FARM SALT FOR ANIMALS

Hawke's Bay Tribune, Volume XVII, Issue 205, 13 August 1927, Page 4

FARM SALT FOR ANIMALS

BENEFICIAL IN MODERATION. HARMFUL IN EXCESS The avidity of herbivorous animals for common salt is well established, but practical agriculturalists are of conflicting opinions as to the advantage of introducing it into the ration, many favouring the free choice method of allowing free access to a lump of rock salt. The addition of salt to feeding stuffs does not increase the digestibility of the ration, but appears slightly to lessen protein decomposition. Salt has a beneficial physiological action, increases the palatability of many cattle foods, stimulates the secretion of the digestive fluids, hastens the circulation of the body fluids, and hence prevents digestive disturbances, thus producing that beneficial laxative state which so materially assists in keeping the digestive tract in a good condition. Excess of salt, however, must be avoided, as it excessively increases the quantity of water excreted in the urine, hence impairing digestion and becoming tho means of initiating and creating intestinal irritation troubles.