mineral block - cement???
 

Some recipes I have seen for making mineral blocks call for "cement". What cement should I use?? Portland, mortor mix, other? Hardware store looked on their computers for ingredients in the Portland cement and it said it may be harmful to animals & wildlife (???). Isn't it just a mix of lime and other minerals????

So I made my first batch of homemade mineral blocks. I think they are going to work quite well. I somewhat followed a recipe I found on the InterWeb.

5# DiCal, 6# mineral salt, 3# portland cement, 4.5# oats, ~1# liquid molassas, ~1# Buck Jam, ~1/2 gal. water

I formed 4 blocks - 2 in plastic coffee jugs (will just cut the block out) & 2 in small cardboard boxes lined with plastic bags. I was amazed how quuickly they set up - they were "hard" within minutes. It's been over 4 days and I think I could put them out now but will let them cure for close to the 2 weeks recommend. We'll then have to see how the critters take to them.

Gonna continue making blocks, tinkering with the recipes. I will be making many more over the next few weeks seeing how I still have 45# DiCal, 44# salt, 90# cement, 45# oats, 2 gal. molassas, and 50# drt molassas!!!!!!!!

Portland Cement
 

Type 1 or 2 for feed blocks