The Value of Trace Minerals for Cattle

What is the value of putting out trace minerals for your cattle in their summer pasture?

Performix Nutrition Systems Animal Nutritional Consultant Dr. Boone Carter shares it can increase calves weaning weights.

Carter: "Some of the research I've read shows that no mineral versus no mineral in the summer time or salt only compared to a good quality trace mineral it will result in about 2/10ths of a pound of average daily gain on calves. If you take that and extend that out through the summer time — through the life of that calf prior to weaning — that could be as much as 15 to 25 pounds of weaning weight. So when you think about that in terms of dollars and sense, it makes sense to put more effort into feeding a summer mineral."

Carter says it needs to include Copper, Zinc, Manganese, Iodine, Selenium — it doesn't need to include any Phosphorus nor Magnesium. He continues

Carter: "A summer trace mineral program doesn't haven't have to be expensive. Generally all you need to supply are trace minerals and because of that you can feed a mineral that is 1/2 and 1 ounce of intake a day which makes the cost of it roughly 3 to 5 cents a day. If you figure the value of a 2/10ths of a pound of gain on the calves plus the better performance on the reproduction for cows and the immune system benefits for the calves prior to weaning — then it easily pays for itself."