# Loose mineral question



## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

Ok so I'm trying to find a good loose mineral to feed the goats. we have a tractor supply basically near us and was wondering if this would be ok or if you could suggest something. No other real feed stores. We have smaller feed stores but they carry mostly horse stuff

http://www.tractorsupply.com/producer-s ... s--2228311

" The wholesome mixtures include all of the essential vitamins and minerals needed to help calves/cows, poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep, hogs and horses stay healthy."

Is this ok?


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## GotmygoatMTJ (Apr 25, 2009)

Seeing as how its okay for sheep, it wouldn't have enough copper in it for the goats. Does your tractor supply not carry Manna Pro minerals for goats?
What about Sweetlix Meatmaker or Milkmaker?


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I don't see where it says it is for sheep. I just saw "Cattle." :shrug: Looks okay to me???


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## CluckyJay (Aug 3, 2011)

Can you find purina loose goat minerals? My ladies look a lot better since they started eating it!


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## Mini Goat Lover (May 4, 2011)

I feed Purina goat minerals and my goats absolutely love them.


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## milkmaid (Sep 15, 2010)

I use Cargill Right Now Onyx. It's great, and I get compliments on how healthy my goats look. Clark's Feed and Seed in Ardmore, Alabama orders it for me.
There's no iron in Onyx (we have too much iron around here already), so the goats are better able to use the copper in it.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

> I don't see where it says it is for sheep. I just saw "Cattle." :shrug: Looks okay to me???


You are right.... :thumb: Jessaba...just read it wrong ...at the bottom of the add.. it states that Producers pride is an exclusive brand for needed to help calves/cows, poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep, hogs and horses stay healthy...it is just saying that it has alot of different minerals types for alot of different animals..


> Producer's Pride® is Tractor Supply Company's exclusive value brand of animal feeds and mineral blocks formulated to provide a nutritional base for your farm animals. The wholesome mixtures include all of the essential vitamins and minerals needed to help calves/cows, poultry, rabbits, goats, sheep, hogs and horses stay healthy.


This loose salt that you are inquiring about ..is made for cattle ..which is a product that is OK to use.... if you can't find anything else... it does have the copper in it.... :wink:


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## firelight27 (Apr 25, 2009)

A mineral such as the one you are looking at is better than nothing IMO, but if you can get a hold of a goat specific it will be better as it will be more specifically formulated for their needs....in particular it should have more copper since they can't add a ton of copper if it is labeled for the sheep or the sheep could die.

Mine love the Purina minerals and look great. They still need selenium supplementation (I do the gel a few times a year) but only one seems to need copper if I don't bolus (so I went ahead and bolused everyone anyways.) I didn't care for Manna Pro. I thought the amounts on some of the different minerals were not good enough. Plus the goats don't seem to find it as tasty and it is priced really high. Cargill Right Now Onyx is not labeled for goats, but I've heard amazing things about it and it is what I would be using if I could get some. But alas....

I've also heard awesome things about Sweetlix Meat Maker.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

They don't have lots of goat specific stuff at our TSC but maybe they can order it for me??? Will try..right now we are using a goat mineral block, but been trying to find some loose mineral to feed them and want something that is good for them!


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## KW Farms (Jun 21, 2008)

If you can order a goat specific mineral that would be great. If all else fails...a cattle mineral is ok. Don't get a mineral that is safe for sheep because it won't have much, if any copper in it. 

I use Sweetlix meat maker and a little Purina. I have a garbage bin and I mix about 4 bags Sweetlix and one-two bags Purina. The Purina brand, in my opinion, is way way to high in salt. I think it's like 50% salt? I'd have to check, but there is to much salt to mineral ratio there for my liking which is why I went with Sweetlix instead. My goats prefer it anyway and when I had both brands out seperate they were taking in more Sweetlix than Purina.


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

We used the Calf Manno goat mineral but they weren't doing so well with it so I swtiched to Kalmbach goat mineral.It has more copper in it and cheaper (go figure) They like that better


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

I would choose that cow range mineral over the block you are using!

TSC carries Manna Pro which my goats and I like but it is $10 for a 5# bag so very expensive. 

The one you linked Cattle Range Mineral does have copper so it looks good. 

My goats love Purinna but it is VERY high in salts so I won't feed them it unless mixed with something like Onyx or Sweetlix.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

Ok went to other feed store and they had a goat mineral which was like 20 bucks for 5 lbs or they had this calf manna for horses.

http://www.mannapro.com/products/calf-manna/horses/


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

Horses are a non rumnant animal so... not sure ...that I'd use that...I'd pick the cattle one ...instead of a horse made one....if I was to choose.... :wink:


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

Calf Manna is not a mineral but a supplement. That is not what you want. 

Manna Pro has a goat mineral but at most TSC it runs $10 for a 5# bag and I think that is expensive for minerals. 

What brands does your feed store carry? Purina is ok if you can't get other stuff but I think you will be fine with the cow one you first posted. Onyx is a Cargill product so any carrier of Cargill can get it for you. Not sure what they are trying to sell for $20 for 5# but that is very expensive!


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## JessaLynn (Aug 30, 2009)

Oops have to correct my post.I ment Manna Pro not calf manno  Brain is over loaded today.


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## Jessaba (May 13, 2010)

lol understand jessalynn

http://www.jefferslivestock.com/product ... V&pn=CA-G4

this is what they are selling for 20 bucks and its a 8 lb bag..but still seems expensive surely there is a cheaper solution


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## freedomstarfarm (Mar 25, 2011)

That is the bag that my TSC carries for $10.


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