A new electronic monitoring system that can measure the supplement intake of individual animals under pasture conditions is yielding surprising results on the consumption of mineral and protein supplements.
The monitoring system, developed by GrowSafe Systems, uses electronic ear tags.
It tests how salt levels in mineral supplements affect consumption and how much trace minerals and protein supplements individual animals are eating.
Scientists at the Agriculture Canada Lethbridge Research Centre, in conjunction with Merle Olson at the University of Calgary and Don Milligan at Alberta Agriculture, used the monitoring system to evaluate the effect of salt levels on trace mineral consumption. It has long been thought salt is the key ingredient that makes mineral supplements palatable to cattle.
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“What we found was a dramatic reduction in intake of trace minerals with more salt,” reported Lethbridge nutrition researcher Tim McAllister.
“We also found there was a tremendous range of intake between individual animals.”
McAllister said the manufacturer of the mineral supplement used in the tests recommended each animal receive 70 to 100 grams of the supplement daily. On average, each tested animal in the herd consumed 90 g. However, the range among individual animals varied from zero to 600 g a day.
For protein supplements, the manufacturer of the molasses blocks used in the tests recommended each animal receive 600 g to one kilogram daily. The herd averaged 800 g per day, but again there were tremendous differences among individual animals, ranging from none to more than one kg.
McAllister said the variability in consumption provides a chance to test the value of such products.
“If you don’t see a positive production response in those animals that are eating extra supplements, you would have to question their value,” he said.
The results of the study also raise the question of whether the free choice feeding of supplements is effective, McAllister added.
“As it is right now, the preliminary data suggests free choice doesn’t appear to work,” he said. “But this research system could provide the tools to formulate pasture supplements for uniform intake in the herd.”
The Lethbridge Research Centre is adapting the individual animal monitoring system for use in feedlots.
Once installed, it will measure when individual animals are eating and how much feed they are consuming, along with other behaviors related to feed consumption.
