Sodium and chlorine are essential for livestock and required continuously.
Sodium is needed most during growth and lactation.
Sodium intake in New Zealand comes predominantly from grazed pasture and dairy land can be low in sodium.
Sodium sufficiency should not be assumed, especially when feeding low sodium supplements like palm kernel and maize silage.
Maize transfers very little sodium through to its stem and leaves. which can be production limiting for animals eating it.
Maize is also low in calcium and magnesium.
Summit Dairy Mineral Amaize is a premixed balancer that contains salt, lime and magnesium to make up for the low levels of these minerals in maize silage.
Salt is added because it is critical for maximising appetite and feed intake as well as for digestion of fibrous feeds.
Commercial stockfeed producers add salt to their feeds.
Nutritionists will usually include salt as part of the total diet.
They do this because supplementing livestock rations with salt on the farm is an essential practice to encourage optimum weight gains, milk yield and performance.
Summit Dairy Mineral Amaize is designed for adding to maize silage when feeding out. Salt for production, with lime and magnesium to make up for low levels in the maize – mixed in a bag.
For more visit www.dominionsalt.co.nz.
