Mineral Mixes for Cows & Other Cattle
A Summary of Practical Options for Effective Mineral Supplementation of Dairy & Beef Herds

SUMMARY: Mineral levels in Irish forage and bovine blood suggest the need for a pro-active national policy on generous mineral supplementation of all types of cattle, especially those in herds which have clinical or subclinical problems that could be due to deficiencies of Mg, Co, Cu, I and Se.

Unsupplemented cattle have a higher risk of grass tetany, milk fever, calving problems, retained placenta, infertility, perinatal and postnatal calf losses, lower herd immunity (scours, pneumonia, joint-ill, mastitis, metritis etc; higher risk of bacterial, viral, protozoal infections and parasitism) and lower productivity (milk yield and growth).

Ways of supplementing cattle with oral mineral mixes are discussed in detail.

BACKGROUND: Multiple mineral imbalances occur in most samples of Irish forage. Common mineral anomalies in Irish forages are: low Mg, Na, Cu, Se, I, with high N, K, S and Mo. On most farms, cattle (cows, replacements, calves, weanlings and finishers) need mineral supplements to keep blood minerals normal.

Tests in our Blood Lab (1970-1998), showed low blood levels of Cu, Se and I in 10-70, 15-70 and 50-90% of unsupplemented herds respectively. Co deficiency occurs in some herds. Bovine plasma vitamin B12 levels are low in 55-80% of all herds tested at Grange but the B12 test is unreliable; it exaggerates the true prevalence of bovine Co deficiency by a factor of 2-3. Deficiency of Fe, Mn and Zn are very rare in Irish cattle.

Since 1991, increased mineral supplementation of dairy herds has reduced the prevalence of low Cu and Se status in cattle to about <1% of all herds tested at Grange. Though the prevalence of low I status has improved since 1991, it was present in >45% of all herds tested at Grange in 1997. Due to routine Mg supplementation of cows during the tetany-risk period, and regular dressings with phosphate fertilisers and slurry on most intensively managed farms, low blood status of Mg and P are rare.

TYPES OF MINERAL FORMULATIONS FOR CATTLE: At least four distinct formulas are needed: a Dry-Cow mineral; a Post-Calving mineral; a Tetany-Control mineral and a Drystock/calf mineral. The different types of cattle mineral formulations are not interchangeable. Extra formulations are needed to balance special feeds (such as maize or fodder beet silage, high-pulp diets).

Warning: To avoid scouring due to excess Mg, do NOT feed cow minerals to drystock (weanlings, stores, finishers), especially to young males (see copper toxicity and urinary calculi). Do NOT feed CATTLE minerals to SHEEP (see copper toxicity and urinary calculi).

Table 1. Top-class formulations for mineral mixes for COWS AND OTHER CATTLE on grass silage or herbage as the main forage. (Table 1a gives ranges which one may find in good quality minerals, but for effective control of trace-element problems, those below are preferable to lower levels).

cows pre-calving

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 100(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 0
  
• P: 7
• Mg(3): 15
• Na: 13
  

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 5000
• Cu: 4500
• Mn(4): 4150
• I: 600
• Co: 100
• Se(5): 50

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 400000
• Vit D3: 80000
• Vit E(6) 500-3000
  

cows post-calving

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 125(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 13
• P: 10
• Mg(3): 8
• Na: 9

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 6000
  
• Cu: 3600
  
• Mn(4): 3320
  
• I: 480
• Co: 80
  
• Se(5): 40
  

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 400000
• Vit D3: 80000
• Vit E(6) 480-1920

cows in tetany time

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 150(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 9
• P: 7
• Mg(3): 20
• Na: 10

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 5000
  
• Cu: 3000
  
• Mn(4): 2767
• I: 400
• Co: 71
• Se(5): 34

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 333333
• Vit D3: 66666
• Vit E(6) 400-1674

calves/drystock

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 2g/10kgLW(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 14
• P: 10
• Mg(3): 2
• Na: 12

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 6800
• Cu: 4100
• Mn(4): 3770
• I: 540
• Co: 95
• Se(5): 42

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 364000
• Vit D3: 73000
• Vit E(6) 418-2200

