I would appreciate some feedback here. Our family recently added two wethers (Lewis and Clark) to our quiver and would like some advice on supplements. The woman we purchased the goats from is a great source of knowledge and has been raising Nigerian Dwarf's for many years. She recommended a salt block/lick, but in my research I see many people giving their goats loose minerals. What are the advantages/disadvantages of each? What should I give Lewis and Clark?? Also -- in giving me your take, please be specific with what kind/brand salt lick/loose minerals you would recommend (i.e. can you give a goat an equine/cattle salt lick?). Thanks a ton!
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Mine has access to free-choice Sweetlix meat maker minerals and I also give him COWP (Copper Oxide Wire Particles) every 3 months and he has a beautiful soft coat! Other than that he just gets costal hay and whatever browse he wants from his pasture area. Occasionally I'll give him about a tablespoon of Black Oil Sunflower Seeds as a treat and scraps from my garden.
A good goat mineral will have about 1500 ppm copper. Sweetlix Meat Maker is one that has that much.
I agree with everything Margaret said. Those mineral blocks they sell at farm stores don't have enough minerals in them to be of much use, and horses and cows have different needs. If you had breeding animals, a cattle mineral might be okay, but a really good one will have more copper in it, which wethers won't need. They are easy keepers, but they do need a decent amount of minerals, so Meat Maker by Sweetlix is a good loose mineral. A salt lick doesn't do anything for goats. I actually don't think I've ever heard anyone say that they only give their goats a salt lick without minerals. Maybe this other lady has some amazing browse or feeds supplemental grain (which wethers don't need) or something else that helps provide everything her goats need. I actually never had a buck live past the age of 3 until I figured out how to get enough copper into them, so minerals are really important.
I think most people on here do use loose minerals or maybe I should have said almost all of us probably do. Yes the kind is important and a salt lick is not going to provide everything they need. They NEED copper and other things that are provided in a mineral supplement. Loose is much better than blocks because they are not as likely to consume enough of what they need unless they are loose. I use sweetlix loose livestock minerals. I think a lot of us also use that and it is about 16.00 for I think 25 pounds. Comes in a turquoise colored bag. One bag will last your 2 , oh about year! The minerals really are very important and other than that all they should need is good grass hay and clean water. Weathers, after they are about 6 months don't usually need grain. LOVE THE NAMES!