Detailed Explanation of Techniques and Methods for Adding Salt to Sheep Feed

Salt is an indispensable substance for the growth and development of livestock. Salt helps maintain the osmotic pressure of body fluids, helps transport nutrients and excrete waste. The sodium and chlorine in salt are not only indispensable components of the blood, but also part of the hydrochloric acid in gastric juice, which helps with the digestion and utilization of protein. Therefore, sheep must be fed salt regularly.

First, mix salt into the concentrate feed and feed a fixed amount daily. Breeding rams are fed 8-10 grams per day, and adult ewes are fed 3-5 grams per day.

Second, dissolve salt in water and place it in a trough for the sheep to drink; or put salt into a bamboo tube, add a small amount of water, and let the salt water seep through the bamboo tube and form salt frost on the outside for the sheep to lick; salt blocks can also be placed in the trough for the sheep to lick freely.

Third, regularly fry salt to feed the sheep. The feeding amount and frequency depend on the season, climate, forage quality, and the size, fatness, and thinness of the sheep. The method is to first fry the salt until it turns yellow (fry it a bit lighter for adult sheep, and a bit more scorched for lambs), scoop it out and dissolve it into water, then put chopped forage (wheat straw, mung bean pod shells, or other dry grass are all acceptable) into the pot, sprinkle on the salt water and mix thoroughly, then fry dry, so that the salt forms a salt frost on the grass. After the salt grass is ready, take it to the grazing area. When the sheep are half full, pour the salt grass onto the grassland and divide it into small piles to feed. In spring and autumn, give salt once every 7-10 days, 6-10 grams per sheep each time (halved for lambs); in winter, give salt once every half month, 10-15 grams each time (halved for lambs); in dog days, give salt once every 7 days, 10-15 grams each time.