Binding Efficacy of Clay Binders in Optimized Ash-Based Vitamin-Mineral Block Licks for Cattle

An experiment was done to fabricate summer and winter optimized ash-based vitamin-mineral block lick specimens using cement, bentonite, kaolinite and a combination of these as binders in a ratio of 1:1(w/w) at 15% and 20% inclusion levels, respectively. Treatments were: cement, bentonite, kaolinite, bentonite + cement, bentonite + kaolinite and cement + kaolinite. Bentonite, kaolinite and ash (prime ingredient) were analyzed for mineral profile prior to fabrication. Resulting block specimens were analyzed for compressive strength and water absorption as a measure of the binding efficacy. There was no significant difference (P>0.001) in compressive strength (525± 11.43kPa) for cement and bentonite + cement summer blocks. Compressive strength was significantly higher (P<0.001) in winter block specimens made from the combination of cement and bentonite (47.33± 1.37 kPa). Clays as sole binder could not agglutinate winter blocks. Summer block specimens comprising of cement had the significantly least (P<0.001) water absorption value (1.40 ± 0.923%). Therefore, cement can be combined with bentonitic clay at a ratio of 1:1 summer block licks (500kPa) and winter block licks (39 ± 1 .37kPa) of desirable strength that animals can lick slowly.