Using a mineral supplement is one of the most important yet overlooked parts of cattle management. Sure, we all are concerned with the amount of protein or energy they are getting but what about meeting their mineral needs?
Though the amount that cattle need is very small it can play a very important role in their overall production as well as their overall well-being. Selecting the correct mineral supplement is needed for optimal growth and reproduction health.
When mineral requirements are not being met cattle do not perform as efficiently as they could. One problem here is that the signs of a deficiency may not be visible till it becomes a serious problem. When that happens it will cost a lot to get them back to where they need to be.
When a deficiency is present you will see things like decreased weaning weights, decreased milk production, and lack of cows being bred to name a few. Many of the signs of deficiency are the same with different minerals so it may be hard to pin down which ones they will need.
But what type of mineral supplement should I be providing you may ask. Well, I may not be able to tell you exactly which one will work because I do not know your operation. I can however give you some tips to look for when trying to decide which one will work best for you.
Why do cows need a mineral supplement?
Minerals along with salt are necessary elements in order to sustain life. These little nutrients are needed for everything from bone growth to muscle functionality.
Now the thing you may be thinking is “Wouldn’t my forages provide all of the necessary minerals that my cows will need?” and the quick answer to that is NO. Your forages will not provide all of the minerals that your cows will need. In fact, it is almost assured that your forages will be lacking in something. There will never be any forages that will provide all of what is needed.
Which minerals are deficient will entirely depend on where you are located. What your forages will provide depends on what is present in your soil, if it is not present in the soil then it will not be in your grasses. This can vary depending on which region of the country you are in and can even vary in different parts of the county you are in.
No one soil type will provide the correct amount of minerals in the correct amount that is needed. Some places like here in Texas may be deficient in selenium. Another problem that you can run into is there is too much of 1 type of mineral that will interfere with the absorption of another. Too much sulfur inhibiting the absorption of calcium is one that comes to mind.
This is why doing a forage test is very important before you make a choice of a mineral supplement program. Doing this test will tell you what you are deficient in and what adjustments you will need to make.
What types do they need?
This one is another that is difficult to answer without more detailed information about what you are wanting to accomplish with your herd. Generally speaking, a complete supplement containing salt, calcium, phosphorus, and trace minerals will help out.
The exact amount needed will depend on the overall forage quality, stage of production, and body condition of your cattle to make that call. This is because forages will provide more or less of any particular mineral on which stage (new growth or mature) of growth they are in. The stage of production your cattle is in plays a role because a cow in early lactation will have different demands vs one that is dry.
The time of year also plays a role in what minerals you will need to supplement. During late winter and early spring, you will need to provide a supplement with a higher level of Magnesium to prevent grass tetany. If you would like to learn more about how to prevent grass tetany then check out a previous article “How to treat grass tetany”.
Overall there are 17 types of minerals that are required by beef cattle. They can be broken down further into 2 groups: Macro and micro. These groups are determined by the amount that the animal needs.
Macro
- Calcium
- Phosphorus
- Sodium and Chlorine
- Magnesium
- Potassium
- Sulfur
Micro
- Cobalt
- Copper
- Iodine
- Iron
- Manganese
- Selenium
- Zinc
The University of Georgia has a really good paper “Mineral Supplements for Beef Cattle” that goes into more detail about what each of these minerals does and the amount your cows need.
Can cattle eat too much mineral?
Overconsumption of a mineral supplement can occur if it is not properly balanced. When the supplement is not properly balanced cattle will eat more of it to get the amount of 1 mineral they want. One example of this is not having enough phosphorus.
Phosphorus is a somewhat expensive mineral so most of your cheaper mixes will only provide a very small amount in order to cut costs. A problem with this is that cattle have a natural tendency to seek this out so if there is not enough then they will eat more than they should.
Selecting the right mineral supplement can help keep consumption at the correct level. This may require a little more investment on your part in time and effort but it is well worth it.
Proper management can also be used to prevent either over-or under-consumption. You can do this by moving the feeder around to encourage either more or less consumption. If your cattle are not consuming enough you can move the feeder closer to a water source or loafing areas. On the other side if they are consuming too much you can move it further away from high congregation areas. Moving the feeder around can also help in improving grazing distribution encouraging them to move to different areas.
To determine if your cattle are overconsuming or under-consuming you will need to keep track of the eating rate. This will be done over a certain period of time. You will do this by taking the amount that has been eaten divided by the number of days. Then you will take the number then divide it by the head of cattle.
What to look for in a mineral supplement
Now that you have determined what minerals you are needing to supplement it is time to begin shopping. With this, you can go with any number of choices available at your local feed store. You can also visit with a cattle nutritionist and have one made custom for you.
The first thing that you should look for is if the supplement is properly balanced. As I mentioned earlier a properly balanced supplement will prevent overconsumption. An example of a balance between 2 minerals is having a proper Zinc to Copper ratio of 3-to-1.
The next thing that you will want to look for is a supplement with a large particle size. The larger particle size means that it will be less likely that the wind will blow your supplement away. You will also want to find one with rain protection.
Third thing is that you will want to select one from an organic, bioavailable source. What this plays a part in is determining how well it is absorbed by the cow. These are a little more expensive but since more of it is absorbed instead of just going through the body it evens out.
