More Questions, minerals required??

jaginsligo

Hi,

So today I was checking on the bullocks (i only have 7 and this is the 1st year farming) i noticed 2 of them eating and licking clay. another one had a very rough winter and he's coat is rough and he's just not coming on as well as the others. They all got dosed before I left them out. I only have the for a month but I want to give them the best chance they can have. I've been give them a bucket of nuts once a day since they arrived but that will be ending next week as grass grows (fingers crossed). They are 7 fresians if that makes any difference.
Do they need a lick or minerals, would it help the rough one or will i just let them be and give them time.

Thanks

Charolois 19

jaginsligo wrote: »

Hi,

So today I was checking on the bullocks (i only have 7 and this is the 1st year farming) i noticed 2 of them eating and licking clay. another one had a very rough winter and he's coat is rough and he's just not coming on as well as the others. They all got dosed before I left them out. I only have the for a month but I want to give them the best chance they can have. I've been give them a bucket of nuts once a day since they arrived but that will be ending next week as grass grows (fingers crossed). They are 7 fresians if that makes any difference.
Do they need a lick or minerals, would it help the rough one or will i just let them be and give them time.

Thanks

Id always leave a lick bucket with them, and a block of thst himalayan rock salt, your better looking at it than for it, and they last, they say they don't lick at them if they don't need it, I don't know mine are always at it but I think it's because it's sweet, was looking at going the bolus route if I ever install my new gate, but im assuming your from sligo by the name as am I and some sligo soils can be high in Molybdenum either locks up or stops the animal absorbing copper, going on this from my soil tests and teagesc advisor, so perhaps it could he that?
Cobalt b12 could give them a boost either,

I'll tell you something for what it's worth tho, I only started farming in 2017, couple of weanling heifers, no experience with Cattle, and I used to worry myself into a knott, am I feeding right, dosing right are they looking o.k, why are they doing that, and jesus then I'd start looking on the Internet and it would only worry me more, each year goes by I know a bit more and worry a bit less, and you'll always see something new but that's all part of it,

A lot of the time I've found from coming to farming later in life early 30s, from my experience starting out is to take it all as it comes and try not to worry to much, not saying neglect or investigate if you think something isn't right, but sometimes we're our own worst enemy, and theres plenty of advice and help out there, here included, christ I asked some questions looking back, and each time we learn something new, we're in wild lucky positions to be able to farm and even the days you'd feel like throwing your hat at it, there outweighed by the good ones and most importantly don't forget to stand back and enjoy it because so many out there would trade all for what we are fortunate enough to be able to do,

Hope this doesn't sound condescending or that, but I've been in the exact same place as yourself not so long ago

jaginsligo

Charolois 19 wrote: »

Id always leave a lick bucket with them, and a block of thst himalayan rock salt, your better looking at it than for it, and they last, they say they don't lick at them if they don't need it, I don't know mine are always at it but I think it's because it's sweet, was looking at going the bolus route if I ever install my new gate, but im assuming your from sligo by the name as am I and some sligo soils can be high in Molybdenum either locks up or stops the animal absorbing copper, going on this from my soil tests and teagesc advisor, so perhaps it could he that?
Cobalt b12 could give them a boost either,

I'll tell you something for what it's worth tho, I only started farming in 2017, couple of weanling heifers, no experience with Cattle, and I used to worry myself into a knott, am I feeding right, dosing right are they looking o.k, why are they doing that, and jesus then I'd start looking on the Internet and it would only worry me more, each year goes by I know a bit more and worry a bit less, and you'll always see something new but that's all part of it,

A lot of the time I've found from coming to farming later in life early 30s, from my experience starting out is to take it all as it comes and try not to worry to much, not saying neglect or investigate if you think something isn't right, but sometimes we're our own worst enemy, and theres plenty of advice and help out there, here included, christ I asked some questions looking back, and each time we learn something new, we're in wild lucky positions to be able to farm and even the days you'd feel like throwing your hat at it, there outweighed by the good ones and most importantly don't forget to stand back and enjoy it because so many out there would trade all for what we are fortunate enough to be able to do,

Hope this doesn't sound condescending or that, but I've been in the exact same place as yourself not so long ago

Great advice, I'm at that craic, if they look sideways I'm thinking is there a problem but then I did have a couple with a touch of pneumonia & one with redwater so I'm on high alert
Yes I'm from Sligo so good point on copper.
Any particular lick for beef cattle? Do they have himalayan salt in connaught gold?
Thanks again for the reply, makes me feel someway normal

Charolois 19

jaginsligo wrote: »

Great advice, I'm at that craic, if they look sideways I'm thinking is there a problem but then I did have a couple with a touch of pneumonia & one with redwater so I'm on high alert
Yes I'm from Sligo so good point on copper.
Any particular lick for beef cattle? Do they have himalayan salt in connaught gold?
Thanks again for the reply, makes me feel someway normal

Aw stop I know the story, but it will come good and you will soon be flying, I dont know if the sell it in connaught gold tonbe honest? I do get all of n.w agri in coollooney, I get the acorn calf to beef molasses block, white bucket with a purple lid, and he has the salt, you can get it in bag with a pile of lumps in it, I do drill a hole in it and hang it beside the water drinkers, if they arnt used to a bucket , throw a few nuts on top of it to get them at it and they will soon pick it up

jaginsligo

Charolois 19 wrote: »

Aw stop I know the story, but it will come good and you will soon be flying, I dont know if the sell it in connaught gold tonbe honest? I do get all of n.w agri in coollooney, I get the acorn calf to beef molasses block, white bucket with a purple lid, and he has the salt, you can get it in bag with a pile of lumps in it, I do drill a hole in it and hang it beside the water drinkers, if they arnt used to a bucket , throw a few nuts on top of it to get them at it and they will soon pick it up

Thanks again for the info. I work in collooney so I'll pick it up there