Salt, along with other minerals, is necessary to sustain life in cattle. Much like with humans, they are essential building blocks for living beings to perform at their best. It is needed for the body to perform even the most basic of functions.
The interesting thing about salt is that cattle have a natural “urge” for it. This urge means that they will actually seek it out, unlike the other minerals. If they cannot find it, they will try to ingest it from different sources, such as tree bark, dirt, and even urine.
As mentioned earlier, salt is essential to the overall function of a cow. Along with aiding with milk production, it will assist with other functions. These functions are reproduction, blood flow, and even sweating (which should be obvious).
Is salt necessary for cows?
With the few lines that I have mentioned above, the answer to that question is Yes! Salt is an essential nutrient needed for the general functioning of cattle.
Salt is a necessary mineral for cows and is one that they need to consume daily. This daily need does not mean you will have to force-feed this to your cattle. They can naturally derive salt from things like the forages they consume in the pasture. In fact, depending on where your ranch is located, they can even get sodium from the water they drink.
Since they will need to consume it daily, it is a good idea for you to monitor the amount they are taking in to ensure they are getting enough. A deficiency in this can lead to things like a loss of appetite, which will lead to weight loss and decreased production.
And salt does not just help out the individual cow in particular. As I mentioned earlier, it also helps with milk production, thus helping the calf. The sodium found in salt helps with the absorption of calcium.
The fact that they will seek it out can also be beneficial to you. You can use it as a top dressing or in a mixture to get them to consume other minerals that they need. Also, you can utilize it to bring them to parts of the pasture they do not usually go to. This action will help get a more even grazing coverage of your pastures.
What are their requirements?
The amount of salt your cows will need to consume will depend on their age and stage of production. For example, a dry, mature cow will require less than one that is in the early lactation stage.
But how much do they need? Well, research done by the University of Missouri says that the maximum level advisable is 0.08% of the dry matter intake for dry cows and 0.1% for lactating cows.
A general rule of thumb is that cattle must consume 0.005% to 0.01% of their body weight as salt daily. For a 1,200-lb cow, that would mean the cow needs to eat between 0.06 and 0.12 lbs daily.
| Body Weight lb | Salt Consumption lb/day | ||
|---|---|---|---|
| low | average | high | |
| 300 | 0.3 | 0.5 | 0.6 |
| 500 | 0.5 | 0.6 | 0.7 |
| 700 | 0.6 | 0.7 | 0.9 |
| 900 | 0.7 | 0.9 | 1.1 |
| 1100 | 0.8 | 1.1 | 1.3 |
| 1300 | 0.9 | 1.3 | 1.5 |
| 1500 | 1.0 | 1.4 | .6 |
The type of feed that cows consume can also affect the amount of salt they will eat. Cows tend to eat more salt with a high-forage diet vs a high-concentrate one.
It is also worth noting that they will consume more when the grass is “green and succulent” vs. when it is in the mature growth stage. This reason is because less salt is available in the younger forages.
Why do I need to supplement salt?
The short answer to this question is that forages alone will not generally provide all the salt your cows need to consume. The amount they can get from forages will depend on the part of the country they are in, what the topography is, and even what kind of fertilizer they use.
Many grass species that can be found in the pasture will only provide 1/2 to 1/6 of the required nutrient amount. This deficiency is another example of why it is a good idea for you to have your forages tested. It is so you can know what nutrients they will provide and which you will need to supplement.
Another factor you must consider is what other minerals are present in your grasses. Minerals like potassium can inhibit the absorption of salt. It is crucial for you to find the right balance between minerals for your cows to reach optimal performance.
Speaking of mineral balance, the salt-potassium balance in your cows is related to their absorption of Magnesium. This balance is why, in the early spring, it is possible for your cows to get grass tetany. During this time, potassium is high in forages while salt is low at the same time.
Yet another reason that you will need to supplement salt is that mixing salt with other mineral supplements will make them more palatable for your cows. Going back to tetany, things like Magnesium oxide alone are unpalatable. Hence, it would be best to mix it with salt for the cattle to eat it.
A caution with supplementing salt for your cows is that you will need to keep an eye on their consumption rates. While it is rare for salt toxicity to occur, it is possible.
Types of salt supplements for cows
When it comes to providing salt supplements for your cows, they typically come in 2 forms: loose and block. While one may not be superior to the other, it depends entirely on your particular situation and needs.
One drawback to using loose minerals is that cows tend to consume more of them while they are in this form. The reason for this is because they do not have to work as hard to get it vs with a block. Another thing to remember is that loose consumption can be sporadic. Cows can go for days without eating and then suddenly will gorge themselves.
If you do go with the loose salt supplement, one option that you can go with is to pour it over the ration that you will be putting out for them. Doing this can help with the consumption of the ration and control the amount of salt that they are eating.
With blocks, there are a few options that you can choose from:
White Salt Blocks
- This one contains just regular table salt, nothing more
- Since it provides no other nutritional value, this one is not really recommended
- The only use that this one has is using it to draw cattle into underutilized areas of the pasture
Yellow Salt Blocks
- Along with salt, this one contains sulfur as well
- Developed for use in southern US pastures that have a problem with insects and ticks
Brown or Trace Mineral Salt Blocks
- It contains cobalt, iodine, iron, zinc, copper, molybdenum, and manganese
- This one is an excellent all-around salt block to use
- Producers in the Western ranges should use this one
If you are looking to learn more about the pros and cons of the different types of blocks out there, I discuss that in a previous article, ” Which color salt block is best?”.
If you are going to be feeding it in either loose or block form, it is best to place it near a water source. With the increased consumption, they will need to drink more water to help prevent toxicity.
