Mineral and vitamin supplements are often essential for the overall health of a beef cow herd.
“There is an overwhelming amount of information and numerous different opinions when it comes to mineral nutrition of a herd,” said Brian Koberstein, beef specialist with Alberta Agriculture in Wetaskiwin.
“One of the most important things to consider is proper intake levels.”
Ideally, minerals and vitamins would be measured and administered on a regular basis. But that would be difficult and time consuming.
For the most effective free-choice method, avoid offering more than one mineral or salt alternative at a time. The smorgasbord approach to mineral supplement is ineffective. Cattle don’t know what they need and go to the mineral for the salt. Offering one vitamin/mineral/salt mixture is generally the best alternative. To adjust intake levels, producers can vary the salt level in the mixture.
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“Minerals high in phosphorus are often challenging to feed by free choice as the phosphorus sources tend to be unpalatable,” said Koberstein.
“Nutrition is a critical factor through calving season and into breeding. Balanced rations will help meet production goals. Feeding expensive products that aren’t necessary can be a huge waste.”
Provincial beef specialists can review a herd’s nutrition and make recommendations.