(1) Never feed cattle minerals to sheep, and vice-versa. Cattle minerals may cause copper toxicity in sheep. Never feed cow minerals to calves, as scouring and urinary stones and copper toxicity may follow.
(2) If recommended daily allowances are above or below those shown, adjust the trace-element and vitamin levels down or up, accordingly. One would normally feed 150-180 g minerals in home-mixed lactation diets. Special minerals are needed if silages based on whole-crop maize or fodderbeet are fed.
(3) To prevent urinary stones in drystock, feed low levels (0-3%) of Mg in mineral mixes.
(4) Some authorities double these amounts of Mn for breeding females, especially in groups with severe infertility and suspected Mn deficiency
(5) The maximum Se supplement was reduced to 5 mg Se/cow/d, as from January 1 1996. Do not feed high Se minerals to cattle within 5 miles of a known Se-toxic farm unless blood test indicates no risk of Se toxicity.
(6) The higher Vit E levels are 4-6 times higher than usual (underlined values are more usual). Research in USA and elsewhere shows that high levels of Vit E improve immunity and reduce mastitis incidence.

1. DRY-COW MINERAL FOR GRASS SILAGE- OR GRASS BASED-DIETS: To prevent milk fever and hypocalcaemia-related problems in dairy cows (hypotonia, prolapse or delayed involution of the uterus; metritis; delayed onset of the first postpartal heat; mastitis; left displacement of abomasum etc), this mineral (Table 1) should be fed for 4-6 weeks pre-calving. However, in an outbreak of periparturient problems (excluding hypocalcaemia) in cows (slow calving, retained placenta) or calves (stillbirth, weak calves, low postnatal immunity etc), good results often follow within 1 week after the mineral is introduced.

The mineral should be sprinkled 2-3 times/day (50-33 g/cow each time) over easy-feed silage or damped hay. Alternatively, the mineral can be fed in 1 kg of special Dry-Cow cubes. Attempts to dust self-feed faces may fail unless great care is taken to sprinkle the whole face and to allow for wastage (mineral falling to the ground during dusting). When dusting the tops of round bales, one should apply the day's allowance in 4-6 subdivisions to ensure that all cows get a fair share.

FOR COWS CALVING AT GRASS, 100 g mineral can be trough-fed in 1 kg of low-Ca Dry-Cow cubes, or in 0.5 or 1.0 kg of home-mixed molassed carrier feed. Free-access systems are not as reliable as fixed-rate feeding of minerals. The usual feeding rate is 100 g of mineral mix/head/day, with low-Ca (preferably 0%) and high-Mg levels (about 15%) to reduce the risk of milk fever. P levels (0-10%) are optional, depending on the forage. (Cows on good silage need little or no P supplement pre-calving). Na (as salt) is the usual "filler". In top quality formulas, if the feeding rate is 100 g/cow/day, the trace-element levels should be at or near those shown in Table 1.

Water medication with a special cocktail of soluble minerals (to provide 15 g Mg + high levels of trace-elements/cow/d) may be considered if trough-feeding is not an option. However, water medication not as reliable in dry cows as in calved cows. The volume of water drunk by dry cows, especially in wet or cold weather, is low and very variable relative to intakes in lactation.

2. POST-CALVING MINERAL FOR GRASS SILAGE- OR GRASS BASED-DIETS: This mineral (Table 1) should be fed after calving, until the cows go to pasture. The correct amount of mineral can be included in the daily allowance of concentrate. Most CoOp Dairy rations have generous mineral levels in their standard daily allowance of 7 kg. If, because of quotas etc, farmers reduce the ration allowance from 7 to (say) 4 kg, they must make up the drop in mineral intake by a supplement of (say) 3/7 of the usual allowance of mineral mix. If a home-mixed ration of unmineralised straights is fed, sprinkle the mineral mix 2-3 times/day (63-42 g/cow each time) over the easy-feed silage or damped hay. Attempts to dust self-feed faces may fail unless great care is taken to sprinkle the whole face and to allow for wastage (mineral falling to the ground during dusting).

AT PASTURE, provided they get an effective Mg supplement, cows may be fed this mineral for up to 4 months post-calving, or longer if needed. Alternatively, the mineral may be replaced by a Tetany Control Mineral (as in 3 below) during the tetany season(s). For cows at grass, 100-150 g of the mineral can be parlour-fed in 1 (or 2, or 3) kg special Summer Nuts, or in 0.5 or 1.0 kg of home-mixed molassed carrier feed. Free-access systems are not as reliable as fixed-rate feeding of minerals.

