# Anyone use Wick’s livestock mineral?



## Sfgwife (Feb 18, 2018)

right now we use southern states weathershed cattle lose mineral. The five goats we have had will eat grain out of it when i mix it in every other day... but not if i sprinkle it over their grain itself in their daily feeds. Make a ton of sense right lol! Nope mom not when you topdress our food but yea if we need lick it to get to those last few pellets in that mineral dish it is tasty... goobers! It is bout $25 or $30 for a 50# bag i think.

We got two new bucks and she gives the wicks hi copper breeding mineral year round. She said hers like it. She sent me home with a big yogurt container full so i put some in both pens to see if our others would eat it. As we were talkin bout mineral she said she had her goats, soil and water tested cause their coats looked so ick.. ths was years ago. Anyhoo... she and the vet she uses liked this mineral for the "wonderful" nc soil.

The wicks blue label pic is the one i think is up the hill (she sent the bag home with hay in it so i could check it out). The differences i see in them are that one uses dehydrated alfalfa as a base and the other molasses and one has the extra "spice packet" i think is the main difference. The wick's is $30- $40 for a 50# bag.... so a lil more expensive but not horrible esp considering how long a bag lasts.

So. Have you used wicks and what was your experience? Also is giving the high copper ok for all the time? We are copper deficient here and i need bolus mine every four months since we got them this spring or their coats have started looked manky. And if we do use it should i still need copper bolus my goats or not? Or is the last just a watch and see kinda thing do you think since we dont actually see how much mineral everyone eats. And if you were me and decided to change to usin the wicks... which one would you pick or these if any? Or do i need put up pics of their other mineral for you to see if there may be a better choice? The hicopper does have the highest in all the vites and mineral though.

Thanks!


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## Dwarf Dad (Aug 27, 2017)

I am just learning, but the calcium-phosphorous ratio is too high toward the phosphorous for bucks and wethers on the wicks brand. I did not look too closely at the other minerals, although sodium was missing completely.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

What a responsible seller you found!
I can't get Wicks, myself, but I've heard great things about it... from people who also feed alfalfa (pellets or hay) and have a separate salt lick. You can always try and see if it meets your needs.

If your goats need copper, then give them copper, Then wait and see. That is a high level of copper, BUT the zinc:copper ratio seems off to me, so not all the copper may be available. The copper oxide in the boluses are very safe and if your goats need it now then in my opinion it is best to give it now. If they don't, then don't.

I have a thread on minerals, and I would love for you to chime in with your experiences both with the Southern States Weathershed, which I can get, and the Wicks, which I can't, but maybe others can.

Here's the link https://www.thegoatspot.net/threads/excellent-minerals-you-know-how-i-love-me-those-minerals.194612/


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