Cows, like all animals, need salt so their bodies can function properly. Salt, or sodium chloride, keeps a cow’s nervous system and muscles working efficiently.
Cows need at least 0.005 percent of their weight in salt each day. This means that a 600-pound cow should get at least .48 ounces of salt in their diet daily.
A severe lack of salt in a cow’s diet can result in weight loss, muscle weakness, nerve issues and delirium. Rarely, a severe lack of salt over an extended period or during bouts of heat stress can cause death in a cow.