Kelp?

[grassfarmer]

Has anyone had experience of feeding kelp to cattle as their sole mineral source? or of using it for anything else?

[cswilson]

We used a product made by Natural Farmworks in the mid 90's. Kelp based, all natural mineral.They swithed to a cereal grain (barley shoot), and then found more prfit in the human health product. I beleive the remains of the company was purchase by the Feed Store in Ponoka AB.
Our nutritionist showed me that, even though kelp is a very nutrient rich product, it is basically a plant, and plants vary with growing conditions and veriety. Just as a feed test of one alfalfa sample will be different from another.
I would not consider Kelp as a single mineral choice, but would not exclude it as a portion of your ration.

[farmboy1]

I looked into it. It's more hype than help. Perhaps the minerals are more available- I don't know. However, when I worked out a ration using kelp as the sole mineral source, I would have had to use an astronomical amount in order to supply the minerals needed. I no longer have the analysis, but there's very little in it. It's one heluva expensive mineral source. Stick with the commercial mixes.

[landon]

I've been using kelp for two years and have noticed a big improvement in our herd. We used alot of penillin or liquimicin before for such things as hoofrot. Now it is almost none existent. My vet bills are almost eliminated.Last year I called the vet once that was for a c-section.This year I haven't called the vet once. I calf 80 cows out. I still put out choice mineral but the cows hardly touch it anymore. To say it is costly it depends where you get it from. A local supplier charges $20. more a bag then a supplier I found on the internet.For myself if I take in the reduced costs of vet bills and add in the increased weaning weights of my calves I am money ahead.

[grassfarmer]

That's what I was wanting to hear landon, I have decided to try it for a year and see how it goes. I know Joel Salatin is a big advocate of it as is Mark Purdey. The theory as I understand it is that it absorbs the minerals from the seawater which has mineral levels almost exactly in balance with human blood. About 60 minerals and 20 amino acids in all. According to Salatin there are different types with the artificially (gas) dried stuff being pretty useless. Either the sun dried or geothermically(?) dried stuff is better.
What was the internet source you found for it? I would be interested to know.

[landon]

The kelp which I am using is solar dried which I do believe does make a difference. The website is www.bio-ag.com/products/feedsupplements/kelpmeal.html