Physical Description:
Cobalt Sulphate is a red or rose coloured powder, crystal or small granule.
This product comes in 20kg or 25kg bags or boxes; different stores will have different formats depending on the source. See label: Cobalt Sulphate
Uses:
Cobalt Sulphate can be blended with fertiliser to increase herbage cobalt levels for animal health and is also an animal remedy (dietary cobalt supplement) used to prevent and treat cobalt deficiency in livestock. It can also be dissolved in water and sprayed onto pasture or crops as an alternative method of getting cobalt into grazing animals.
Benefits:
Cobalt Sulphate is a convenient method of providing supplementary dietary cobalt to animals. Its very high quality means no clumping and will not go hard on storage.
Application:
- Fertiliser - an initial capital application of 350g/ha applied in the late spring. Timing is important as pasture cobalt levels remain elevated for only 6-8 weeks, therefore applications should occur in the spring. Cobalt takes at least a month to get into herbage through the fertiliser so to ensure adequate levels have been reached in the herbage, test the herbage 4-6 weeks after application.
- Foliar application - application of cobalt sulphate as a foliar spray at 120-240 g/ha can be more effective than cobalt applied in fertiliser on soils with higher manganese levels. Again the duration of effectiveness is limited and timing is crucial. Two spray applications of 120 g/ha will give greater protection than a single larger application. It can also be applied at the same rate to pasture that is due to be cut, or has just be cut, for hay, silage or baleage. Foliar application should be done in the spring or early summer, as these are the periods of peak requirement by the animals.
- Animal Health - cobalt sulphate can be administered as an oral drench, through the drinking water (via an in-line dispenser, added to the central water supply or added directly to the water trough) or added to supplementary feed. For dose rates please consult your veterinarian.
Meat and milk withholding periods for animals: NIL
Compatibility:
- Animal Health - cobalt sulphate can be mixed with most other oral nutritional animal health products. It is soluble in water so can be administered through the drinking water.
- Fertiliser - cobalt sulphate is compatible with the same range of fertiliser products as potassium chloride. Care is required not to mix with well granulated compound fertilisers where the finer salt particles will segregate during transport and spreading.
Storage & Handling:
Cobalt Sulphate is mildly irritant, so care should be taken to avoid contact with eyes. Store in a cool, dry covered facility and ensure that the bag is closed properly after use.
Source:
Europe
For Further Information:
Animal Health and Nutrition Brochure
Safety Data Sheet (SDS):
Cobalt Sulphate
Products Safety Card (PSC):
Cobalt Sulphate