|
With summer forage in full growth, it is easy to forget about other nutritional needs that cattle require during this time of the year. Minerals and vitamins are often overlooked this time of the year and that can be costly to your bottom line.
Cattle requirements for vitamins and minerals during late spring and summer could be at its greatest level because of two factors. First, when the temperature rises, cattle have a tendency to sweat out minerals and vitamins leading to an increased requirement to replace those that are lost through body fluid. Also, spring calving cattle are not only being asked to milk and raise a good calf, but they are also being asked to cycle and breed back so you can have a calf next year. These two factors alone will lead to an increased demand for a high quality, palatable mineral/vitamin supplement. Minerals and vitamins are essential parts of the total daily diet of the animal influencing the efficiency of production in the animal. Minerals make up 5% of the total body composition of the animal and are very important in skeleton formation and maintenance, protein synthesis, oxygen transport, fluid balance, and reproductive performance in both bulls, breeding age heifers, and brood cows. A complete mineral should provide not only sodium and chlorine (salt), but should also meet the daily needs for calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sulfur, copper, zinc, selenium, iron, and cobalt. The mineral should be provided in a usable form and amount for proper utilization.
Vitamins are also equally important and should also be provided on a daily basis. Vitamins are necessary for proper growth, development, immunity response and reproductive performance. Vitamins also play a key role in the transformation of energy and regulation of the metabolism of structural units. The vitamins we are most concerned with in cattle will be A, D, and Vitamin E. Special consideration should be given to Vitamin A during the summer months for eye health and immunity during times when Pinkeye is a concern.
When selecting a mineral/vitamin supplement for your farm, special consideration must be applied when making this decision. You should select a complete supplement that is in a usable form and highly palatable. You should first consider your forage, soil profile, and feeding program then select the very best mineral/vitamin supplement based upon this information. The supplement should be provided free choice at all times and mineral feeders should not be located more than ½ mile apart. Feeders should be located near water tanks, loafing areas, and areas of best grazing to assure proper daily intake. All of these factors will encourage mineral intake instead of discouraging intake. Normal mineral
consumption should fall between 2 and 4 ounces per head per day. Elevated intake amounts are common in cattle that have been provided no mineral or minerals of poor quality and makeup.
Your local Co-op can provide you with all needed items to provide cattle with a complete mineral/vitamin supplement. We carry several different types of minerals along with mineral feeders to meet the daily requirements of your animals. Most of the complete minerals will average around $10.50 a bag at your local store. This will be a cost of 1.3 cents per ounce of mineral. At a average consumption of 3 ounces per head per day, your cost for minerals and vitamins will cost you less than 4 cents per day and less than $15.00 per year to provide your cattle with the proper supplement to increase growth, milk production, improve overall health, and improve reproductive performance in your cattle herd. A complete supplement will also help improve bull fertility leading to a greater number of cows being bred each year. A mineral vitamin supplement will be one of the least expensive inputs that you can have that can lead to healthier cows and greater growth in your calves.
If you have any questions, or if I can assist you in any manner please contact me at 256-947-7886 or e-mail me at
jimmyh@alafarm.com.
Jimmy Hughes is AFC animal nutrionist. |
