The Dick Richardson / Pat Colby / Mark Bader: separate mineral smorgasbord for stock

1. Firstly Salt goes out on it’s own for at least a week before anything else goes out and it needs to then always be available on its own.

Then the following go out each in separate containers.

2. Lime for Calcium

3. Dolomite for Magnesium

4. Potassium Chloride

5. Bentonite

6. Di-atomatious earth

7. Sulphur

8. Dicalcium – Phosphorous – salt mixed to a P6 to a P9

lastly with a gap from the others

9. Copper Sulphate

ROLES:

Salt: Na controls the osmotic pressure in the the inter cell body fluids and is used as the main ionisation, transport and mositure manager of the life systems. Salt is lost by an animal all the time through dung, urine, tear ducts, Saliva and nasal pores for cooling. In humans add sweating! It is the most important of all elements in the animals body and should never be withheld.

Ca: Bones, meat and Ph

Mg: Magnesium controls cell wall condition and allows for the permeability of the cell wall. This manages all nutrient, energy and moisture movement in the body. Is essential for the development od new cells too obviously. Plays a roll in keeping stock clam and tractable during Ca and Nitrogen excesses of green grass. Ca : Mg : K : and Na ratios must be manageable for animals. Shortages in any of these results in limitations to production and growth as the ratios all need to be maintained.

K: Osmotic pressure inside the cells, read Mg and see it inside the cell.

Bentonite: Used mostly in the gut as a free radical to attach excesses to. ie N excesses can be removed by attaching to the bentonite. Likewise tannins. Terpenes and other toxins.

DE: Much the same as Bentonite, however they do also supply silica to the body.

S: All important in that any anti-body has to have a protein with a Sulphur attached to be created. S is all important in the synthesis of all N. Animals will use the S with the 2 above to manage internal parasite loads too. While S will also be used as an insect and biting parasite inhibitor too.

P: Ca to P ratios are all important for blood condition and for the development of both bone and meat. We almost invariably have cattle on green feed Ca excess for too much of the year so we need to have a Ca:P ratio that is less than 2:1 (Bone and blood ratios) in this mineral box. So find a low Ca to High P ratio. You can find them at the feed store. Dical-Phos or mono-dical-phos. Mix it with salt to create a 6 to 9% P mix. ie if you have a 21% P di cal, mixed 1:1 with salt it would be a 11.5% P and if you mixed 1:2 with salt you would have a 7%P (a P7). The P7 would be more likely taken by stock than the 11.1P would.

Cu: Used a little bit everywhere, largely in a synthesis role. Especially of elements like Phosphorous for example. This is placed separately as it can dribble over and contaminate other tubs and result in an overdose.

I think that when this has been out for stock for a month or so and intakes have settled, it would be fine to put out kelp or seaweed on its own too for the rest of the trace elements.