Beef cattle require minerals in the diet to support maintenance, growth, lactation and reproduction. Providing mineral supplementation is an important part of the beef nutrition program for maintaining healthy animals. While most minerals in cattle diets in the Southeast are typically supplied by forages and feed supplements, a mineral program can help provide key nutrients that may be missing or present in low quantities. A common question among producers is, “What kind of mineral supplement should I select for my cow herd?”
When selecting a mineral supplement for the cow-calf operation, trace minerals often come to mind first among producers. However, it is important to remember that in most Southeastern cow-calf operations, both macro- and microminerals are needed in a mineral package. Macrominerals, or those required by cattle in the largest quantities, include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine and sulfur. Nutritional needs reach their peak during the first 60 days after calving when there is a great demand on animals for maintenance, milk production and recovery after giving birth. Calcium and phosphorus, which support lactation and reproduction, are two key macrominerals required in the greatest amounts during this time period.
Key microminerals, or trace minerals, include copper, zinc and selenium. Soils in the southeast U.S. tend to be deficient in these compounds, which reduces their presence in grazed or harvested forage. Mineral supplements which include these compounds help support immune system function, rumen health and energy metabolism.
A quality commercial mineral supplement will often meet the needs of most cow-calf operations. These supplements contain a fixed amount of mineral compounds and are designed to deliver a certain amount of each element in the diet through a target intake value listed on the tag (i.e., 4 ounces per head per day projected consumption). Most cattle herds in the region need a complete mineral which contains at least calcium, phosphorus and a trace mineral package with the elements described above.
A trace mineral supplement alone may not meet animal nutritional needs during key times of the production cycle, such as prior to and during the first 60 to 90 days post-calving. Consult with your nutritionist to help walk through steps to determine if a given mineral supplement is right for your
operation.