The usual feeding rate is 100-150 g of mineral mix/cow/day. If the feeding rate is 125 g, a mineral mix with 7-17% Ca, 7-17% P, 4-10% Mg, 7-20% Na, can be used depending on the type of forage and concentrate fed. In top quality formulas, the trace-element levels should be at or near those shown in Table 1. If less than or greater than 125 g/cow/day is fed, the trace-element/vitamin levels in the mix are adjusted up or down, so that the desired amount of mineral/vitamin goes into the daily allowance of mix.

3. TETANY-CONTROL MINERAL: Unless an alternative high-Mg supplement is fed, Tetany-Control Minerals (Table 1) are recommended routinely in high-yielding dairy herds on spring grass and in beef cows on intensive farms, or with a history of grass tetany. They are advised from turnout until early June. Some herds may need Mg supplements for many months at pasture. Beef cows need a high-Mg supplement for about 1 week after weaning in the autumn, or until housing if they calve at pasture in autumn.

For cows at grass, 125-155 g mineral can be parlour-fed in 1 (or 2, or 3) kg of special Summer Nuts, or in 0.5 or 1.0 kg of home-mixed molassed carrier feed. Free-access systems are not as reliable as fixed-rate feeding of minerals.

The usual feeding rate is 130-160 g of tetany control mineral mix/cow/day. If the feeding rate is 150 g, a mineral mix with about 21% Mg can be used. In top quality formulas, the trace-element levels should be at or near those shown in Table 1. If less than or greater than 150 g/cow/day is fed, the trace-element/vitamin levels in the mix are adjusted up or down, so that the desired amount of mineral/vitamin goes into the daily allowance of mix.

4. DRYSTOCK/CALF MINERAL: The usual feeding rate of drystock/calf mineral (Table 1) is 17-23 (say 20) g/100 kg liveweight/day. If the feeding rate is, say, about 110 g/day to cattle at 550 kg, a mineral mix as in Table 1 can be used, depending on the type of forage and concentrate fed. In top quality formulas, the Mg level should not exceed 3% and the trace-element levels should be near those shown in Table 1. If less than or greater than 110 g/day is fed to 550 kg cattle, the mineral/vitamin levels in the mix are adjusted up or down, so that the daily allowance of mix contains the desired amount of mineral/vitamin.

Ideally, the right amount of mineral should be included in the daily allowance of concentrate. Alternatively, sprinkle the mix in 2-3 parts/day (10-8 g/100 kg LW each time) over easy-feed silage or damped hay. At pasture, the mineral can be trough-fed in 0.5-1.0 kg of molassed carrier feed. Free-access systems are not as reliable as fixed-rate feeding of minerals.

FIXED-RATE MINERAL FEEDING VERSUS FREE-ACCESS SYSTEMS: Fixed-rate feeding of well balanced minerals (in feed, on feed, or in water) is the cheapest and best way to guarantee an adequate mineral supply. If possible, put the correct amount of minerals in the daily allowance of concentrate, or feed the mineral in a special palatable carrier, such as a Dry-Cow Cube or a Summer Nut, or sprinkle the correct daily allowance of minerals over easy-feed silage or damped hay.

Indoors, fixed-rate feeding of minerals can be ensured by sprinkling the correct daily allowance over easy-feed silage or damped hay in 2-3 subdivisions daily, by inclusion of the mineral in a fixed-rate daily allowance of concentrate ration, or in a fixed-rate daily allowance of palatable carrier feed.

At grass, fixed-rate feeding of minerals can be ensured by inclusion of the correct daily allowance in a small amount (but fixed rate) of a carrier feed. The full daily allowance of mineral mix can be mixed with 3-4 times its weight of carrier. If the carrier is group-fed in troughs, it is essential to allow adequate trough-space and to include molasses (at 6% total weight) to make it palatable. The carrier can be rolled barley or beet pulp, to which the correct amount of minerals and molasses are added. The minimum amounts of carrier (including minerals and molasses) needed are: cows and adult cattle 450 g; yearling cattle 350 g; weanling cattle 250 g.

