Mcat why not just put the salt is the TMR ration you do or is there a reason you can't. Here in australia we just put it in the TMR and all cattle get the same amount.

 

Hello Blanchfarm
I don't want to put it in the TMR because salt is corrosive & too hard on my equipment (mixer, troughs). The acidic nature of silage is bad enough. I prefer to put my salt out free choice on old rims. Old rims are cheap to replace.

 

What kind of blocks do you use? I use the saltec ultra tm they are way better at not falling apart than the Windsor hiboot ones. I put them in old rims also and have had them last all summer if you forget to pick them up.

 

Put salt in empty lick tubs in the summer on our big pasture. Have used saltec before and have had some break apart sitting in the shed on a pallet. Our coop was hot and heavy for saltec for a while but now it's sifto cause they are now the cheapest. This is both cobalt and hi sel Tm. Cows are running on lick tubs and salt blocks now but once those run out I'll switch to high sel tm loose mixed with 1:1 mineral. Cheapest way to go.

 

A few years ago we got a pallet of saltec cobalt blocks because they were 10 cents cheaper than sifto. They dissolve in water within days not like the sifto which took weeks. I do however like their TM salt in bags since it's so coarse and we use a gandy box to put it in our round bales if it's tough when we're baling. Doesn't plug or bridge like fine salt.