SYSTEMS MINERALS
Cows have changed over the past 30-40 years but trace element recommendations have not.
Organic trace minerals improve production Trials show that organic trace minerals are better absorbed, cows produce more and return to service earlier. Chris McCullough reports.
D
airy farmers are often bombarded by science that tries to convince them how good mineral supplements are and how they can send profits soaring into bank accounts. Strip away the sales jargon and there may well be some benefits to adding them to rations but only if there is an overwhelming need – or is that fake news? In a nutshell, there are three things to remember about trace minerals as Steve Elliott, global mineral director for Alltech, outlined during his presentation at this year’s Alltech ONE conference, held virtually due to Covid-19 restrictions. He said: “First, trace minerals are essential. They’re not feed additives. We have to include them in every kilo of feed that we produce every day. “The second thing is that the type and the level of trace mineral that we use in diets can impact the absorption of nutrients and have other diet interactions. 40
“And thirdly, that’s why I think the industry should be using more of these organic trace minerals. We know they have higher bioavailability, less interaction with other diet components, and they fall very nicely under what we call the ACE principle, which means they’re good for the animal, the consumer, and the environment.” Steve outlined his five pillars of trace mineral nutrition to include what they are and what they should do. “One, we know they are required every day but do we really know what our animals need? Number two is, have we considered these diet interactions with things like enzymes, vitamins, antioxidants? “The third question we should ask ourselves is what about the environment? Pollution is getting to be more of a concern, trace minerals are linked to contamination. “Number four would be food safety or
impurities. We know many of the food recalls over the last 15 years have been linked back to contamination from things like inorganic trace minerals. “And then ultimately, do we really know of an alternative approach to fortifying diets of trace minerals?” he said. The main focus of Steve’s talk was to consider whether farmers really know the requirements and some of the newer science that has shown us that maybe there is a better way of fortifying diets. The connection between what animals really need these days, in terms of trace minerals, and what research tells farmers that the cattle require is based on dated references, according to Steve. “Today’s diets contain anywhere from three to 10 times what science tells us that cattle need. Is that really the way that we should be fortifying diets? We would never feed three or 10 times as much protein or energy to a cow. But we do it every day
Dairy Exporter | www.nzfarmlife.co.nz | July 2020
