NUTRITION ▶▶▶
Trace minerals: Why source matters
When it comes to ingredients in the dairy ration, how much does the source really matter? Research conducted by Trouw Nutrition, a Nutreco company, fi nds sulphate sources of trace minerals may harm dairy cows’ physiological performance, reduce NDF digestibility, and negatively impact sustainability.
BY KEVIN PERRYMAN, GLOBAL TRACE MINERAL MANAGER, TROUW NUTRITION B
elow, we address concerns associated with the use of sulphate sources of trace minerals in the dairy ra- tion and present trace mineral alternatives such as hydroxychloride sources to help producers avoid
the harms posed by sulphate trace minerals.
Essential nutrient stability Copper, zinc and manganese are essential to a cow’s health, productivity and longevity. These trace minerals impact the cow’s physiological performance including immune compe- tency, hoof integrity and reproduction. But the stability and thus the availability of the trace mineral source differs a lot. When sulphate trace mineral sources were introduced in the 1940s and 1950s, little research was conducted on how they worked in the animal. As researchers learned more about the consequences of sulphate trace mineral use in the ration, or- ganic sources of trace minerals were developed in the 1970s and 1980s. While the organic sources improved on some prob- lems associated with sulphate trace minerals, they did so at a steep price increase. The introduction of hydroxychloride trace minerals in the 1990s provided an effective and economical approach to feeding essential trace minerals. Hydroxychloride trace minerals deliver efficacy equivalent to – and potentially better – than organics but at a more attrac- tive price point. Engineered with a crystalline structure and
20 ▶DAIRY GLOBAL | Volume 7, No. 1, 2020
tight covalent bonds, hydroxychloride trace minerals are less soluble and less reactive than sulphate trace minerals.
Rumen stability in the animal An ingredient’s reactivity affects how the mineral behaves with ingredients in the rumen, such as vitamins and probiot- ics. Sulphate trace minerals are highly unstable chemical enti- ties and as they come into contact with antagonists in the ru- men, their high level of reactivity presents several concerns. Research has shown that highly reactive sulphate trace min- eral sources can inflict a significant oxidative effect in the ani- mal, degrading or diminishing expensive vitamin sources in the feed, such as vitamins A, E and D. And while the antimi- crobial effects of sulphate trace minerals make them effective at killing pathogens in footbaths, these same properties can destroy beneficial microbes in the rumen and the ration – such as live yeast and various probiotics.
Impact on NDFD and economics Findings from 10 studies conducted by Trouw Nutrition demonstrated sulphate sources of copper and zinc had a neg- ative effect on fibre digestibility (Figure 1). Data from these studies indicate a decline of approximately three points of NDFD when zinc and copper sulphates are included in the dairy ration. A paper published by Michigan State University (Oba and Allen, 1999) suggests the economic impact of such a decrease in NDFD is equivalent to about a quarter of a kilo of milk production per cow per day based on 4% milkfat. Apply- ing this estimate to the Trouw Nutrition research suggests an economic cost of about € 0.30 per cow per day when sul- phates are included in the ration. While some feed ingredient buyers may justify the use of sulphates in the dairy ration based on the low price point, the data suggests the cost of re- duced performance on the production process should also be taken into account when making trace mineral decisions.
PHOTO: TROUW NUTRITION
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