Lack of sodium can be a production limiting issue.

It is easily fixed with salt.

 

 

The idea for the MacKenzie Country Salt Block came out of discussions with farmers at the 2004 MacKenzie-Waitaki Merino Association Flock 2-tooth Ewe Competition. The request was made for a simple mineralized salt block containing a few key minerals suitable for the MacKenzie area. The minerals included would target maintenance/improvement in general stock health, production and reproduction. MacKenzie Country Salt Block has achieved these objectives.

Mineral	Summit MacKenzie Country Salt Block 20kg
Salt	98.1
Calcium (Ca)	0
Copper (Cu) mg/kg	0
Zinc (Zn) mg/kg	1050
Iodine (I) mg/kg	297
Cobalt (Co) mg/kg	124
Selenium (Se) mg/kg	9
Iron (Fe) mg/kg	80
Magnesium (Mg) mg/kg	0
Flavour	No
Application	Make blocks freely available all year round
Animal exclusions	None
Packaging	Safety Slings (30x20kg blocks per sling)

Dose Rates: make salt blocks freely available as required

• 20kg blocks – sheep, goats, camelids – 1 block per 50 head, 1 block should last +50 days, consumption 5-10g/head/day
• 20kg blocks – cattle, deer – 1 block per 10 head, 1 block should last +50 days, consumption 15-25g/head/day

Warnings:

• For animal treatment only.
• Make sure animals have access to fresh water when feeding salt.
• Do not exceed the recommended dose rates.
• Do not use at the same time as any other selenised fertilizer prill or product without consulting a veterinarian.

Sodium and Production

Salt is lost in milk, urine, faeces, sweat and saliva. And it is not insignificant – a cow milking 20 litres/day can lose the equivalent of 35g of salt in the milk each day. Pasture can be low in sodium and bulk feeds are often deficient. The benefits of sodium supplementation have been demonstrated in NZ and overseas.

Animals have a strong appetite for salt but individual salt needs will vary. Factors influencing needs include:

• Sodium and chloride levels in the pasture
• Sodium and chloride levels in the water
• The production cycle – growth, reproduction and lactation will increase requirements
• Temperature/humidity – sweating will increase sodium requirements
• Potassium levels in the diet – animals will try to balance high potassium feeds with additional salt to maintain fluid balance
• Low sodium levels in bulk feeds

Summit MacKenzie Salt Blocks are a cost effective way of supplementing essential minerals while providing the salt required to maintain production

Summit recommends:

• Salt in some form should be available at all times all year around
• Salt blocks should be available at all times when grazing Lucerne
• More salt is available to lactating, young and growing animals
• More salt is available when feeding fibrous feeds
• Salt blocks should be available when grazing pasture recently fertilized with potassium

Minerals

NZ soils are low in a number of minerals including iodine (I), cobalt (Co), Zinc (Zn) and selenium (Se). These minerals have roles to play in immunity, general animal health, growth and reproduction.

Iodine is a potential problem in the High Country because indigenous vegetation is likely to have a low iodine content. The most obvious sign of iodine deficiency is enlargement of the thyroid gland (goitre). Lambs can be born weak, dead, or with little wool cover. Without goitre, iodine deficiency has been implicated in depression of wool production, milk production and reproductive performance. Trials in the South Island have demonstrated production responses to iodine supplementation.

Based on “The Mineral Requirements of Grazing Ruminants” by N.D.Grace, a 10g lick of the MacKenzie Country Salt Block will provide more than the daily intake requirements for Na, I and Co, and will provide useful supplements to boost Se and Zn intakes.

MacKenzie Country Salt Blocks were trialed on 4  farms in Autumn 2006. Stock on all farms found the salt block palatable. With minimal gaps in availability of salt to stock they consumed on average 2.5g of salt per head per day. At this intake rate useful mineral contributions are being made. Allowing for weathering losses, over half the theoretical yearly requirements for Co and I for 3,000 sheep could be provided with 3 tonnes of MacKenzie Country Salt Blocks.

Weathering

All salt is soluble. Summit Salt Block formulations improve water shedding. Trials prove Summit Salt Blocks last nearly 4 times longer than rock salt and require twice as much rainfall before being broken down when exposed to weather elements.