In my country we cann't find salt blocks like in America. Is anyone knows how can I make salt blocks for sheep?? We have plenty of pure kosher salt made from sea water. Obrigado!! Thanks!!

-- M.Franklin Santos (Santos_manny@hotmail.com), February 13, 2001

Answers

Do you have salt-based water softeners there? If so, you might buy the salt intended for it, pour some water over some and let it harden into a type of block. Here I have a choice between three blocks, trace mineral (which contains copper - not recommended for sheep), pure salt and one with sulfur (intended for horses, but I give my cows access to it anyway). Perhaps that is why they kick up their heels when I take hay out to them.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), February 13, 2001.

cant uyou just make the mix,, and put it in a bucket,, let them get it as needed?

-- Stan (sopal@net-port.com), February 13, 2001.

A friend of mine feeds his sheep loose, trace mineral salt, they don't like the blacks. I use 50# selenium salt blocks for cattle but I loose some from rain, I drill a 1" hole in the "dent" end of the block and set it on a piece of pipe in the pasture.

-- Hendo (OR) (redgate@echoweb.net), February 14, 2001.

Hendo:

I just put the blocks in old car tire rims. It keeps the blocks up off the ground, out of puddles, etc.

-- Ken S. in WC TN (scharabo@aol.com), February 14, 2001.

when i ran sheep, it was better to give them loose salt.you must monitor them at first, they will eat too much. give it to them for a few hours and then remove each day. Do you have access to bagged suppliments? take the suppliments they need and mix it together. DO you have a ag. department there? they will know the minerals that are low in your dirt. there is a book called 'The sheep book "with a lot of basics, the author first name is Ron, can't remember his last right now , will come back when I find the book. Moved, lots of things left to unpack.

-- lexi Green (whitestone11@hotmail.com), February 14, 2001.

You really don't want to let your sheep have block salt as it is hard on their teeth. (They break) Loose salt is best but ONLY USE SHEEP SALT. Salt other than sheep salt has too much copper and is TOXIC to sheep. Sheep die from Copper Toxicity. They will only eat as much as their bodies need.

-- Linda Brown (LbrownH@webtv.net), February 17, 2001.