Plain salt or electrolytes?

[RoyalRain42]

Hello!!

With record temps and long days, all of our feed lot work horses are getting quite a bit of work. Even with the heat we have to get work done on the lot.

So far days have been around 105 degrees + with humidity staying around 15%.

Work for all the horses starts at 6 am and ends around 4pm with breaks and rests a few times a day. Horses are currently working 5 days a week with ideally the hottest two days of the week off.

They all have fresh water access where ever they are hitched for breaks, hoses off and cooled down the end of the day.

However I am wondering if their salt licks are just not enough in this heat.

So I curious about adding a salt or electrolyte supplement to their diets.

However I am unsure what one would be best under these circumstances.

What would be best for my little herd of 15?

If a salt, what kind and how much would be appropriate? Same for an electrolyte supp?

Thank you all!!

[gumtree]

Uh-oh here we go again the never ending “salt-electrolyte” debate.

I have a feeling you are going to get a lot of different answers and or opinions.

Good luck figuring it out.

[Scribbler]

It’s my understanding that horses should be getting a salt supplement year round. I’ve never needed to use electrolytes, so will let others speak to that.

[Cindyg]

Here’s an article about electrolytes that might help you.

And here’s one more on salt.