In May, green grass can be deceiving. From the truck, everything might look fine and the cows seem happy, so it’s easy to think the pasture has it covered. But this is often when mineral needs catch you off guard, especially as spring grass matures, summer heat arrives, and breeding season approaches.Many people focus most on cattle mineral supplements in spring and fall, which makes sense. Spring means calving, milk production, and pressure to breed back. Fall brings weaning, changing forage, and getting ready for winter. But mineral nutrition is just as important in summer. In fact, letting mineral intake drop in summer can be costly.
For many cow-calf operations, summer is also breeding season. If cows don’t get enough key minerals, they might not cycle properly, breed back on time, or perform as needed for a strong calf crop. These problems might not show up right away, but later you could see open cows, late calves, lighter weaning weights, and more frustration.
The challenge is that pasture quality changes at the same time. Lush spring grass becomes stemmy, matures, and loses nutritional value. So while your cows need good mineral support for reproduction, immunity, and health, the grass may not provide as much as it did just weeks ago.
That’s why it’s important to pay attention to your summer mineral program. With a few simple checks, you can spot gaps early and keep your herd healthy before small issues become expensive problems.
Have you ever noticed that two ranches can feed what seem like the same cattle on similar pasture, but still get very different results? It’s frustrating, and it usually has less to do with the cattle or the grass than most people think. More often, it comes down to something less obvious: how the cattle feeding program is set up.
If your cattle feeding program in May is the same as it was in February, you could be losing money without realizing it. Around this time in West Texas and the Southern Plains, many producers think green grass means nutrition is covered. But that’s often when performance drops and feed dollars start to go to waste.
Most producers pay attention to protein and energy when thinking about cattle nutrition. But if you only focus on those, you might miss out on better performance. A good mineral program is essential, even though it’s often ignored. Minerals are needed in small amounts, but they have a big impact on reproduction, immune health, and overall results. They’re like small but essential tools: easy to forget, but nothing works right without them. If you want better conception rates, stronger calves, and steady gains, mineral supplements are a must.
Every producer has looked at a feed tag and thought, “That should cover what my cows need.” Crude protein looks good, energy numbers seem solid, and the mineral package checks the boxes. On paper, everything adds up.
Each spring in West Texas, ranchers breathe a sigh of relief as pastures turn green again. After months of feeding hay and waiting for the grass to grow, it’s a welcome sight to see cattle grazing on fresh forage. The cows are back on pasture, hay costs go down, and the grass takes over feeding duties.
Every spring in West Texas, ranchers wait for pastures to green so they can stop feeding hay and let cattle graze.
If you hang around a feed store or sale barn in late winter and early spring, you’ll hear the same advice repeated like clockwork: “
In March, most cattle producers are thinking about spring grass, dealing with muddy gates, and cutting back on winter feeding. Mineral programs often get overlooked. But this is when late-winter mineral deficiencies tend to show up in beef cattle.
When feeding cattle, most people focus on protein, energy, and minerals. But roughage plays a key role in a healthy diet. Without enough roughage, a cow’s digestive system won’t work as it should. Roughages provide the fiber that keeps the rumen active, helping cattle break down feed, absorb nutrients, and stay productive. In short, roughage forms the base of the whole diet.
