Clay Conditioner Benefits: Species by Species

What is Mineral Conditioner?

Redmond’s mineral Conditioner is harvested from our volcanic deposit in central Utah. This unique deposit has spent millions of years protecting our Jurassic Era sea bed. As volcanic ash ages and becomes bentonite clay it attracts substances from its environment. That means our mineral Conditioner is naturally fortified with our expansive profile of 60+ trace minerals.

Redmond Mineral Conditioner can help your farm in many ways, and is perfectly formulated to be used as both a soil amendment and feed additive for all classes of livestock. Let’s take a look at the many health benefits Conditioner offers your livestock.

Cattle

Rumen Health

Managing rumen health is all about balance. Cultivating the ideal environment in your cattle’s digestive tract does not need to be expensive or complicated. Instead of providing 1 piece of the puzzle like sodium carbonate, Redmond mineral Conditioner improves every aspect of rumen health:

• Buffers pH levels as well as sodium bicarbonate
• Improves fiber digestion
• Increases feed efficiency
• Binds to harmful toxins present in feed or forage
• Supports healthy ammonia levels
• Nourishes microbe colonies (microbiota)

Bentonite clay is extremely effective at binding to mycotoxins to prevent them from being absorbed in the rumen and stored in the liver. According to a cattle study from the National Institute of Health (NIH), bentonite clay is a cheaper and more effective toxin binder than even charcoal!

Improve Conception Rates 

The combination of improved digestive health and a profile of 60+ minerals can greatly improve conception rates in your herd. Redmond Conditioner:

• Improves the positive energy balance needed for your animals’ reproductive success
• Reduces heat stress so more nutrients can be used by reproductive systems
• Provides the trace minerals needed to increase fertility, improve sperm motility, and improve weaning weights to breed back faster
• Increases conception rates

Sheep

Rumen Health

All ruminants have a lot to gain when they eat Redmond mineral Conditioner. When the pH and microbiota of the rumen are healthy and balanced, all other biological and chemical systems prosper. Redmond Conditioner can:

• Buffer pH levels as well as sodium bicarbonate
• Improve fiber digestion
• Increase feed efficiency
• Bind to harmful toxins present in feed or forage
• Support healthy ammonia levels
• Nourish healthy microbe colonies (microbiota)

Wool Production

Did you know that bentonite clay can increase your herd’s wool growth? According to the NIH "it is shown that in sheep bentonite increases wool growth.”  In the study, sheep that did not ingest bentonite clay had wool depleting protozoa in their rumen. Healthy gut microbes really do pay it forward!

Goats

Rumen Health

Just as with sheep, you will find that ruminants have a lot to gain by eating Redmond mineral Conditioner. By balancing pH and supporting healthy rumen microbiota of the rumen, all other biological and chemical systems prosper. Redmond Conditioner can:

• Buffer pH levels as well as sodium bicarbonate
• Improve fiber digestion
• Increase feed efficiency
• Bind to harmful toxins present in feed or forage
• Support healthy ammonia levels
• Nourish healthy microbe colonies (microbiota)

Improve Conception Rates 

The combination of improved digestive health and a profile of 60+ minerals can greatly improve conception rates for your goats. Redmond Conditioner:

• Creates positive energy balance needed for reproductive success
• Reduces heat stress so more resources can be used by the reproductive system
• Provides trace minerals to increase fertility and improve sperm motility
• Learn more about essential trace minerals for goats

Horses

Gut Health

Bentonite clay provides many health boosting benefits for your horse’s foregut (esophagus, stomach, small intestine) and hindgut (cecum, large colon, small colon, rectum). Redmond Equine’s Daily Gold and Daily Gold Syringe are specially formulated for equine digestive health:

• Soothes and restores normal gut function
• Improves gut microbiota environment
• Increases nutrient absorption
• Buffers stomach acid to help heal painful ulcers
• Binds to harmful toxins and parasites (binds to 99% of Aflatoxin B1 that is commonly found in horse feed)
• Offers relief from colic and diarrhea

Stress Relief

Gut health is inextricably linked to a horse’s behavior and demeanor. Understandably, digestive pain increases stress and anxiety levels and reduces their ability to focus. Offering daily gold can relieve stress behaviors and help you get your horse back.

Bentonite Has External Health Benefits Too

Want your horse to further enjoy the power of clay? Try Redmond Equine’s Red Edge Clay Poultice for their legs and muscles. Our soothing rub naturally reduces swelling and soreness to restore your horse to top performance.

Pigs

Digestive and Liver Health

Bentonite clay is an extremely helpful dietary supplement for a pig’s digestive system. It naturally inhibits harmful bacteria growth that can cause diarrhea and other issues. At the same time it increases the colonies of helpful digestive bacteria. According to the NIH,

“the reduction in diarrhea is likely due to increases in the numbers of Bifidobacteria and Lactobacillus and decreases in Clostridia and E. coli in the small intestine of pigs fed clays.”

In addition, bentonite clay binds to toxins commonly found in feed, preventing them from being absorbed and stored in the liver. The NIH states:

“several studies have indicated that clays can help mitigate the effects of mycotoxins.”

Weight Gain/Feed Efficiency

The NIH study also found that:

“dietary supplementation with clays has been shown to improve weight gain and feed conversion in pigs.”

Bentonite actually changes the interior contours of the intestinal tract. It increases the height and depth of absorbing structures (villi) and:

“these changes increase the surface area of the gastrointestinal tract thus increasing nutrient digestibility.”

Bentonite also slows the speed at which feed passes along the digestive tract and allows it more time to absorb. By improving nutrient absorption, clay supplements help improve feed efficiency and increase weights at all stages of a pig’s life cycle.

Poultry

Alternative to Antibiotics/Digestive Health

Redmond mineral Conditioner offers a safe and healthy alternative to antibiotics in poultry feed. Antibiotics attack all bacteria, good and bad, and can strip your birds’ digestive tract of the colonies it needs. According to the NIH, bentonite clay:

“selectively remove pathogens without reducing microbial richness and diversity in the gut”

They also found that bentonite works more efficiently that biochar or zeolite which “had similar but milder effects compared to bentonite.”

Switching from antibiotics to Conditioner will:

• Reduce the occurrence of antibiotic resistant bacteria strains
• Prevent antibiotic carryover to eggs and meat
• Support the microbe colonies your flock needs for digestive and immune health

Bentonite clay also binds to harmful aflatoxins found in feed, so they can be excreted instead of absorbed by the body.

Feed Efficiency 

Whether you raise broilers or layers, Conditioner can improve the nutrient absorption and digestion for your birds. The NIH says that bentonite improves:

• Nutrient digestibility
• Gastrointestinal enzyme activity
• Digestive speed to give the intestines more time to absorb

Bentonite's External Health Benefits 

Want another way for your livestock to further enjoy the power of clay? Try Redmond’s Udder Mud clay poultice, with peppermint and tea tree oils for all lactating animals. Our soothing rub naturally relieves pain, reduces swelling, and inhibits infection for mastitis and other skin irritations. Give Redmond a call at to find out how conditioner can help your operations!

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