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:
Maintaining your pasture during the summer can take much work. It can go from adequate moisture to extremely dry in no time. Managers must be on their game to keep their pasture from suffering too much.
Having a good summer pasture management plan in place can save you many headaches later on. It will allow you to put out any potential fires, not literally, before they can occur.
A protein tub is an excellent way to provide extra nutrition when needed. One benefit is that once you place it in the pasture, you don’t need to check it daily. The protein tub is helpful for those that may have a job back in town.
Using a mineral supplement is one of cattle management’s most important yet overlooked parts. Sure, we all are concerned with the amount of protein or energy we are getting, but what about meeting their mineral needs?
Sulfur salt blocks have generated a love/hate relationship among many cattlemen. Some love them and swear by them, then others feel they are a waste of money. It can be a bit of a headache to truly understand either side.
Feed costs remain the single largest expense for any cattle producer. Depending on different factors this expense can easily be half of the total annual expenses for a rancher.
Mineral supplementation is an essential component for any successful cattle operation. They are the building blocks for things like growth, reproduction, and basic maintenance. It is important that your cattle get all of the minerals that their body needs.
Salt, along with other minerals, is necessary to sustain life in cattle. Much like humans they are essential building blocks for living beings to perform at their best. It is needed for the body to perform even the most basic of functions.
Roughages are an important but often overlooked part of a cow’s diet. Most of the time people only focus on things like crude protein, energy, and possibly even mineral content. While those are vital for the overall production of cattle roughages play just as important a role. Consuming a certain amount of roughage is important to keep the rumen functioning in allowing the digestion of things like protein, energy, and minerals.
