Although we all know it, for whatever reason, when push comes to shove and cuts have to come somewhere, our mineral supplementation is always the first to go.
Livestock specialist with the University of Missouri, Eldon Cole, noted the importance of mineral supplementation.
Cole said there are many things farmers can hope to achieve out of a mineral. Internal and external parasite control, antibiotics like tetracycline, internal parasites, anti-bloat, vitamins and minerals all come nicely bundled and packaged in many brands and forms. The prices on them all keep rising.
But how can we really evaluate if we’re going to be getting our dollar’s worth in this type of supplementation?
Cole said the best way to ensure you get what you are hoping out of your mineral, is to make sure of what your cattle need.
What do you actually have in your fields? What protein and TDN (Total Digestible Nutrients) levels are actually out there? What minerals are in your forage? Testing can be done, but it takes time and money. Therefore, the next best thing is to use reliable book values for the species of forage the cattle are consuming.
Cole recommends sending forage samples to be tested so producers can get as close as possible to knowing exactly what your cattle are getting in the field. He did make note of the fact that cattle do graze smarter than we sample. “They pick out the best stuff to eat,” he said.
Some things to be wary of when getting minerals, Cole noted, were “fescue aids.”
"There is not a lot of good science behind many of those products,” he warned. Fescue aids are products that suggest they will offset the effects of fescue toxicosis and other undesirable effects of a mostly endophyte-infected fescue diet in the herd.
He also recommended shopping around. Know what is in your minerals. Cole suggested producers incorrectly overuse magnesium. Only use high magnesium in season, he said. “You only really need magnesium up until April 15. It is not helpful in preventing fescue problems,” he said.
Know the phosphorus in what you’re feeding. With distillers grains and other byproducts, your herd will get their phosphorus needs met already.
Sometimes adding a trace mineral salt to your herd’s diet will be sufficient. And always have a good way to feed your minerals so they are protected from the weather. If the minerals are poured into an open bunk or onto the ground, a rainshower can wash your money away.
