper, Iron, Cobalt, Manganese, Selenium, and Zinc:

These trace elements are only needed in tiny amounts but when livestock are deficient in them it can cause long term issues like anemia, cardiomyopathy, digestive inefficiency, improper vitamin synthesis, and death of offspring.