The influence of mineral on your cattle’s performance – and the potential impact of that performance on your profitability – can’t be overstated. Proper mineral nutrition is essential for all biological functions, including optimizing feed efficiency, repairing a cow’s reproductive tract for rebreeding and producing high-quality colostrum and milk for calf health and vigor.
For minerals to have the maximum effect on your cattle’s productivity, there are two requirements:
- Minerals must be in a form that cattle can absorb and utilize.
- Cattle must consistently consume minerals.
Here are some tips to ensure you get the most from your cattle mineral investment.
Minerals your cattle can use
Among key factors that influence the effectiveness of a mineral program, bioavailability takes center stage. Bioavailability helps indicate the amount of mineral an animal can absorb and utilize. The more bioavailable the ingredients are, the better cattle can absorb the minerals, and the more benefit you’ll see from those ingredients.
When choosing a mineral, don’t let a surface-level glance at the label completely drive your decision-making. More is not necessarily better, and it’s important to ensure you’re buying a product with quality ingredients your cattle can utilize.
Check mineral sources
Not all sources of minerals are utilized equally. Inorganic minerals are typically less costly, but also less bioavailable, than their organic counterparts.
Dig into the ingredient list to see what you’re actually getting. While inorganic oxide sources are less expensive for manufacturers to include in a product, they simply will not have the same impact, as most of the oxide forms are virtually unavailable, and therefore useless, to the animal. Other inorganic sources, such as chlorides and sulfates, are more bioavailable than oxides, but organic or chelate sources will have the highest bioavailability.
Look for key trace minerals with higher bioavailability, including zinc, manganese, copper and cobalt. Not only are these minerals better utilized by the animal, cattle require these minerals for various functions including but not limited to immunity, reproduction, growth and fiber digestion.
Right mineral, right time
While bioavailable mineral sources are important year-round, they’re even more important during times of stress like calving and weaning. Minerals with high bioavailability can also have a major impact on herds with marginal trace mineral status, consistent reproduction issues, overall herd health problems, foot problems or in areas with forage or water quality issues.
Consistent consumption
No matter how bioavailable a mineral is, if cattle aren’t eating it, it cannot influence their performance. In a world where input costs are high, it’s important to remember that the most expensive mineral is one cattle can’t – or won’t – eat.
Even when forage quality is at its highest, cattle cannot store most minerals in the body in great amounts. Consistent daily intake ensures cattle continuously have access to the minerals needed to optimize productivity. Consistent mineral intake helps a female breed back in fewer days and gives her calf more time to put on weight. On top of reproduction, consistent mineral intake supports overall health, proper body condition score (BCS) and the quality of colostrum and milk.
With minerals, we’re essentially asking cattle to eat rocks. Mineral palatability is a significant factor in hitting target intake levels. Look for a mineral with palatable, high-quality ingredients designed to meet intake needs.
It’s also important to look for a weatherized mineral that’s water- and wind-resistant, preventing your investment from turning into a non-edible brick or blowing away.
The value of mineral
If a cow is doing her job, she is always raising a calf – either in utero, by her side or both. She never gets a day off. And the cow’s needs are constantly changing, as is the nutrition she receives through her diet. Consistent mineral intake that’s properly absorbed by the cow is crucial to ensure she’s not deficient and her performance doesn’t suffer.
Work with your nutritionist to choose a mineral with high bioavailability, palatability and weatherability to boost cattle performance and ensure you get the most impact from your mineral investment.
Sources omitted but are available upon request by sending an email to the editor.
