Trace Mineral
They may be micro in size, but trace minerals pack some punch when when affecting health and performance of beef cattle.
SAN ANTONIO, TEXAS (Feb. 2, 2005) — Beef cattle require both macrominerals and micro-, or trace, minerals. But John Paterson, Montana State University, and Terry Engle, Colorado State University, told producers attending the Cattlemen’s College during the 2005 Cattle Industry Annual Convention and Trade Show in San Antonio, Tex., that several of the mineral imbalances commonly observed in beef cattle are due to imbalances in trace minerals.
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| Terry Engle, Colorado State University |
Paterson and Engle note that minerals play a vital role in forage digestion, reproductive performance, the immune system and the development of bones, muscle and teeth. An inadequate intake of minerals and vitamins may result in reduced forage intake, lower reproductive efficiency, poor disease immunity, slower gains and poorer feed conversion.
“Subclinical trace mineral deficiencies occur more frequently than recognized by most livestock producers,” they add. “This may be a larger problem than an acute mineral deficiency, because you do not see specific symptoms that are characteristic of a trace mineral deficiency. With a subclinical deficiency, the animal grows or reproduces at a reduced rate, uses feed less efficiently and operates with a depressed immune system.”
The pair says mineral supplementation has positive effects on reproduction, immune status, disease resistance and feed intake, and is often based upon the ability of the animal to maintain a desired level of performance. Recent experimental results indicate providing supplemental trace minerals can positively influence reproductive efficiency by improving uterine involution and reducing days to breeding. Oversupplementation with inorganic trace minerals may be detrimental to calf weaning weights.
The interactions between trace minerals, animal production, and disease resistance are extremely complex, Paterson and Engle summarize. Many factors affect an animal’s response to trace mineral supplementation, such as duration and concentration of supplementation, whether or not the animal is pregnant, the absence or presence of dietary antagonists, environmental factors and the influence of stress on trace mineral metabolism. Breed differences in trace mineral metabolism have also been documented.
— by Barb Baylor Anderson, field editor, Angus Productions Inc.
© Copyright 2005 Angus Productions Inc.
Editor’s Note: This article was written under contract or by staff of Angus Productions Inc. (API), which claims copyright to this article. It may not be published or distributed without the express permission of Angus Productions Inc. To request reprint permission and guidelines, contact Shauna Rose Hermel, editor, at (816) 383-5270 or shermel@angusjournal.com.
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