Sea Salt is Vital to Animal Health

For years, health care professionals, knowing of the importance of salt and minerals to human health, have used them in hospital IVs. Now research coming out of major universities is showing that animals and even plants benefit from the proper use of salts and minerals.

Texas A&M released a report showing that sodium chloride, which is the macro mineral known as salt, is a critical electrolyte in the body of almost all living organisms. It functions in the transport of amino acids and glucose and helps with muscle contractions.

Salt and minerals are necessary for proper metabolism, balancing pH level in the digestive system, improving immunity, and absorbing toxins and transporting them out of the body, as well as keeping the hormonal, nervous, and immune systems functioning properly.

According to research by North Dakota State University, too little salt in the diet of livestock will “lead to reduced milk production, body condition, intake and growth.”

Furthermore, the report said that since more forages in the north-central region of the United States are low in sodium and chloride, producers should use a salt supplement.

Texas A&M research showed that, in plants, “mineral content declines due to the natural dilution processes” as the plants mature. This reduces the amount of macro and micro minerals animals can ingest through grazing.

According to Scott Anderson, director of operations with Agri-Best Feeds, not all salt supplements are created equal.

Most producers provide salt for their cattle yet much of the salt available for livestock has been refined in some way.

That may mean it has been treated with chemicals, evaporated under high compression and heat which disrupts the molecular structure of salt, or even bleached in order to obtain the white color.

Even many so called unprocessed salts have had many of their minerals naturally leeched out of them over time. These salts, Anderson explained, are void of the natural balance of life-giving minerals.

“Unrefined salt is very healthy,” he said and unrefined sea salt is the most optimum of all. One reason for that is that the quantitative analysis of ocean water and blood are very similar. The main difference is that blood has hemoglobin. This special connection allows unrefined minerals and salts from the sea to pass through animal or vegetable cell membranes easily, giving both plants and animals the “tools” they need for growth, immune function and performance.

“In the right balance the synergy of these minerals in the system is huge,” said Anderson. He also said that farmers are learning the importance of adding salt and even volcanic conditioner to their soils. It increases productivity, opens the soil and allows the plants to absorb more of the nutrients. In fact, Anderson laughed, "our first truckload order was for soil application on hay ground."

“Even though we began marketing this for livestock, we're not going to turn away any farmer who wants to use this on his plants. It's good for crops, too,” he said. “In fact, in the right amounts, unrefined sea salt has been shown to have positive effects on most every living system.”

Anderson said Redmond Trace Minerals is a unique, mineral-dense salt which has not been stripped of its health value by man or nature. It is mined from an ancient ocean bed located in Redmond, Utah.

“When you walk into most salt mines it’s like walking into a giant snowball. Everything is white because all the minerals have leeched out over time and only the sodium and chloride remains. For whatever reason, there are only two salt mines in the world that I am aware of that have all the minerals still intact in the salt. One of those mines is in the Himalayas and the other is in Redman, Utah.”

One reason the minerals at the Redmond mine may have been so well-preserved is that the mine was covered by a layer of ancient volcanic ash which may have protected the salt from the leeching action of water over millennia.

Another reason is that the mine is located underground, away from the damage of pollution and acid rain.

Even the layer of volcanic ash offers a remarkable product for cattle health. It contains more than 60 minerals while helping to improve digestion and animal health.

Anderson said that is because these natural minerals “connect really well with animal and human health.” These salts and minerals are in their crystalloid form, which dissolves readily in liquids and penetrates the membranes easily.

By TERRI ADAMS, The Prairie Star
Friday, June 4, 2010 6:02 PM MDT