MINERAL BALANCER FOR FODDERBEET ROOTS (FBR) FOR DAIRY COWS: Major elements in FBR, targets for dairy cows, shortfall and balancer needed in addition to standard mineral supplement are shown below. All values are expressed in g/kg DM:

Fodderbeet Roots - Minimum target for high-yield cows (in total DMI)

Ca: 5.0
P: 4.0
Mg: 2.5
Na: 2.5

fbr levels

Ca: 2.8
P: 2.0
Mg: 1.5
Na: 3.0

fbr shortfall for cows

Ca: 2.2
P: 2.0
Mg: 1.0
Na: -

balancer needed/kg fbr dm

Ca: Limestone flour - 0 (Dical has enough Ca)
P: Dical - 11.1g
Mg: Calmag - 2.0g
Na: Salt - 0g

Thus, dairy cows on FBR would need a supplement of 11 g Dical + 2 g Calmag/kg FBR DM ingested. This is in addition to to a Post-Calving Mineral (2, above). No Limestone is needed, as the Dical will provide sufficient Ca.

MINERAL BALANCER FOR WHOLECROP FODDERBEET SILAGE (WCFBS) FOR DAIRY COWS: Irish WCFBS has a high Ca level (often >10 g/kg DM), in which case no extra Ca is needed. The P level usually is 2.5-3.5 g/kg DM less than that of the cow target for P. MAP (monoammonium phosphate) has about 24% P. Thus, dairy cows on WCFBS would need a supplement of 10-14 g MAP/kg WCFBS DM ingested. This is in addition to to a Post-Calving Mineral (2, above). If one ignores the excessive Ca inputs, 13-19 g Dical/kg WCFBS DM ingested, can be fed instead of the MAP.

FREE-ACCESS MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION IS NOT RELIABLE: Ad-libitum systems include home-made mixes (such as 50/50 molasses/mineral mix) and commercial mineral blocks, buckets, licks, ball-feeders, loose minerals in troughs etc. Unfortunately, there is huge variation in intake between animals on ad libitum systems. Blood tests in animals on free-access systems confirm that many (30-60%) animals in the group are not protected adequately.

In winter, there is little or no role for free-access minerals in animals fed indoors or in yards. It is easy (and preferable) to provide fixed-rate feeding of minerals in that case (see above).

At grass in marginal areas: In marginal areas, fixed-rate feeding of minerals to grazing beef cows or drystock may not be possible. In such herds, free-access minerals may be the only practical way to correct deficiencies.

SUMMARY OF MINERAL SUPPLEMENTATION PROGRAMMES FOR CATTLE

COWS INDOORS, ON FORAGE + CONCENTRATE FEED: Methods other than those listed below are not recommended for routine use in cows, or other cattle, indoors on forage + concentrate feeds.

Dry dairy cows



Dry beef cows



Calved dairy cows


Calved beef cows

Dairy Dry Cow Mineral for 4+ weeks pre-calving: Sprinkle on silage (preferably easy-feed) or damped forage, or feed in 1 kg of special Dry Cow Cube, or in 0.5-1.0 kg home-mixed palatable carrier.

Dry Cow Mineral for 4+ weeks pre-calving: Dry Cow Minerals can be sprinkled on silage (preferably easy-feed) or damped hay/straw, or fed in 0.5-1.0 kg home-mixed palatable carrier.

Lactation Mineral in the daily allowance of concentrates (or sprinkled on easy feed).

Lactation Mineral can be sprinkled on silage (preferably easy-feed) or damped hay/straw, or fed in 0.5-1.0 kg home-mixed palatable carrier.

COWS OUTDOORS, AT PASTURE + SUMMER NUT + BUFFER FEEDING: Methods other than those listed below are not recommended for routine use in cows or other cattle, at grass.

Dry dairy cows







Dry beef cows






Calved dairy cows























Calved beef cows

Water medication with Mg and trace-elements for 4+ weeks pre-calving: Dry cows can get half of the Mg allowance usually used for tetany control.

