Salt and Animal Health Animals have sought salt since the beginning of time, gathering at salt licks to satisfy their need for salt.
In the wild, animals will often risk great danger to satisfy their need for salt. It therefore makes sense that if animals in their natural habitat are prepared to risk all to obtain salt, it is essential that salt is provided in the domestic farm environment.
Sodium is vital to stock health. Sodium plays a major role in maintaining body fluid balances, transmitting nerve impulses and uptake of key nutrients from the bloodstream.
Many New Zealand soils and pastures are naturally low in available sodium and the use of certain fertilisers, such as Potash, may accelerate the leaching process.
Sodium is vital to the efficient function of nerves and muscles and contributes to the hardening of the outer layer of bones. It is required for maintaining normal fluid volume, pH and is essential to the activity of various enzymes in cells, as well as being an important constituent of blood plasma and saliva. Sodium supplementation has also been proven particularly beneficial to enhanced milk production in cows and a high sodium: potassium ratio has been shown to be an important factor in magnesium uptake.
In recent years, many scientific studies have been undertaken which have reinforced the need to feed adequate amounts of salt and trace minerals.
| | |
|
