Minerals?

[Hexe]

I'd like to ask the following question about feeding Minerals:

- do you feed minerals to your cows at all?

- what kind do you feed?

- free feed or individual?

- where do you get them?

- do you mix your own "formula"?

- how do you feed minerals?

- have any of your cows experienced problems due to insufficencies (spelling?)

- if so, what kind of problems did you run into?


I have just a couple of cows and want to do things right. I've asked our two local feedstores and have gotten very little information about this subject. Past experience with the ag-extension office proves that they don't know much about anything and I'm hesitant to let them prove my point.

Thank you for any information on this subject.

[Karin L]

-yes all the time

-salt and cobalt with iodine, or salt and trace mineral

-free choice block

-farm supply stores (up here in AB its UFA, Peavey Mart, or Co-op)

-no

-they are out in the weather in an old tire hub

-no, but since we put out the trace mineral block I've noticed that we've gotten better gains and heavier steers.

[agmantoo]

I make these covered feeders to feed minerals and salt. I do not think that the cattle can get enough minerals/salt from a block, both the minerals and the salt are in loose form. The minerals/salt are provided free choice. The minerals are purchased from a vet that has the ingredients mixed specifically for the area I live. I have had some issues that I felt were due to lack of minerals, mostly poor hair coat. The feeder calves seem to me to appear healthier(shinier coat) when sent to the sale, Even with feeding these minerals my cattle still eat red dirt frequently. There is still something lacking in their diet IMO. I would appreciate hearing from anyone that has an opinion on why the cattle continue to eat the red clay dirt or a solution to this problem. Eating the red clay makes big holes in the pasture otherwise there is no obvious side effect. This is the same red clay that is used to make modern brick.
t

[FannyMay]

yes, yes and YES!
We use a free choice mineral and have a coffee can that we dip full every evening and go and put in a feed pan near the water tub. YOu need to place the mineral close to their water supply. we use a mineral with a pretty high amount of phosphorus and selinium They need about 4oz each per day. You can also get some minerals that will have a fly control in it and that will help with the flys. They need minerals to balance out there nutrition in case the forage is lacking in particular minerals.

[agmantoo]

Hexe,
I reread your post and see you have a few cows. Here is a feeder that may be more suitable. This is a 55 gallon US barrel and a 22.5 road tractor tire. Makes a slip fit but I bolt the barrel to the side wall of the tire using short pieces of angle iron as a bracket.

[Tom in TN]

Hexe,

I live in Middle Tennessee so things might be completely different here from things in Maine. In any event, I feed granular minerals on a free choice basis to my cows year round. I have forty head of black Angus cattle that I feed minerals to in traditional mineral feeders that have a cover over them that rotates the unit based on the wind to keep the minerals somewhat dry.

We have a situation here called "grass tetany" that cows can develop in the Spring when they go off hay onto lush grass. The problem is caused by a lack of magnesium since it isn't picked up by the lush Spring grass. So, beginning in March and continuing through May, I feed high-mag minerals.

Then, we have tremendous fly problems here in the summer. As part of my fly control program, I feed minerals with Dursban incorporated into it. It is supposed to kill the fly larvae that live in manure. I still have to use spray on insecticides on the cows to provide some reasonable level of control, but supposedly it would be worse without the Dursban.

In the fall and winter, I feed plain old minerals.

All of my feed comes from my local Co-Op. Presumably, they buy and recommend the proper mixtures for our area.

Good luck with your cows.

Tom in TN

[agmantoo]

here is the mineral analysis
Calcium 12%
Phosphorus 14.4%
salt 18.65%
magnesium 12%
sulfur .07%
fluorine.04%
cobalt 40PPM
copper 2000PPM
iodine 70PPM
iron 100PPM
manganese 3060 PPm
selenium 35PPm
zinc 3225PPM
vitamin A IU/LB 110,000
vitamin D-3 IU/LB 15,000
vitamin E IU/LB 150
The above are the minimum amounts contained

[menollyrj]

We feed a high-mag as well (E. TN), free choice. (We operate under the firm belief that they know what they need.) We also feed a repro mineral that has really helped with cows cleaning better after delivery. We had a year where 2-3 cows didn't pass the afterbirth very well & added a repro mineral free choice. No problems since.

-Joy

[Forerunner]

It may just be me, but I don't trust the mainstream feed stores to stock anything that really gets to the bottom of an animal's trace nutrient requirement.
There just happens to be a man who lives half an hour west of me who used to work for Kent feeds, saw first hand the deficiencies promoted as a wholesome diet while working there, and started his own mineral and feed operation out of a small machine shed. His knowledge is phenomenal.

With a bit of experimentation and a few visits to him during which we always sit down and talk about soil and animal health for hours....
I have settled on kelp meal, Redmond brand mineral salt and feed conditioner (two separate products), dried, spent brewer's yeast and liquid molasses for my milkers.

Occasionally I will grill the man about the potential benefits of other more specific mineral products, and, knowing my penchant for soil building, he will yay or nay accordingly. I don't mind spending extra money and time getting every possible mineral into my animals, all of them, that could possibly benefit, for the simple reason that everything I put into the livestock ends up in the soil. Given the nature of the US soil depletion program and the world food supply, remineralizing local soils CAN'T be a bad thing.

I feed the my supplement right in with a grain ration, though free choice would likely be wise.

[Hexe]

Thank you for your replies, that was very helpful.

One further question: The analysis on the bag (as well as the analysis that agmantoo posted) shows % amounts as well as "PPM". What does PPM stand for?

[Lazy J]

We use Crystalyx low-moisture tubs in our herds. We change the type of block based on the quality of the forages and the production of the cattle and ewes.

Jim

[Forerunner]

"PPM" is Parts Per Million.