Dairy Dry Cow Mineral for 4+ weeks pre-calving: Feed in 1 kg of special Dry Cow Cube, or in 0.5-1.0 kg home-mixed palatable carrier, or sprinkle on easy feed

Water medication with Mg and trace-elements for 4+ weeks pre-calving (see Dry dairy cows, above).

Dry Cow Mineral for 4+ weeks pre-calving can be fed in 0.5-1.0 kg home-mixed palatable carrier, or sprinkled on silage (preferably easy-feed) or damped hay/straw brought out to the pasture.

Lactation Mineral (only if effective Mg supplements are given during the tetany season(s)): Feed in a specified allowance (1, or 2, or 3 kg) of special Summer Feed, or sprinkle on easy feed at grass.

Tetany-Control Mineral (usually until the end of May but sometimes longer and possibly for the whole grazing season): Feed in a specified allowance (1, or 2, or 3 kg) of special Summer Feed, or sprinkle on easy feed at grass.

Water medication with Mg and trace-elements is effective if the water supply is controlled and if adequately high levels of mineral intake are attained. Ruakura-type plastic dispensers are cheaper than pumps and have some technical advantages over them. Intake of mineral solution must be monitored and adjusted daily if pumps are used.

Veterinary trace-element products: Some are effective if used at adequate dose rates. Others are irritant (avoid Cu injection close to breeding). Others are less effective, ineffective or expensive.

Ad-libitum access (to commercial mineral blocks, buckets, licks or home-made mineral mixtures) is NOT RECOMMENDED. It is less reliable than fixed-rate mineral feeding (in feed, on feed, or in water), or than effective veterinary methods.

Water medication with Mg and trace-elements after calving (see dairy cows, above). In periods of low risk of tetany, calved cows can get half of the Mg allowance usually used for tetany control.

Feed Tetany-Control Minerals in 0.5-1.0 kg of special carrier feed, until the end of May but sometimes longer and possibly for the whole grazing season while suckling; also for a few days before and after weaning, or sprinkle the mineral on some silage or damped hay / straw at grass.

Free access to mineral blocks, buckets, licks or home-made molasses/Dry Cow Mineral mix, or use of veterinary trace-element supplements (see above) are alternative options.

OTHER DRYSTOCK: Table 1 (right-hand column) shows specifications for top quality Drystock Minerals. Calves, weanlings, growers or finishers, whether indoors or at pasture, need Drystock Minerals. These are different formulation than those needed for cows.

OTHER DRYSTOCK, INDOORS

Weanlings, growers, finishers on forage + concentrates







Suckler calves pre-weaning













Calves pre-weaning on milk replacer + concentrates

If possible, feed a Drystock Mineral at a fixed rate (20 g/100 kg LW/day) in feed, or on feed (for example, sprinkled over easy-feed forage). This presents few problems if the cattle are indoors. Water medication with trace-elements is another option indoors.

If minerals are given by these methods, cattle have no need for free-choice minerals or veterinary mineral supplements during housing.

Suckler calves present one exception to this (see below).

Bovine milk is a poor source of Mg and trace-elements for suckler calves, which may not be weaned until they are 3-9 months old. Thus, deficiencies of Cu, Se and I may arise in unsupplemented suckler calves. Most (unless they are valuable pedigree stock) get no creep feed which could be used to carry minerals. Suckling calves <4 months old can not be relied upon to take enough minerals via the drinking water or via free-choice systems (blocks, licks etc).

Veterinary supplements (boluses, bullets, injections, drenches etc) may be the only practical ways to supplement the trace-mineral status of suckling calves.

Occasionally, tetany occurs. Use of 1 Optimag bullet (releases 3 g Mg/d) can be considered in those cases.

Ensure that the milk replacer and/or the meal allowance is well fortified with Calf Minerals and vitamins.

WEANLINGS, GROWERS, FINISHERS OUTDOORS, AT PASTURE: A special palatable drystock summer feed (20 kg drystock mineral + 70 kg rolled barley + 10 kg molasses) can be fed in troughs at fixed rates (100 g/100 kg liveweight). Water medication with trace-elements, or use of veterinary trace-element supplements (see above), are alternatives. Those methods may be impractical on marginal farms. If so, access to free-choice systems (mineral blocks, buckets, home-made licks etc) may be the only practical way to supplement grazing cattle.

