Minerals and Salt Licks for Sheep and Goats: A Practical Guide

Sheep and goats need a constant supply of salt and minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, selenium, zinc and iodine, plus copper in the right amount. The safest approach is free access to salt and a mineral mix made specifically for the species, chosen according to your ration and local soils with a vet or nutritionist. Never give sheep a mix made for cattle or goats without checking its copper level.

Minerals are a small part of the feed bill but have a large effect on fertility, growth, milk and the strength of newborns. Many problems blamed on "bad luck", such as weak lambs, poor conception or animals chewing walls and soil, can be linked at least partly to an unbalanced mineral supply. The difficulty is that needs depend on the ration, the water and the soil where your forage grows.

The main minerals and what they do

Minerals are usually split into two groups: major minerals needed in larger amounts, and trace elements needed in tiny amounts but just as important.

Signs of shortage are rarely specific: several diseases and parasites can look the same. If you suspect a mineral problem, ask your vet to examine the animals. Blood or tissue tests and a feed analysis are the only way to be sure.

The copper rule: sheep are not goats

This is the most important point in this article. Sheep are very sensitive to copper. A level that is normal for goats or cattle can build up in a sheep's liver over weeks or months and cause serious illness. Goats, on the other hand, generally tolerate and need more copper than sheep.

In practice:

• Buy mineral mixes and blocks labelled for sheep for your sheep, and for goats for your goats.
• Do not let sheep share a goat or cattle lick, and check the copper content of concentrates and premixes.
• If you run sheep and goats together, discuss with your vet or nutritionist how to supply each species safely.
• Never add copper supplements to sheep on your own initiative.

Calcium, phosphorus and the grain-fed flock

Calcium and phosphorus work as a pair. A ratio of roughly two parts calcium to one part phosphorus is a common target in sheep and goat rations. Feeds pull the balance in different directions:

• Alfalfa is rich in calcium.
• Barley and other cereal grains are low in calcium and relatively high in phosphorus.

This matters most for fattening male lambs and kids on high-grain rations. An imbalance, together with low water intake, is linked to urinary stones that can block the urethra of males. A balanced mineral mix, enough roughage and plenty of clean water reduce the risk. Your nutritionist may also suggest other preventive measures; discuss them before using any additive. Our guide to barley and alfalfa rations explains how the two feeds complement each other.

Blocks or loose minerals?

Both systems can work. Each has strengths and limits:

• Salt or mineral blocks are easy to handle, do not blow away and suit grazing herds. However, some animals do not lick enough, especially sheep, and hard blocks can be difficult for young or old animals with worn teeth.
• Loose mineral mixes in a covered trough are usually easier for sheep to eat in sufficient quantity. They must be kept dry and topped up regularly.
• Minerals in the concentrate or pellet guarantee a more even intake for penned animals, as long as every animal eats its share of the concentrate.

Whatever you choose:

1. Place licks or troughs where all animals can reach them, not only the dominant ones.
2. Protect them from rain and dirt.
3. Check how fast they are consumed. Very high or very low intake is a signal to investigate.
4. Remember that animals eat more salt in hot weather and when water is salty. If your well water is brackish, mention it to your vet or nutritionist. See our guide to water requirements for livestock.

Putting it into practice on your farm

A simple mineral routine looks like this:

• Know what is in your ration: read the labels of your concentrates and premixes, and note the main feeds.
• Choose a sheep-specific or goat-specific mineral, agreed with your vet or nutritionist, and give free access to salt.
• Pay special attention to late-pregnant ewes and does, breeding males and fattening males.
• Write down when you buy and refill minerals, and how much is used per group.
• Note health events that might be linked: weak newborns, poor conception, urinary problems, unusual licking.

In Throf, minerals and blocks can be recorded as feed stock and their use logged per group with your meals, so you see how much each pen consumes and what it costs. Illnesses, inspections and treatments are recorded per animal, which helps you and your vet spot a pattern, such as repeated weak lambs in one group, rather than isolated cases. When you plan a fattening batch, our 90-day lamb fattening plan shows where minerals fit in.

The short version

Give free access to salt and a mineral mix designed for the species, keep copper away from sheep, watch the calcium-phosphorus balance in grain-fed flocks, and provide plenty of clean water. When in doubt, test rather than guess, and let your vet guide any supplement.