A mineral lick (also known as a salt lick) is a place where animals can go to lick essential mineral nutrients from a deposit of salts and other minerals. Mineral licks can be naturally occurring or artificial (such as blocks of salt that farmers place in pastures for livestock to lick). Proteinis required for most normal functions of the body including maintenance growth reproduction lactation hair production and the immune system. Protein deficienciesin the diet deplete stores in the blood liver and muscles and predispose animals to a variety of serious and even fatal ailments.
