Page 15 - MWC 04-22-2021s

A Mineral Program is Key to The Midwest Cattleman · April 22, 2021 · P15

Successful Grazing

By Garth Ruff, Beef Cattle Field Specialist, OSU Extension
The grass is getting green- al blend. away from the
er by the day and the graz- Copper is also important. water source
ing season is within sight. Dr. Steve Boyles’ recommen- and loafing
While checking fences, water- dation is to feed a mineral to areas.
ing systems, pasture fertili- beef cattle with at least 1000 Salt
ty, and forage establishment ppm. Keep in mind copper is Some pro-
are often on our minds before also toxic to sheep at high lev- ducers ‘cut’
spring turnout, another thing els. their miner-
we need to consider is our Not all mineral mixes are al when they
mineral program. equal think animals are eating too
Having a sound, balanced In the long run “cheap” much. Adding salt makes ade- supplement per day for 365
mineral program in place is mineral mixes aren’t that quate mineral intake tougher days, then she consumes 91.2
important throughout the cheap. to achieve. pounds of the supplement in
year as minerals are involved Have you ever blamed the For example, if a mineral a year ((4 oz x 365 days) ÷ 16
in most if not all metabolic bull for your cows not get- with a recommended feeding oz/lb).
functions of our livestock, in- ting bred? Perhaps fertility rate of 3.0 ounces per day is Many mineral and vitamin
cluding growth, reproduction, was compromised by the lack mixed in a 50:50 ratio with supplements are packaged in
and lactation. However, it is of mineral bioavailability to plain white salt, animals 50-pound bags, bag of mineral
often on pasture where we the cow. Cheap minerals may need to consume 6 ounces per with a 4 oz/d intake contains
run into mineral imbalances contain adequate levels of re- day to supply the targeted 200 animal-days’ worth of
and issues. While some is- quired nutrients but if they amount of 3.0 ounces of min- mineral ((50 lb x 16 oz/lb) ÷ 4
sues are harder to detect such are in a form that is not nutri- eral. oz/d).
as reduced daily gain or lost tionally available, what good If your mineral is $35 per
milk production, others like are they? What are the costs? bag, that’s $0.175 per day.
Grass Tetany are more ob- If comparing bioavailabili- Many free-choice miner- This is cheap compared to the
vious, and they all can have ty of mineral complexes: Or- al mixes are formulated for lost productivity lost (fertili-
severe impacts on herd/flock ganic > Sulfate = Chloride > 2-4 ounce daily consumption ty) of a poor mineral program!
profitability. Carbonate = Oxide. Magne- rates. On the high end, if a Happy Grazing.

Minerals are complex, yet sium oxide is the only min- cow consumes 4 ounces of a
important eral in the oxide form that is
There isn’t always a silver bioavailable. One might shy
bullet for balancing mineral away from mineral mixes
requirements for livestock in with other minerals in the
pasture. Soil type, pH, and oxide form.
fertility all have an influence As bioavailability increas-
on mineral availability to the es so does the cost of the min-
forage, and thus the mineral eral mix in the bag. Cheap
intake of the livestock. Fur- red trace mineral blocks are
thermore, due to their chem- red because the predomi-
istry (and the periodic table) nate mineral in them is Iron
minerals interact with each Oxide, which is the scientific
other, and these interactions name for rust, which livestock
can cause deficiencies or tox- have no requirement for.
icities within the animal. Vitamin M[anagement]
Here in Ohio, we know that
A successful pasture min-
many of our pasture soils are eral program is only good if
deficient in selenium and/or managed. We need to know
magnesium. Selenium is an expected mineral intake. Cal-
important mineral for devel- culate the number of head,
oping muscle, and often times counting youngstock, too.
can be supplemented via in- Often producers complain
jection to young calves and about over consumption of
lambs. mineral and do not account
Magnesium is a bit more for the calf/lamb getting its
complicated. Grass Tetany share too. We want to have
is the clinical symptom of a adequate access and con-
magnesium deficiency. Lush, sumption.
fast growing forages are often Mineral requirements
magnesium deficient, espe- change with the animal’s
cially in fields with high soil stage of production and en-
test potassium levels. As we vironmental situations that
look to utilize the rapid for- reduce feed intake. If min-
age growth this spring, this eral intake is too high move
is a good time to order and the mineral feeder farther
feed a Hi-Magnesium miner-