While there are many beef producers that realize the value of incorporating performance trace minerals in their beef nutrition and feeding program year-round, some producers still leave these essential nutrients out during certain times of year due to logistical challenges. There are also some beef producers with the misperception that forages provide everything their animals need and will only supplement salt, if that.
The fact remains, however, that for beef cattle to truly thrive and reach their full potential, they should receive optimal trace mineral nutrition throughout every production stage. Beef cattle encounter various health issues throughout the course of their lives.
Minerals needed in larger amounts, such as calcium, magnesium and potassium, are considered to be macrominerals, while minerals required in minute quantities are known as trace elements, or trace minerals. Trace minerals include copper, iodine, iron, manganese, chromium and zinc. Tiny amounts of these minerals help turn food into energy, assist with growth, carry oxygen to cells and build your immune system. Eating a wide variety of foods should supply your body with an adequate amount of trace minerals.
For some beef producers, there are logistical challenges that lead to an absence of performance trace minerals in their beef nutrition and feeding program year-round, including challenges due to the land area that cattle are covering. This often happens during the summer months when cattle are grazing extensive range which can make supplementation difficult, but not impossible.
During the busier times of year, such as when producers on a beef operation are baling hay, supplementing trace minerals is simply forgotten, even though cattle and supplement feeders are accessible. While it may seem simple, the easiest solution for this is to make sure the responsibility for supplementing trace minerals is assigned to a single person on the operation. This can help avoid miscommunication while feeders sit empty in the pasture and trace minerals are available in the shed or are a phone call away.
Calves are dependent on the trace minerals they get through gestation. Studies show an increase in the number of calves that are born with challenges, such as impaired or malformed skeletal structure when born from cows who were not supplemented with trace minerals, such as manganese, during gestation.
Supplementing performance trace minerals in a beef nutrition program is important for every production stage, including before birth. Improving a calf’s ability to mount a robust response to an immune challenge allows for more nutrients and energy to be utilized for growth, production and reproduction.
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