For the frugal. Do minerals expire?

[Jimfandango]

I have just been into the local Mole Valley and, as is my want, bought 250 selenium and cobalt sheep boluses at 75% off. I have done this sort of thing many times in the past with things like blocks, boluses and minerals. I have always operated under the assumption that in a dried, powdered form they would be relatively stable and therefore still good for ages but maybe slightly deteriorated.
It just occurred to me to try and verify this opinion on here. Any thoughts?
Cheers

 

[hendrebc]

As long as they haven't oxidised they will be ok. If they look OK they'll be fine. Vitamins on the other hand will degrade.

 

[neilo]

I've always taken the same view, but best not to tell everyone or there won't be any OOD stuff for us to pick up cheap.

 

[john 650]

It's a mineral. It came from the ground and is a natural element. The mineral content won't have changed. With a bolus, the means of delivery, or carrier may well have changed, and may not last as long as the manufacturer intended (or may last longer) , but the mineral won't have changed. Vitamins are compounds though, and are a bit more difficult to predict....

 

[Cowlife]

Was always told minerals ok but vitamins no

 

[neilo]

Was always told minerals ok but vitamins no

Even then, vitamins don't disappear overnight, they gradually degrade.

 

[Guleesh]

Er, the frugal don't buy minerals, not even out of date minerals.

 

[Happy]

Er, the frugal don't buy minerals, not even out of date minerals.

And the frugal mineral suppliers don’t sell them off cheap either.
They just print up new labels for the bags

 

[Wooly]

Minerals are in the ground for thousands of years............... but then someone puts a use by date once they are in a bag !!

 

[Kiwi Pete]

Someone on here asked what it would be like to drink 6-month-old water and I spat my 3-minute-old coffee on the table

 

[neilo]

Someone on here asked what it would be like to drink 6-month-old water and I spat my 3-minute-old coffee on the table

I only ever drink new water, straight from the tap.

 

[tepapa]

Minerals are elements on the periodic table. They are what they are. You'd need a nuclear reactor to split their atoms apart. Well that's the way I look at them anyway

 

[Wisconsonian]

Iodine is volatile, that's why table salt has an expiration date. Vit A is short lived also, some of the other vitamins might last longer. All the other minerals should be there as long as the block hasn't been submerged.

 

[Hooby Farmer]

When i was a child i remember my father going into our local chemist who at the time sold Ag medicines as well and buying out of date doses at discounted rates. I don't recall him saying anything negative about them. Im sure my current franchise vet would take a long bemused look at you if you asked them that now.

 

[Pistonbroke]

Ex Norbrook rep told me that drenches etc are fine for using years out of date as long as they're still sealed,stored properly out of sunshine and in normal temperatures. Found a 1997 bottle of heptavac a while ago,not sure I will risk that though

 

[Optimus]

Iodine is volatile, that's why table salt has an expiration date. Vit A is short lived also, some of the other vitamins might last longer. All the other minerals should be there as long as the block hasn't been submerged.

Yes vitamin A only has short life span.believe me you need the vitamin A in them the consequences of it not been there is not great.

 

[Paddington]

The '97 was a good year for Heptavac.

 

[crashbox]

I only ever drink new water, straight from the tap.

If you live in London it's probably been passed a dozen times already...

 

[Nearly]

I only ever drink new water, straight from the tap.

Anything that has been through that many kidneys is bound to be pure.

 

[Whitepeak]

Most feedstuffs, buckets, blocks, drenches etc. if stored correctly, in sealed containers will be fine to use long after their best before date. The best before date is exactly what it says, the product is in its best condition before that date! It's just the manufacturers can't guarantee the vitamins after that time, due to them degrading over time. Even then it might only be one specific vitamin which is the limiting factor.
Obviously if the product hasn't been stored correctly ie it's got damp, warm or oxidised etc then the vitamins etc will degrade much faster.