Table 1a gives examples of the ranges of levels in high quality mineral mix formulations for COWS AND OTHER CATTLE. The daily allowance of mix provides a daily trace-element supplement in the recommended range but the higher levels may be needed to control severe deficiencies.

MINERAL SUPPLEMENT FOR CALVES BORN TO DEFICIENT DAMS: Calves alive at birth but at risk of mineral deficiency can be fed a drystock/calf mineral mix (as above) in the concentrate feed. Alternatively, a drench, containing Se, Co, I, Cu compounds, as needed, can be used.

A TRACE ELEMENT DRENCH FOR COWS, CATTLE AND CALVES:

As an alternative to feeding trace elements in mineral mixes, the following may be used in small herds, preferably dosed at 1-2 week intervals:

Compound


sodium selenite (30.0% Se)
cobalt sulphate (21.0% Co)
potassium iodide (76.4% I )
+ copper sulphate (25.4% Cu)

Weight to mix (g)
(see Label below)

35.0
100.0
137.4
(only on vet advice) 2480.3

Include copper sulphate ONLY on specific veterinary advice. Add distilled water to 30 litres. Shake until ingredients are fully dissolved. In practice, depending on the specific deficiencies identified on the farm, only 1-3 of the ingredients are used together. The unwanted ingredients are omitted from the formulation.

LABEL THE DRENCH as follows:

• POISON. FOR ANIMAL TREATMENT ONLY. KEEP AWAY FROM CHILDREN. USE ONLY IN CATTLE AND ONLY AS DIRECTED. SHAKE THE DRENCH WELL BEFORE DISPENSING AND BETWEEN EVERY FEW DOSES. (SEE WARNINGS BELOW).
  

DOSE: CLINICAL CASES OR CALVES OF DEFICIENT DAMS: 17 ml/100 kg LW once/week.

• PREVENTATIVE: 17 ml/100 kg LW/week or 33 ml/100 kg LW/2 weeks. Dose every 1-2 weeks for best results in herds at risk of Co and I deficiency. Dosing at intervals of >3 weeks may not control those deficiencies fully. Do not exceed the stated dose.
  

WARNINGS ON THE USE OF PERIODIC DRENCHES OF TRACE ELEMENTS
The label or accompanying leaflet on the drench should contain the following warnings:

• POISON: Use ONLY on the advice of your VET.
  
  SHAKE CONTAINER WELL between every few doses. Many drenches, especially those combining anthelmintics and trace elements, are not solutions: they are colloidal suspensions. If the container is not shaken frequently during use, de-mixing of the colloidal suspension can cause sedimentation of trace elements. The upper layer of the suspension may contain low concentrations of trace elements and the lower layer may contain toxic levels. Animals dosed from the upper layer may get too little supplement. Those drenched from the lower layer can die of acute poisoning within 1-3 days of drenching.
  
  DRENCHING TECHNIQUE: Drenching can be dangerous. Consider other methods of supplementation before drenching. Inhalation of part of the drench can kill stock, cause shock, or lung damage. Drench carefully at the correct dose. Avoid damage to the back of the throat. Avoid drenching too fast.
  
  COPPER POISONING (see Web article): If they inhale part of the drench, or if the dose is too high, cattle can die after Cu drenches. N.B. Unweaned calves are easily poisoned with copper; they absorb Cu more efficiently than weaned calves and adult cattle. Unweaned calves should not get Cu in drenches unless Cu deficiency has been confirmed by a veterinary surgeon by a herd blood test and/or on clinical/postmortem findings. If they need a Cu supplement, dosing with oral Cu oxide (CuO) capsules or Cu-containing glass boluses is safer than drenching Cu compounds. Unweaned calves could get one 4-8 g CuO bolus in a gelatin capsule at 2-4 weeks of age(2).
  
  SELENIUM POISONING (see Web article): Under EU Feed Regulations, total Se intake by cattle should not exceed 0.57 mg Se/kg total feed DM.
  
  Endemic Se poisoning occurs in a few localised areas in Ireland, due to toxic Se levels in soil and herbage. Do not use high-Se supplements within 5 miles of known Se-toxic areas without veterinary confirmation of Se deficiency in the herd.
  

