Benefits, Dosage & Feeding

Benefits, Dosage & How to Feed

How Does Apple Cider Vinegar Work?

Mammals' blood is slightly alkaline, with a normal PH level between 7.30 and 7.40. Despite being an acidic solution, apple cider vinegar has an alkalizing effect essential to good health, which is why one to two teaspoons of apple cider vinegar in water is recommended as a daily health tonic for humans. 

This means that animals have significantly less chance of getting sick while in a slightly alkalized state, as many illnesses will not survive in this environment. However, in an acidic environment, the body is unable to maintain healthy enzymes and protect itself from bacteria, molds or viruses. Your animals then become vulnerable to illness.

Benefits

Common Feeding/Application Methods

The method of feeding apple cider vinegar depends on the type of livestock, the quantity of ACV to be administered, and your current infrastructure or management system. Regardless of how you deliver ACV to livestock, it is important to feed in a way that ensures animals get the desired dosage.

Our method, and probably the most common, is to simply add ACV to the feed ration daily. You don't need to invest in a new system or equipment for ACV to work well. 

Grind Feed

One option is to simply add ACV to the grind mixture.

TMR Wagon

We use a TMR wagon and add ACV when feeding. Our system is large and we pump the vinegar directly into the TMR. Alternatively, you can use a bucket to add ACV over a loader bucket of grain, soyhulls or silage, then put it in the TMR wagon.

Water Tank

Another easy option is to add ACV to the water tanks you are currently using. The size of your water tank determine how often you will need to add ACV. Larger tanks will only require adding it once a day. Smaller tanks will require adding ACV multiple times per day. The key is determining how fast the water turns over and how often you'll need to administer the ACV to achieve the desired dosage.

Free Choice

One option for this method is adding ACV to a 200-gallon lick tank then diluting it with water or molasses to maintain the desired dosage. We recommend putting a semi tire around the lick tank so the livestock won't tip it over.

Injection System Into Water Line

The third option that we know of is to inject ACV into your water line, if you have one. An added benefit of this method is the ACV will help keep your water line clean. Make sure you check with local regulations to ensure it is possible to do this. Some customers have informed us that they weren't allowed to inject ACV into their water lines.

Why ACV is Recommended For Virtually All Livestock