Looking for minerals? Visit our shop Custom mixes include a blend of minerals
Once you know the specific nutritional needs a custom mix can be blended for your herd. Our trademarked Blendbio technique ensures quality stable minerals are blended with high bioavailability.
Which Minerals?Minerals and Supplements
Phosphorus
Phosphorus is an important mineral to balance with calcium. It is also involved in protein synthesis and energy utilisation. It plays a key role in skeletal development and maintenance. In severe deficiencies, can affect appetite and bone functions, and can also result in milk fever issues. Phosphorus deficiency has also been associated with cases of PICA, in which cows eat stones and plastic
Watch video hereMagnesium
Magnesium plays a key role in enzyme, muscle and nerve function in ruminants. Deficiencies are very rapid, typically presenting as tetany and milk fever and can be fatal. It is stored in low levels in the cow’s body and requires regular daily intakes, particularly when lactating. Magnesium also plays a vital role in calcium metabolism. High Potassium levels will affect Magnesium uptake, remembering both slurry and fertilisers contain potassium.
Watch video hereCopper
Copper plays an important role in cellular function and immunity. There is a narrow range when supplementing with copper meaning getting it to optimum levels is essential. It has been associated with swayback and changes in hair coat and wool. It can also affect immunity and may cause infertility. Straight copper deficiencies due to low copper are rare. They usually occur because of complex interactions or are locked up by other minerals. With copper toxicity or oversupply we can see animals getting weak, listless and experiencing a haemolytic crisis.
Watch video hereSelenium
Selenium plays a key role in immune response (function) and iodine metabolism. Its main role in the body is as an antioxidant. Grazing animals may be at more of a risk of deficiency, which has been linked to white muscle disease. Deficiency may also play a role in fertility, the production of healthy sperm in the male animal, and retained placentas in cows. Oversupply can lead to toxicity with several side effects.
Watch video hereIodine
Iodine plays an important role in thyroid function and thyroid hormone production. Selenium enzymes are also involved in this. This is why these two minerals are often linked. Thyroid hormones can play a key role in immune defence, muscle function and have been linked to reproduction suppressed oestrus. They also play an important role in metabolism leading to stillbirths or weak calves and lambs.
Watch video hereCobalt
Cobalt is an important mineral for the formation of vitamin B12 in the rumen of cows, which plays a key role in energy metabolism. Cobalt is also believed to play a role in certain enzyme reactions. While it can be hard to get exact inclusion rates 0.1mg/kg has been quoted. Sheep are more prone to cobalt deficiency, particularly young growing lambs, as cobalt is also involved in wool growth. Vitamin B12 plays a key role in energy metabolism, which is important for the production of glucose. This is crucial around calving time for the cow’s energy metabolism. It usually is poorly retained within the animals so needs a regular supply at key times.
Watch video hereZinc
Zinc plays an important role in enzymes, immune function and hoof and skin health. Pastures typically have adequate levels of zinc; however, hay and straw are said to have lower concentrations. Deficiency can be seen in young growing calves and can be detected by skin issues such as alopecia and poorer skin health. Zinc is vital to the formation of keratin leading to strong healthy hoofs. Zinc also plays a role in sperm health in bulls and rams.
Watch video hereIron
Iron plays a role in haemoglobin (red blood cells) and other important pathways. It is another mineral that, when in excess, has complex interactions with copper. Iron deficiencies can be seen in rapidly growing animals although they are rare. Weakness and lack of appetite are often some of the early symptoms. They will have pale mucous membranes due to the anaemia caused by low haemoglobin. It has been said to be an issue found in veal calf units occasionally. Iron toxicity rarely occurs.
Calcium
Calcium is one of the most important minerals in ruminants. It plays a key role in muscle function and immunity, particularly around calving time. The cow will have a big demand for calcium before calving and especially during milk production. Older cows are more prone to issues with calcium around calving. This is due to their reduced ability to flush calcium from bone around calving time. Some breeds like jersey and Guernseys may be more susceptible to deficiency. Milk fever is the obvious clinical sign of the disease but is only the tip of the iceberg within the herd in relation to calcium. Low blood calcium can affect muscles like the uterus and rumen. This may lead to poor involution (repulsion of the placenta) and lower dry matter intake (slower rumen function).
Watch video hereSulphur
Sulphur is an essential nutrient required for the normal growth and reproduction of bacteria in the rumen of cattle. Sulphur is essential for rumen microbial synthesis of certain amino acids (cysteine, cystine and methionine), vitamins (thiamin and biotin) and enzymes. In order for these nutrients to be synthesised in the rumen, sulphur must be present in the diet. Although rare, sulphur deficiency can affect rumen function and thrive. Excess dietary sulphur can cause problems rumen motility and nerve function.
Vitamins
A
Vitamin A is necessary for proper bone formation, growth, energy metabolism (glucose synthesis) and skin and hoof tissue maintenance, as well as vision. It has been found to help manage calf scours, as colostrum is high in vitamin A, and help cows to “clean” and reduce the risk of retained placenta.
B
B vitamins function through enzymes and are key in metabolism, as cows use them for glucose synthesis, fertility, and immunity. The issue is that B vitamins are significantly degraded in the rumen. The nervous and immune systems need vitamin B6 to function efficiently and it is also needed for the conversion of tryptophan (an amino acid) to Niacin (Vitamin B3). Vitamin B6 also helps maintain blood glucose within a normal range.
D
Vitamin D, sometimes called the sunshine vitamin, is formed by the action of sunlight on certain sterols. One of these sterols is found in the skin of cattle. Therefore, cattle that are exposed to sunlight have the ability to synthesize vitamin D. Some other forms of vitamin D are created in plants when they are cured by sunlight. Vitamin D plays a large role in macromineral function and absorption in cattle. Specifically, it helps regulate blood calcium and phosphorus levels by increasing the small intestine’s ability to absorb these minerals from the diet. Vitamin D works with calcium and phosphorous to prevent rickets in cattle and aids in the formation of sound bones and teeth. Deficiency signs include a stiff gait, weakness, laboured breathing, swollen joints and bowed legs. A deficiency in pregnant cattle may result in dead, weak, or deformed calves.
E
Vitamin E is important for muscle function and disease resistance. Increased Vitamin E improves colostrum quality, immune function and reproductive performance. A deficiency in Vitamin E will result in retained placentas, reduced fertility and poor growth rates. It is most important six weeks prior to calving, through to re-breeding. It is also necessary for calves at weaning time and during other stressful periods. There is a close relationship between Vitamin E and selenium but both must be present in the diet. Levels of vitamin E in forage vary greatly between crops.
Other
Biotin
Biotin is a water-soluble B-complex vitamin that is produced by rumen microbes. New studies have shown biotin could be a limiting nutrient for high producing cows. Supplemental biotin can improve hoof health and hoof hardness. Biotin is also a needed cofactor for body enzymes and many metabolic processes. Milk production responses to supplemental biotin have been seen.
Bloat Oil
The addition of bloat oil into the water is an effective and easy way to prevent bloat in the herd, as it acts as an anti-bloating agent. When administering bloat oil, it is important that it is given accurately and uniformly across the herd in all weather conditions.
Ammonia Binder
For farms with high milk urea, or for poultry or swine houses. Shown to affect fertility and milk production in cows.
Seaweed Extract
Seaweed has been shown to have positive health benefits as well as reducing methane emissions.
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