Cows can lick essential minerals from salt and other mineral deposits when they are salt-licking. Mineral licks can be created artificially or naturally. A farmer typically sprinkles rock salt on a pasture for cows to lick. The most excellent time of year for deer and other species, including deer, mousse cattle, woodchucks, domestic sheep, fox squirrels, mountain goats, porcupines, and elephants, to lick natural salts is in the spring. In habitats where nutrient availability is typically limited, the use of salt licks for cattle is particularly significant. When the weather is terrible, salty mineral reserves are exposed, attracting animals from far away to lick the necessary nourishment.

Some animals are thought to be able to sense calcium by licking salt. For instance, lactating cows are particularly susceptible to salt deprivation and require salt daily to produce milk that is largely comprised of sodium and chloride. In natural salt springs or salt deposits, often called salt licks, wildlife animals are frequently observed. They lick salts to obtain the nutrition they require. All creatures require salt, hence natural salt licks act as gathering places for wildlife.