-----Original Message----- From: John Carlton [mailto:doublejfar...@gmail.com] Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 7:31 PM To: 'blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info' Subject: RE: [Blackbelly] (no subject)
Mineral supplements, as the name implies, are intended to supplement whatever may be lacking in the natural soils. Check out "USGS -mineral resources on-line spatial data" (http://tin.er.usgs.gov/geochemistry/county.php) to see what the average mineral concentrations are and what may be lacking in your part of the world and/or have a soil test performed - then you can match up the supplement. Oops...may have to wait until the gov shutdown is over. I'm a contrary......I have been using "Sweetlix 6% CopperHead" cattle mineral (1800ppm copper content) for my ABB and Katahdin sheep for several years (in consultation with the local USDA scrapie vet who breeds Katahdins). I mix in about 2% DE and feed loose salt separately. Apparently hair sheep do not have the same sensitivity to copper as their wooly counterparts, and the copper appears to reduce the worm load, or at least keep the blood O2 levels up. The sheep can also get to the regular cattle minerals but rarely partake. My cows actually seem to prefer the CopperHead...DUH! To each their own....this does not constitute a recommendation by me or by USDA. John Carlton Double J Farms -----Original Message----- From: blackbelly-boun...@lists.blackbellysheep.info [mailto:blackbelly-boun...@lists.blackbellysheep.info] On Behalf Of Carol Elkins Sent: Wednesday, October 02, 2013 5:52 PM To: blackbelly@lists.blackbellysheep.info; Ellen Brouillette Subject: Re: [Blackbelly] (no subject) I use a loose sheep mineral, one that has no copper in it. Yes it is outrageously expensive, but my sheep don't eat much of it very fast so it lasts a long time (a bag every year or so). In contrast, when I used a mineral block, they ate it like candy because of the molasses that glued everything together to form the block. You can view an easy-to-make loose mineral feeder at https://picasaweb.google.com/Carol.Elkins/GatesPensChutesAndFeeders?feat=emb edwebsite I also keep a salt block available. Carol At 08:07 PM 10/1/2013, you wrote: >any recomdations for a mineral supplement. Do blackbelly sheep need it? >What I have been using seems expencive. Carol Elkins Critterhaven--Registered Barbados Blackbelly Hair Sheep (no shear, no dock, no fuss) Pueblo, Colorado http://www.critterhaven.biz _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info _______________________________________________ This message is from the Blackbelly mailing list Visit the list's homepage at %http://www.blackbellysheep.info
