Gunther Answers: Why Do Cows Need Salt?
People often see Gunther Salt’s agricultural salt page and ask: why do cows need salt? This simple mineral plays an important role in herd health, but its impact isn’t always obvious. In this blog, we’ll explore why cow salt is essential and how ordering from Gunther Salt keeps nutrition simple.
Why Do Cows Need Salt?
In the wild, cows naturally seek out salt from plants and natural mineral deposits. Domestic cows, however, only travel so far and need fine stock salt added to their diet. There are three main reasons why cows need agricultural salt:
Physiological Function
Salt is a combination of two essential electrolytes: sodium and chloride. They conduct positive and negative electric charges that keep cells balanced and functioning properly.
These electrolytes regulate muscle function, nerve function, fluid balance, heart function and more. Put simply, salt helps keep herds as healthy and productive as possible.
Healthy Intake
Farmers keep cows primarily for dairy and beef production. As such, they carefully maintain their diets to support milk production, growth and overall health. Cows need salt added to their diet to encourage eating and drinking.
Cow salt helps draw water out of cells and into the bloodstream, leading to an excess of sodium in cells. To regain balance, the cow’s brain triggers a thirst response. At the same time, salt intake tricks the body into conserving water, which uses a lot of cellular energy. To replenish fuel, the cow’s brain prompts hunger.
Supplement Control
When sodium-deficient, cows tend to overconsume or underconsume other livestock minerals unintentionally. Their eating habits become less selective — and they may even consume improper items to correct the deficit.
Providing fine stock salt often leads to less erratic feeding and to a more balanced mineral intake overall.
Why Buy Cow Salt from Gunther?
In our experience, this question usually follows “why do cows need salt?” Dozens of cow salt suppliers serve the Midwest region, but many source their supply from Gunther Salt for these reasons:
Quality
The Gunther Salt team values animals and their well-being, so we ensure your herds receive only the best. Our premium feed-mixing salt offers these key qualities:
Natural. We source our feed-mixing salt from salt mines in Louisiana. Geologists believe these naturally occurring deposits are the remnants of an ancient sea.
High Purity. Our feed-mixing products contain nearly 99% sodium chloride. The remaining 1% consists of trace, naturally occurring livestock minerals.
Free Flowing. Gunther’s feed-mixing salt contains 0.04% moisture and is treated with a trace of Yellow Prussiate of Soda. Both components ensure minimal clumping, allowing salt to flow freely through machinery and spread evenly.
Availability
Gunther Salt maintains a readily available supply of cow salt. Currently, customers may place an order in five sizes:
25-Ton Dump Truck
25-Ton Pneumatic Truck
Hopper Bottom Truck
1-Ton Tote Bag (2000# Bag)
50# Bag
Delivery
Gunther Salt completes deliveries across the Midwest. Our team guarantees some of the fastest lead times in our industry, with most deliveries expedited 2-5 business days after they’re received.
Gunther Salt currently delivers fine stock salt to businesses based out of:
Missouri
Illinois
Iowa
Indiana
Kansas
Arkansas
Kentucky
Tennessee
Wisconsin
Submit an Agriculture Salt Order
We answered “why do cows need salt?” and “why buy from Gunther Salt?” — now, the floor is yours. The Gunther Salt team is ready to receive your cow salt order and send your herd with the best supply of livestock minerals.
To place a bulk order with Gunther Salt, complete our Bulk Order form. To place a small or specialty order, contact a representative at 314-241-7075 or orders@gunthersalt.com.