(2)A dose of 8 g CuO/100 kg LW/year usually is recommended in adults. Two doses/year at 4 g/100 kg LW each time gives longer protection than 8 g/100 kg LW given at one time. Especially on high-Mo farms, severely Cu-deficient herds may need 16-20 g CuO/100 kg LW/year but 4-5 doses/year at 4 g/100 kg LW each time gives longer protection than the whole dose given at one time.

Note: CuO capsules can be used safely during the breeding season, but Cu injection is not advisable at that time.

Table 1a. Examples of mineral and vitamin levels in high quality mineral mixes for COWS AND OTHER CATTLE on grass silage or herbage as the main forage. Values in bold brackets (xx) are those advised in a top-specification formulation.

cows pre-calving

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 100(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 0-6 (0)
• P: 0-14 (7)
• Mg(3): 13-17 (15)
• Na: 5-18 (13)

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 3350-5000 (5000)
• Cu: 1500-4500 (4500)
• Mn(4): 3350-4150 (4150)
• I: 300-600 (600)
• Co: 50-100 (100)
  
• Se(5): 30-50 (50)

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 400000
• Vit D3: 80000
• Vit E(6) 500-3000

cows post-calving

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 125(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 7-17 (13)
• P: 7-13 (10)
• Mg(3): 6-10 (8)
• Na: 7-20 (9)

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 2680-6000 (6000)
• Cu: 1200-3600 (3600)
• Mn(4): 2680-3320 (3320)
• I: 240-480 (480)
• Co: 70-100 (80)
• Se(5): 24-40 (40)
  

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 400000
• Vit D3: 80000
• Vit E(6) 480-1920

cows in tetany time

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 150(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 7-11 (9)
• P: 8-12 (7)
• Mg(3): 18-24 (21)
• Na: 13-17 (10)

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 2233-5000 (5000)
• Cu: 1200-3600 (3600)
• Mn(4): 2233-2767 (2767)
• I: 200-400 (400)
• Co: 65-90 (71)
• Se(5): 20-34 (34)

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 333333
  
• Vit D3: 66666
• Vit E(6) 400-1674

calves/drystock

Allowance of mineral mix (g/head/day): 20g/100kgLW(2)
g/100 g mix

• Ca: 13-16 (14)
• P: 8-12 (10)
• Mg(3): 0-3 (2) (3)
• Na: 13-20 (12)

mg/kg mix

• Zn: 4500-6800 (6800)
  
• Cu: 3600-4100 (4100)
• Mn(4): 3200-3770 (3770)
• I: 450-540 (540)
• Co: 75-95 (95)
• Se(5): 33-42 (42)

iu/kg mix

• Vit A: 364000
• Vit D3: 73000
• Vit E(6) 418-2200

(1) Never feed cattle minerals to sheep, and vice-versa. Cattle minerals may cause copper toxicity in sheep. Never feed cow minerals to calves, as scouring and urinary stones and copper toxicity may follow.
(2) If recommended daily allowances are above or below those shown, adjust the trace-element and vitamin levels down or up, accordingly. One would normally feed 150-180 g minerals in home-mixed lactation diets. Special minerals are needed if silages based on whole-crop maize or fodderbeet are fed.
(3) To prevent urinary stones in drystock, feed low levels (0-3%) of Mg in mineral mixes.
(4) Some authorities double these amounts of Mn for breeding females, especially in groups with severe infertility and suspected Mn deficiency
(5) The maximum Se supplement was reduced to 5 mg Se/cow/d, as from January 1 1996. Do not feed high Se minerals to cattle within 5 miles of a known Se-toxic farm unless blood test indicates no risk of Se toxicity.
(6) The higher Vit E levels are 4-6 times higher than usual (underlined values are more usual). Research in USA and elsewhere shows that high levels of Vit E improve immunity and reduce mastitis incidence.

Note: CATTLE and SHEEP minerals have different formulations. They are not interchangeable. CATTLE minerals may poison SHEEP with Cu. Do not feed cattle minerals to sheep, and vice-versa. A "general purpose cow-and-ewe" mix would not be optimal for either species.

Phil Rogers MRCVS, Lucan, Dublin, Ireland​
Fax: 353-46-26154 Tel: 353-46-26740 (Lab)
[email protected]  |  [email protected]
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