Salt lick

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Salt lick for game
historical salt lick from 1716 near Graupa similar to those from 1736 in the Dippoldiswalder Heide
historical salt lick from around 1750 in the Tharandt forest near the health resort Hartha ; Original location near Grillenburg
Salt lick for cattle and game in the Kalahari

A salt lick is originally a natural product from a salt mine and is used to supply the animals with salt. It is a block of mineral salt , either broken, poured or pressed and possibly mixed with non-mineral additives (so-called cattle salt ). For wild animals in particular , these stones, which are available from specialist retailers, are placed in selected places, the so-called licks , salt licks or sulps .

purpose

Licking releases minerals, which the animals ingest in this way, with which they can balance their mineral balance. As herbivores, wild and grazing animals have a feed-related excess of potassium , while there is a lack of sodium . This means that lime can only be insufficiently absorbed. This is why salt licks are primarily made of sodium chloride (table salt). In addition to a high proportion of table salt, it is important for the animals to get small amounts of other mineral salts , so-called trace elements , best adapted to local conditions. The salt promotes the growth of the game, the hair change and the formation of antlers. Since salt causes thirst, salt licks should not be used in winter when the game cannot draw water .

Cast stones contain relatively little salt because otherwise they will not stick together. They are also less durable because of their porous structure. On the other hand, pressed salt stones can be put together in practically any way and have a high durability due to the crystal structure achieved. Lick stones that are enriched with herbs or other substances are also available for pet owners. In addition, they should serve horses as an employment opportunity, since horses are not able to regulate their salt requirements themselves.

history

The beginnings of the conscious release of salt to animals are not known. However, an old age is assumed, because an order for the installation of salt licks in the Reichsforst near Nuremberg is known from the time of Friedrich II .

These were probably larger stone troughs or wooden boxes that were filled with a mixture of clay and salt. For centuries, the establishment and maintenance of the salt licks had to be seen in connection with the pursuit of (stately) hunting and the necessary preservation of the game population.

For Saxony, numerous salt licks can also be detected in Matthias Oeder's maps at the end of the 16th century. From the second half of the 17th century, there was an almost inflationary list of salt licks in order to lure game into the electoral forests and thus satisfy the Saxon elector's passion for hunting. This went so far that the Kingdom of Bohemia built a game fence on the Saxon-Bohemian border, in particular to keep red deer in their own country. As of 2006, there were still 36 historical salt licks in Saxon Switzerland alone , which were built between 1716 and 1895. In the neighboring state forests of Dippoldiswalder Heide and Tharandter Wald there were still four and five salt licks made from regional sandstone from the period between 1730 and 1750.

At the end of the 19th century, the previously used troughs were replaced by salt licks, which were much cheaper to manufacture. Today these lickstones are placed on a debarked wooden pole ( stick stump) or in a hollowed-out tree stump ( stick stick ). The salt loosened by the rain can easily be licked up by the game. Since 2000 there has also been salt paste , which is the simplest and most modern type of salt lick that can be painted on tree trunks and wooden stakes.

Individual evidence

  1. ↑ Haseder, p. 681
  2. ↑ Like Vervuert, Ellen Kienzle advises local salt licks: “If the horse licks too much, the stone comes away and the salt is sprinkled over the fodder. This gives me a better overview of my salt intake. ” [1] , accessed January 8, 2016.
  3. ^ Ferdinand Bellmann: Historical salt licks in Saxon Switzerland. Bulletin 7 of the Saxon Switzerland Working Group in the Saxon Heritage Protection Association, Pirna 2008, p. 43f.
  4. ^ Ferdinand Bellmann: Historical salt licks in Saxon Switzerland with Dippoldiswalder Heide, Tharandter Wald and Friedewald. published 4/2010. Heimatbuchverlag Michael Bellmann. Freital

literature

Web links

Commons : Lickstone  - collection of pictures, videos and audio files