Sheep & Cattle Loose Licks & Lick Blocks

Sheep & Cattle Loose Licks & Lick Blocks:  Super Useful Tools for the Summer Months

At this point in summer many of us are feeding stock on stubble paddocks.

Loose licks and lick block supplements are extremely useful when cattle and sheep are feeding on cereal stubble paddocks due to the limited availability of vitamins and trace minerals in dry feed.

The other many advantages of loose licks and lick blocks for stock include that they:

• Help stimulate microbial activity and assist the animal’s digestive system to better utilise dry feed. For example, many supplements include urea which helps microbes in the ruminant’s digestive system make protein available to the animal from cereal stubble.
• Allow individual animals to consume them as required, preventing wastage.
• Avoid stock stress as they don’t require handling sheep or cattle over the warmer months.
• Are quick and easy to distribute.
• And they of course provide the trace minerals and vitamins that are deficient in dry feed.

Key trace minerals and vitamins that livestock need include Vitamin E & selenium, with both important in immunity, muscle function, fertility and reproduction.  Vitamin B12 (which is manufactured by rumen microbes from cobalt), is also very important for overall nervous system function, fertility and reproduction.  Copper, manganese and zinc are all important in fertility and reproduction, with copper also needed for bone development, blood formation and disease resistance, manganese needed for protein metabolism, and zinc needed for immunity, wound healing and lung function.

When symptoms of trace mineral or vitamin deficiency emerge they often include general ill thrift (which can including scouring, lameness and stiff gait), poor growth rates and reduced fertility. Overall however, the animal production benefits of providing lick blocks or loose lick to the entire herd or mob are significant because they both tide cattle and sheep over summer and set them up for the rest of the year.

While vitamin E is of course deficient in dry feed universally, there are areas of the south west of Western Australia where soils are known to be deficient in trace minerals like cobalt, copper and selenium.  Such known deficiency areas include parts of the south west of WA that have coastal sandy, acidic, sedimentary and granite soils.  Maps of these known areas of deficiency in Australia are available at Making More from Sheep.  Soil trace mineral deficiency can also of course be exacerbated by the application of superphosphate fertiliser or lime, or by clover dominance.

Bio John Superior Cereal Stubble Buster is a loose lick that is designed specifically to support sheep feeding on cereal stubble paddocks.  The product provides a wide variety of minerals, trace elements (including selenium, cobalt, copper, manganese and calcium), nitrogen & vitamins such as vitamin A, B1, D3 & E.  It facilitates increased feed intake and productivity while sheep are on dry feed, with bentonite also included to buffer rumen pH and reduce acidosis risk.  Bio John is a Western Australian family owned business that has been making stock feed supplements, additives and animal health products for over 30 years.

In addition to other Bio John lick products, we carry a wide range of Australian made loose licks and lick blocks for sheep and cattle, including the WA made Great Aussie Stock Aid loose licks, with Original Mix and Original Mix + 6% Urea options to support condition in sheep and cattle, as well as a variety of WA made Morgan’s Feed Supplies loose licks and lick blocks.  All of these products include key minerals such as calcium, sulphur and phosphorous as well a range of vitamins and trace elements to suit your livestock’s requirements.

For any other supplement or stock lick related enquiries give us a call on 1300 327 626.