Smallholder Block offers great value for money as it is hard and concentrated and has to be licked, making it last a long time, and as a consequence is cost effective to use. Smallholder block can be offered all year round providing essential vitamins, minerals and trace elements to all classes of grazing livestock along with additional energy and protein.
Smallholder block diversifies the range of Horslyx products into the small holder setting where mixed species grazing is prevalent. Smallholder Block is fed on a free access, self-help basis so they are typically consumed on a “little and often” basis throughout the day.
The process of feeding ruminants is different to feeding the equine as in the ruminant dietary nutrients are first exposed to the rumen (similar in function to the equine hind gut) then to the rest of the gastrointestinal tract. Within the rumen there are billions of microorganisms which allow for the utilisation of fibre and the production of energy metabolites that are available to the ruminant. Smallholder block helps boost the efficacy of these rumen bugs allowing them to get more feed value out of fibrous forages. Like the horse, the ruminant is a grazing animal and naturally eats little and often, however the major difference within the ruminant is the regurgitation, re-chewing and re-swallowing of feed in the process of chewing the cud or rumination.
Licking smallholder block provides a trickle feeding system which fits into the way ruminants – such as cattle, sheep, goats, camelids and deer – naturally graze and provides them with a continuous supply of essential nutrients over a 24-hour period. Smallholder block fits in well into the smallholder situation where reliance on forages from grazing, hay, haylage or silage form the greatest proportion of the ruminants diet.
Typically, forage alone will not supply the correct amount or balance of required minerals, vitamins or trace element as required by the ruminant. Smallholder Block corrects nutrient deficiencies in all types of forage to ensure a balanced diet for all types of ruminant stock from a pygmy goat to a cow. Unlike the equine focussed Horslyx Balancers, Smallholder block contains added cobalt which is a trace element key to produce Vitamin B12 within the rumen. Diets deficient in cobalt lead to poorer ruminant performance and as a consequence ruminants will not thrive.
Smallholder Block stimulates forage intakes and improves forage digestibility so greater reliance can be placed on home grown forages. Forage is the cheapest form of feed for ruminants and as such increasing the efficiency of utilisation is key to reducing the overall costs within the feeding system. Horslyx Smallholder Block does not displace feed intake unlike other feed licks.
Smallholder Block contains powerful antioxidants including Zinc, Selenium and Vitamin E to support and maintain a healthy immune system. Smallholder block does not contain added copper making it suitable to offer to all ruminants. As with all Horslyx products Smallholder block should be offered in multiple units, spread across the paddock/pen, when there are two or more animals, this reduces competition and consumption.
Smallholder Block improves animal health and performance by providing all the nutrients likely to be deficient in forage, this coupled with the unique production process which enhances forage utilisation within the rumen makes Horslyx Smallholder block the number one choice for supplementation within the smallholder environment.