When it comes to mineral supplements, people tend to focus only on either spring or fall. During these times of the year, cattle go through their highest demands. But even though that is the case, you should still pay attention to your cows’ mineral needs during the rest of the year.
With summer being the breeding season for most people, making sure that your cattle meet their mineral requirements is also essential here. Studies have shown that cattle that are deficient in minerals are less likely to breed back on time or at all. So don’t it vital that their needs are met?
Summer is what you may call a “transitioning” period. Grasses during this time are starting to mature and move into their seeding stage. As they grow, their nutritional value also decreases. As I mentioned, since it is also the breeding season, your cow’s dietary needs are increasing during this time.
So how can you make the most impact with your mineral supplementation? Here are three tips that you can follow:
Tip #1: Make sure you are feeding the suitable types of cattle minerals this summer
You could be losing money if you are not providing the right kind of mineral supplementation or not in the right amounts. Providing the right type and in the right parts is where knowing what kinds of minerals your forages are providing is essential. As with giving any supplementation, the key is to only “fill in the gaps.”
Since we are dealing with different types of forages in different soil types, you can’t find a one-size-fits-all kind of solution here. Even with the same types of environments, things such as rainfall, grazing patterns, and fertilization can also affect mineral output. Because you are dealing with many different environmental factors, you won’t be able to naturally provide all the needed nutrients. A study performed by North Dakota State along with South Dakota State found called Mineral Nutrition for Livestock Producers found that every pasture was deficient in at least one mineral.
What kinds of minerals need to be added?
A common mineral that is lacking during this time of year is Phosphorus. This mineral is essential for growth as well as milk production and fertility. Common symptoms of a deficiency are breeding problems, like reduced conception rates and reduced average daily gains. You will typically want to supplement this year-round since demand is high during spring calving to breeding season. Once you get past breeding season, you will want to continue supplementing because levels in forage decrease as they mature.
It would be best to have your forages tested to know what is being provided at your place. Also, since minerals are also offered by water and other supplements, you should have those tested too. Because we can deal with different scenarios from one year to the next, it is a good idea to test these multiple years in a row so you can know the average for your place.
Once you know what it is that you need to provide, there are a couple of options that you can go with one-free-choice mineral or two-free-choice mineral. The one-free-choice-mineral option is where you give only one type of mineral throughout the entire year. While this is the easier option on paper, it is usually not the best option. You will need to make adjustments based on changing conditions throughout the year. Two or more would be the better option.
Tip#2: Make sure your cattle get enough mineral
Ok, now that we have determined what minerals you need to provide, we can feed them. Simply providing mineral supplements is only sufficient if your cattle consume enough. This part may take a little trial and error to find the sweet spot you are looking for.
When planning how to provide a mineral supplement, you will need to decide the quantity of what is being put out in your pasture. A good rule of thumb is that you want one feeding station for every 20-25 head of cattle. The one station per 25-head is not a hard and fast rule, so you may have to make adjustments based on your needs.
Where to put the cattle mineral
A supplement does you no good if your cattle cannot find it. Another step is that you will need to place the feeding station near where cattle typically are. Typically you will be looking at areas near a water source, such as a trough or stock tank.
Once they start eating it, you must monitor the consumption rate. You can figure this out by taking the total amount that is consumed and dividing it by the number of heads. Once you have that figured out, compare it to the conception rate on the feed tag. If it is too much or too little, you will need to move the feeding station to get the correct amount.
Now that your animals are eating the mineral you are providing well enough, you can use it to utilize your pastures better. You can move the station to parts of the field that are being grazed less to distribute grazing better. I talk about how to do this in a previous article, “Better Grazing with Supplements”.
Tip#3 Make sure your cattle are getting the right kind of mineral
As you may have guessed, not all minerals are created equal. Some may be cheaper, have better absorption, and things like that. Doing your homework in this area would be best to see what will work best for you.
You will have to put pen to paper to see what kind will work best for your budget and your cattle. The delicate balance between absorbability and price will be a delicate balance that you will need to find. I do not recommend that you go with just the “cheapest” option because that will only end up costing you.
What is absorbability, you ask? Well, absorbability determines how much of the mineral consumed is actually absorbed by the cow. A few factors can affect this, such as the source of the mineral and what minerals are provided.
When we talk about the mineral “source,” there are generally two types: Organic and inorganic. Organic has better absorbability than inorganic, but inorganic will be cheaper. Reading the label on your bag of minerals will tell you where the mineral comes from. Organic minerals usually have sulfates or chlorides in the name, whereas Inorganic will usually be oxide.
If you are still deciding which one to go with, there is help. I recommend you talk with a nutritionist to determine what will work best for you. Remember supplementing is an investment in your operation. So you want to do it where you will get the most return on that investment.
