Choose Best Quality Mineral Supplements for Beef Cattle

 

Beef cattle require a number of dietary mineral elements for normal bodily maintenance, growth, and reproduction. Mineral supplements for beef cattle are required in relatively large amounts and are called major or macro elements. Those needed in small amounts are classified as micro, minor, or trace minerals. 

These terms, however, have no relationship to the metabolic importance of a mineral in the diet. A trace mineral can be as essential to the health and performance of an animal as a major mineral. The major minerals include calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, sodium, chlorine, and sulfur. Among those needed in trace amounts are iron, zinc, manganese, copper, iodine, cobalt, and selenium.

Calcium

Calcium is used in the formation and maintenance of bones and teeth. It also functions in the transmission of nerve impulses and contraction of muscle tissue. A dynamic system involving calcium, phosphorus, and vitamin D exists to maintain a relatively stable concentration of calcium in the blood. 

Calcium and phosphorus are stored in bone and mobilized into the circulatory system when dietary intake of the two minerals is adequate. Blood calcium level is not a good indicator of a dietary calcium deficiency because blood calcium is reflective of both calcium intake and calcium mobilization from bone.

Phosphorus

Phosphorus works in conjunction with calcium in the formation of bone. In addition, phosphorus is a component of deoxyribonucleic acid (DNA), the molecules that make up chromosomes and control genetic inheritance. Phosphorus is also involved in the chemical reactions of energy metabolism. 

Phosphorus-containing compounds like adenosine triphosphate and creatine monophosphate are the body's major storage depots of readily available energy. Worldwide, phosphorus deficiency is reported to be the most prevalent mineral insufficiency in grazing livestock. Deficiency of phosphorus results in decreased animal performance, including reduced weight gains, poor reproductive efficiency, and low milk production.

Magnesium

Magnesium is an activator of many metabolic enzymes. These enzymes control reactions that range from the breakdown of glucose for energy to the replication of DNA, which is necessary for cell division. The most common problem associated with magnesium deficiency is a condition known as grass tetany. 

Observed most frequently in the early spring, grass tetany results from the consumption of lush forage, which has low levels of magnesium. The apparent depression in magnesium levels results from the high water content of rapidly growing plants. Symptoms include frequent urination, erratic behavior, and convulsions. If left untreated, death can occur within several hours.

Sodium and chlorine

The requirement for sodium and chlorine is commonly expressed as a salt requirement. Both sodium and chlorine function to maintain the volume, pH, and osmolarity of body fluids. Sodium is involved in muscle and nerve function. Chlorine is essential for hydrochloric acid production in the abomasum and for carbon dioxide transport. 

The maximum advisable level for sodium in the diet is 0.08 percent of the dry matter for dry cows and 0.1 percent for lactating cows. The requirement for chlorine is unknown. To date, deficiencies of chlorine have not been demonstrated in beef cattle.

Potassium

Potassium is ubiquitous in the body of mammals because it is required in large amounts by most organ systems for normal functioning. Thus, a deficiency of potassium results in nonspecific symptoms such as poor appetite, followed by thinness, reduced performance, and stiffness, especially in the joints of the front legs. 

Potassium levels of 0.6 to 0.7 percent of ration dry matter are necessary to promote optimal performance by growing and finishing cattle. There is no evidence that potassium is needed in feedlot rations that contain sizable amounts of silage or another roughage. Additionally, rations containing molasses and alfalfa meal are not likely to be deficient in potassium.

Animal requirements

Cattle require different levels of minerals, depending on age, size, sex, physiological state, and level of performance. Some examples of nutrient requirements for cattle at different stages of maturity and production are provided in 

• The maximum level of each mineral that can be safely tolerated by beef cattle is also included for reference purposes. A compilation of supplements that may be used to meet animal requirements for specific mineral nutrients is provided.

• Both the amount of mineral in the supplement and the bioavailability (i.e., the amount of mineral in the supplement that is able to be absorbed and subsequently used by the animal) are important factors in determining which mineral supplement is most cost-effective. 

• The first supplement under each mineral heading is the standard to which all of the other supplements were compared to determine the relative bioavailability value (RV). For instance, calcium carbonate is the standard by which all calcium supplements are compared.

 

• If diets are deficient in more than one mineral, it may be cheaper to use a supplement that supplies more than one required mineral than to purchase a separate supplement for each mineral.