# Loose Mineral ???



## notto7 (Jan 30, 2017)

I am planning on feeding my new goats Purina Goat Chow. I am a fan of Purina Products as a whole and have used them for many year with show animals. I have seen several posts on here about people using Purina Wind and Rain Storm mineral. I cannot find a label for it on the internet and I also see that Purina makes a Goat mineral. From what I see the the wind and rain storm is labeled for cattle. What do you use and why? Thanks in advance

I found the label for the Goat mineral they make and it is as follows.

*
NUTRIENT LEVEL

*
Calcium, (Ca), (min) ........................................................9.00%

Calcium, (Ca), (max) .....................................................11.00%

Phosphorus (P), (min) .....................................................8.00%

Salt, (NaCl), (min) ..........................................................41.00%

Salt, (NaCl), (max) .........................................................45.00%

Potassium (K), (min) ........................................................0.10%

Magnesium (Mg), (min) ...................................................1.00%

Copper (Cu), (min) ..............................................1,750.00 ppm

Copper (Cu), (max) .............................................1,800.00 ppm

Selenium (Se), (min) .................................................25.00 ppm

Zinc (Zn), (min) ....................................................7,500.00 ppm

Vitamin A, (min) ....................................................140,000 IU/lb

Vitamin D3, (min) ....................................................11,000 IU/lb

Vitamin E, (min) ...........................................................750 IU/lb


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## odieclark (Jan 21, 2016)

Following


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## Kath G. (Jul 13, 2017)

The salt level is very high on this goat mineral. Salt tends to be a limiting factor on mineral intake, so a high salt level means the goats likely won't eat as much of this mineral vs another, lower salt mineral...resulting in your goats taking less minerals in; they won't just OD on the salt to get the minerals their body needs. This is also why creep feeds tend to have a higher salt content vs adult feeds, btw, there salt is being used as a limiting factor to an advantage of keeping the young ones from eating themselves sick.

The calcium to phosphorous ratio might not be good either, depending on what else the goat is eating and what you're asking your goats to do for you; you want around 2:1 ratio of calcium to phosphorous. Hay is poor in phosphorous, and (especially alfalfa) is high in calcium; so if you're feeding mostly alfalfa and little/no grain this mineral is probably fine... Building bulk (meat goats) and pets don't go through calcium like milking goats will, so that's something else to keep in mind. Grains are very high in phosphorous and poor in calcium, so if you're already feeding phosphorous in the form of grain, you really want a higher calcium ratio than this mineral provides. Urinary calculi (same as human kidney stones) and other metabolic issues are largely influenced by this calcium to phosphorous being too light on calcium... I'm sure you could have too high calcium but some of the studies that have come out looking for optimal ratios have recommended as high as 5:1, fwiw.

Selenium is one where it matters where you're coming from; most areas of the country are deficient, though there are some areas the selenium is so high that certain plants grown locally can provide a toxic overdose. So, you need to know where your goats' feed comes from (if you are able to browse your goats for their diet, then that's where you are; if you import your hay, then where the hay is grown). All this to say, for most people, this level of selenium will still possibly leave their animals deficient in selenium.

The copper seems ok; not great, I know I'd still have to bolus my animals but again, the salt content means I believe they'll be ingesting much less of the mineral to begin with.

I'm sure other people will add to my .02 (or .05, I guess I tend to write a lot!), but that's what I see in the label you posted.


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## Kath G. (Jul 13, 2017)

Here's the label on the other mineral you mentioned:
Purina Wind & Rain Storm All Season 7.5 Complete
*Guaranteed Analysis:*
Calcium (Ca) (min.) 14%
Calcium (Ca) (max.) 16%
Phosphorus (P) (min.) 7.5%
Salt (NaCl) (min.) 19%
Salt (NaCl) (max.) 21%
Magnesium (Mg) (min.) 1%
Potassium (K) (min.) 1%
Zinc (Zn) (min.) 3,600 ppm
Manganese (Mn) (min.) 3600 ppm
Cobalt (Co) (min.) 12 ppm
Copper (Cu) (min.) 1200 ppm
Iodine (I) (min.) 60 ppm
Selenium (Se) (min.) 27 ppm
Vitamin A (min.) 300,000 IU/lb.
Vitamin D (min.) 30,000 IU/lb.
Vitamin E (min.) 300 IU/lb.


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## Agreenwd888 (Sep 3, 2017)

I also don't see cobalt on the label. I use red edge goat mineral or sweet lix.


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## notto7 (Jan 30, 2017)

label for sweetlix

Calcium, Min 14.00%
Calcium, Max 16.80%
Phosphorus, Min 8.00%
Salt, Min 15.00%
Salt, Max 18.00%
Magnesium, Min 1.00%
Potassium, Min 1.50%
Cobalt, Min 240 ppm
Copper, Min 1,750 ppm
Copper, Max 1,810 ppm
Iodine, Min 450 ppm
Manganese, Min 1.20%
Selenium, Min 50 ppm
Zinc, Min 1.20%
Vitamin A, Min 300,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D-3, Min 30,000 IU/lb
Vitamin E, Min 30 IU/lb


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

The Wind and Rain Storm is head and shoulders above the Purina goat mineral, and it is more economical. Sweetlix MeatMaker is better than the Wind and Rain Storm, imo, but that wasn't the original question.

I've been frustrated when a guaranteed analysis does not list a level of something that is clearly listed on the ingredients list. I've emailed several companies asking for a level of one nutrient or another. If we keep doing this, I believe the companies will catch on and list the levels of the nutrients we keep asking about.


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## mariarose (Oct 23, 2014)

mariarose said:


> If we keep doing this, I believe the companies will catch on and list the levels of the nutrients we keep asking about.


Or not.


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## toth boer goats (Jul 20, 2008)

I use sweetlix meat maker and American stockman SE-90


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