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Supplying free choice mineral to cattle grazing on wheat pasture may seem unnecessary to some cattlemen and wheat farmers, but not to Dr. Don McGinty. "Research shows that supplying one pound of high quality mineral per week will result in 1.5 pounds of added gain each week," says McGinty, a beef nutritionist for MoorMans. "Feeding a MoorMans mineral with an ionophore added jumps weekly gain up by two pounds." That can calculate to an additional 20 to 25 pounds of gain per grazing season. How does feeding mineral make that much difference? McGinty explains that it's all in the science of digestion. "Cattle can not digest one ounce of fiber on their own. They are dependent on the microbial population of the rumen to digest all the fiber that they eat," he explains. "These micro organisms produce cellulase, an enzyme that breaks down cellulose, or plant fiber, resulting in digestion. Once the contents leave the rumen, no more fiber digestion takes place." So the health of the micro organisms is vitally important. Just like any living thing, the "bugs" in the rumen have certain nutritional requirements. "These micro organisms must have certain minerals in order to perform effectively and fully utilize the contents of the rumen, and that's where supplying free choice mineral comes in," he says. Studies show that without minerals, the rumen microbial activity is only at 39 percent digesting grain and forage. Adding minerals can almost double the activity in the rumen, resulting in more complete digestion. 
The expenses and benefits of supplying mineral are not hard to compute. To calculate the monetary benefits of mineral, consider the following example. Let's say a pound of gain is worth 75c at the local sale barn. The cost of supplying one pound of MoorMans mineral per week is about 33c. That one pound of mineral results in 11/2 pounds of gain, on average. If gain is worth 75c, then 1 1/2 pounds is worth $1.13. So we spent 33c to gain $1.13. That's a net profit of 80c. A mineral with an ionophore added costs around 40c a week, with an expected gain of two pounds per week. If gain is still worth 75c, then two pounds of gain is worth $1.50. So we spent 40c to gain $1.50. That's a net profit of $1.10. Although there is some labor involved in ensuring that mineral is always available, the benefits are numerous. In addition to aiding digestion, a complete mineral package with certain additives can also cut down on several metabolic and nutritional disorders that can occur on pasture. "Tetany is caused by a magnesium and potassium imbalance. Supplying a mineral high in magnesium greatly reduces the problem," McGinty says. Foot rot and pink eye are a result of damage to the hoof or skin. "Add some aureomycin to mineral, plus a little zinc and iodine and the incidence of foot rot and pink eye decrease." 
Bloating can also be a problem. In fact, some cattlemen notice an increase in bloats if the wheat was recently fertilized with ammonia. "Bloats can be controlled with limit grazing or feeding dry hay, but that's labor intensive. Add an ionophore like Rumensin, Bovatec or Bloat Guard to the mineral, and your bloat problem should come under control." According to Bryan Davis, a MoorMans sales representative, feeding mineral not only increases gains and digestion, it can also help keep a calf healthy. "If stress is placed on a nutritionally sound calf with a good appetite, his body is more resistant to disease. But if he's not getting the most from his feed and becomes stressed, he is more likely to get sick." "A calf with a low microbial population won't eat much," Davis says, "and it doesn't matter what drugs you're using if he doesn't eat." |
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