Posted 15 Sep 08

I have noticed over the past few weeks my dairy heifers are attacking the fence posts as well as the timber in the yards, they have had muilt mineral salt blocks thru the winter, can some one please tell me if they are short of something in their diet

Posted 16 Nov 09

Hi Ken. the theory is this. Animals eat wood when they are lacking copper. the reason being because tree roots go very deep into to earth and draw up copper into the timber. There may be other minerals deep down there too. Worth checking bloods for copper defiency.

Posted 17 Nov 09

Thanks for that info, we are now monitoring copper levels on the next batch of heifers coming through, will be keeping a close eye on what happens

Posted 1 Feb 10

no man, if you feed them with a balanced food and pasture they are okay! it's from the nature of the dary heifers be curious and eat attractive plants and be looking for food tough beeing well fed. but maybe they are demonstrating an action of stress by beeing kept in a small place or in a place with boring noises or something like this.
Try to improve them in a special bigger area far of these things.
i hope it help you, thank you!