Gerhard Grasser wrote:
> Interestingly, there are an increasing number of farmers in this country
> (remember this is free range) who have found success in animal performance
> AND the budget by using holistic farm management techniques which include
> free choice minerals. The form the minerals come in (by keeping them as
> natural as possible - read "inexpensive" ) and good management of other
> on-farm resources results in efficient and sensible farming.
What is it that leads the farmers to set up a complicated system of
multi-mineral feeding vs. using a basic on-ground mineral feeder with one
balanced range type mineral mix?
I would not agree with you that free choice minerals are necessarily a part
of holistic farm management. I suppose they could be, but it is surely not a
given.
All the minerals that are fed in a mineral mix are natural. What is the
difference between natural and "as natural as possible?"
> This is about good practical farming and the results speak for themselves.
> We can continue research (that is an industry in itself!) until the cows
> come home.
It is rather easy to set up a controlled study to find a difference. My
understanding is that there have been a number of such studies and the best
results come from known quantities of balanced minerals. What information do
you have the suggests otherwise?
> At the end to the day it is the skills of the farmer able to
> listen, look, smell, feel and learn, who intimately knows and understands
> the processes he is dealing with (including a belief that animals do know
> their dietary requirements but usually don't have a choice)
Beliefs are not wise in this case. Knowledge and understanding are what
count. Just because you believe something does not necessarily make it true.
If you compare the costs of free choice minerals with balanced minerals,
what difference do you see? Our cost for stocker cattle/dairy heifers/young
dairy steers is US.05 cents per day per head.
Sincerely,
Rick Williams
Misty Ridge Farm
Grass-Fed Beef and farm produce
Viroqua, WI
www.mistyridgefarm.com
