M
INERAL SUPPLEMENTATION IS OFTEN OVERLOOKED IN
a ranch nutritional program, yet it is a key requirement for beef cattle production. Im-
pacts of mineral nutrition include animal growth, re- production, milk production and health, all of which affect ranch profi tability. Because it is so important, mineral supplementation was chosen as a topic for the 2016 Cattle Raisers Convention. The presenta- tion summarized in this article was delivered by Dr. Jason Banta, Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service. Banta used several commercial products as ex-
amples to make the information easier to understand. Reference to trade names is made with the under- standing that no discrimination is intended and no endorsement is implied by Texas A&M AgriLife Ex- tension Service and Texas and Southwestern Cattle Raisers Association (TSCRA). Only a partial listing of available products and companies is included and no discrimination is intended by the omission of a product. Listed values do not guarantee current com- pany specifi cations. Producers are encouraged to use the information presented by Banta to review their current mineral program with a supplier of choice.
What’s in the bag? In planning a mineral program, it is important to
remember that cattle obtain part of their requirements from forage and drinking water. If cattle receive pro- tein supplement, it contains minerals as well. How- ever, additional minerals should be fed to cattle as a supplement to satisfy their total needs. Complete mineral supplements contain salt (so-
dium), macro minerals, trace minerals (a.k.a. micro minerals) and vitamins A, D, and E. The macro and trace minerals are listed in Table 1. Macro mineral
Table 1. Minerals required by a beef animal. Macro
Trace Calcium
Phosphorus Potassium Magnesium Sodium Sulfur
Copper Zinc
Manganese Selenium Iodine
Cobalt Iron Others
70 The Cattleman July 2016
content in a mix is calculated as a percent of diet and units for trace minerals are listed as parts per million (ppm) or milligrams per kilogram of mix (mg/kg). There are many mineral mix manufacturers and
their products can differ in several ways. Some of the variances are formulation, type of minerals contained in the product and the amount of each mineral in the mix. Source of minerals may vary between companies and has an impact on whether an element is in a form available for use by the animal. Buy mineral mixes from companies that have a reputation for manufac- turing a good product.
A mineral is not effective unless it is eaten by the
animal, so palatability is important.
A mineral is not effective unless it is eaten by the
animal, so palatability is important. Some companies add palatability enhancers to their mix. The formu- lation should also be designed to meet the targeted intake so the animal’s requirements are met. Weatherization is one of the characteristics that
determine mineral mix quality. If moisture causes a granular mineral to turn into a brick, consumption will decrease or completely stop. As a matter of simplicity, Banta divided the com-
mon formulations of mineral mixes into 3 groups: • higher-calcium (Ca), lower phosphorus (P) • similar Ca and P levels • winter pasture (higher magnesium) (Mg) As examples, Banta described 3 formulations of
Right Now Mineral manufactured by Cargill. These formulations are named Emerald, Bronze and Gold. Emerald is a higher-calcium, lower phosphorus mix; Bronze has similar calcium and phosphorus levels; and Gold is a higher magnesium product (Table 2). Emerald is higher in calcium than phosphorus
at about a 3:1 ratio. Calcium to phosphorus ratios in most mineral mixes are either 2:1, 2-1/2:1 or 3:1. In the past, products with similar Ca and P levels normally contained the 2 minerals in a 12:12 ratio. Due to escalation in phosphorus prices, companies have lowered the amounts. These lesser amounts of
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