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Winter mineral supplementation: Opportunities for savingsby Dr. John Arthington, University of Florida/IFAS
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Grazing cows have a nutritional requirement for minerals throughout the year. The concentration of mineral
required in the diet often varies in relation to the cow's stage of production, predominantly pregnancy and
lactation. The majority of a cow's mineral requirement is achieved through the consumption of forage. In some
cases our pasture forages may supply the entire cow's requirement, but in the majority of cases some deficiency
will result. The minerals that are most commonly found to be deficient in Florida forages include copper, zinc,
selenium, cobalt, and sometimes phosphorus. If left unaddressed, deficiencies in these minerals can result in
decreased growth of calves, decreased pregnancy rates, and an increase in health related problems. Mineral
deficiency of forage is most often addressed by providing the cowherd free-choice access to a salt-based mineral
supplement. In Florida, our mineral supplements are typically designed for a daily consumption of 2 to 6 ounces
per cow. On average a quality mineral supplementation program can be provided for $12 to $16 per cow annually.
Although this cost range is practical for most all production systems, it is not uncommon to find ranches that
spend considerably more for annual cowherd mineral supplementation. These examples are typically the result of
over-consumption of the mineral supplement. During the summer months the craving for salt typically causes cows
to consume more mineral than targeted by the product formulation. In contrast, during the dryer winter months
a decrease in mineral consumption is often observed. Over-consumption can be controlled by limit-feeding mineral
to the cows once every seven days. If they consume their allotment within a couple of days, then mix stock salt
at a 50:50 ratio until consumption is satiated to within 5 to 7 days. Be sure that the 50:50 ratio in inclusive
of the salt and doesn't dilute the desired mineral consumption by 50%. It is not a problem to have the mineral
feeder empty for a day or two until the next offering is provided. Over-consumption of mineral is too often
mischaracterized by cowherd managers. They will suggest that this is simply "cheap insurance" to avoid the potential
for mineral deficiency in the herd. This is an unfortunate consideration as extra mineral, consumed beyond the
requirement of the cow, is usually expended in urine and feces and provides little to no added benefit. It is
always best to attempt to capture this savings for use in more productive management applications, such as health
care and energy and protein supplementation.
One simple method for realizing savings in the mineral supplementation program is through the use of commercial
winter energy and protein supplements. Almost all commercial winter supplements (liquid molasses, cubes, mixed
feed, and tubes or blocks) are fortified with minerals. When consumed in the suggested quantity, many of these
commercial products will provide all the supplemental minerals needed by the cow. Therefore, no free-choice
mineral supplement is required during the time that commercial feed supplements are provided. This advantage
is further helpful for addressing the poor intake of free-choice mineral, which is often realized during the
winter months.
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phone: (863) 735-1314 ~ fax: (863) 735-1930 Webmaster Last Revised December 11, 2006 |