Small, but mighty: the importance of micronutrients

Trace minerals play a critical role in ensuring dairy herd health.

A long line of black and white cows feed from a trough
Photo:

Bloomberg Creative, Getty Images

One product category that aptly describes itself is micronutrients. These trace minerals, critical to the dairy animal, are measured in parts per million in the feed ration. Even though they are measured in very low concentrations, they are involved in a variety of functions in the animal, including bone development, energy and protein metabolism, hoof health, reproduction, muscle contraction, and milk production, to name a few.

Your nutrition program likely includes a mix of micronutrients. This mix can vary, depending on the specific needs of the herds. However, it’s important that producers understand how a good micronutrient program contributes to the overall health of every dairy animal throughout its life cycle.

The basics

Micronutrients include trace minerals such as zinc, copper, iron, manganese, selenium, cobalt, and iodine. While it is true that trace minerals are found naturally in feed, to ensure a dairy animal is receiving enough of these critical minerals in its diet, micronutrients are added to the feed.

“Almost all the trace minerals the animal requires are provided in a supplement form,” says Amanda Gehman, research project manager with Alltech. “The micronutrients that occur naturally in the feed are variable in concentration and type, so to ensure the animal is getting enough of these micronutrients, they are added to the diet.”

The National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine establish recommendations for trace minerals. These levels help ensure the amount being supplemented is adequate for the animal, while not providing too much of the micronutrient. A critical balance exists. Too little can limit the animal’s productivity and health, and too much can lead to excess excretion in manure, representing financial and environmental loss.

Trace minerals also come in two forms: organic and inorganic. Inorganic trace minerals come in a salt form (e.g., sulfates and oxides), while organic trace minerals are supplied as a complex with carbon-based molecules (e.g., proteinates, amino peptides, gluconates). Organic trace minerals are superior because they are “better utilized by the animal. We see better absorption and utilization compared to inorganic forms,” Gehman says. “Organic trace minerals are more stable in feeds and less reactive with other ingredients, leading to reduced degradation of expensive ingredients like vitamins and enzymes.”

Supplementation of trace minerals is appropriate for all farms and for all animals, Gehman says. “It’s not a question of whether to supplement your animals with trace minerals or not, it’s more a question of what form of trace minerals you are choosing.”

Driving reactions

The role these nutrients play is on the cellular level, driving enzyme reactions in the animal and helping spur specific metabolic reactions within the animal.

“Depending on the needs of the animal, these needs could include milk production, immune health, and reproduction,” says Daryl Kleinschmit, discovery researcher-dairy with Zinpro. “Trace minerals also can play a key part in reducing lameness from a very basic molecular level by helping form new skin and hoof horn. Perhaps the best way to describe these micronutrients is that they are small, but mighty.”

While there are standards for the industry, these baseline levels can vary, depending on the challenges of the herd and what else is in the environment.

“There can be antagonists in the diet that can impact how trace minerals are used by the animal,” says Clay Zimmerman, director of technical services animal nutrition and health for Balchem.

“For instance, if you have high levels of iron in your water, it can start competing with other trace minerals and impact absorption. So in any trace mineral program, it is important to look at the overall environment and assess what is happening.”

That’s what makes organic trace minerals superior. “Organic trace minerals have higher bioavailability in the face of these antagonists,” Zimmerman says.

The level of trace minerals in the diet may also depend on the specific challenges of the dairy. “If you look at a large herd that is using reclaimed sand and have cows that are walking longer distances to and from the parlor, this means increased wear rates on the hoof,” Kleinschmit says. “So essentially you have a greater demand for zinc to

improve hoof horn regeneration based on the challenge you have on that farm. If you don’t have as big of a challenge, you may not always see as great of a noticeable impact. But that doesn’t mean the micronutrient program isn’t working.” That’s because the function of trace minerals isn’t readily apparent immediately after it makes its way into the animal. It can take months of regular use.

Kleinschmit says when animals are under greater levels of stress, their response to trace minerals can be more pronounced. “If you have hoof issues, you may be able to visualize a benefit because you can see a more pronounced impact. But it’s more pronounced when you have additional stresses on the farm. That doesn’t mean the trace minerals aren’t working.”

Closeup of a black and white cow with others in the background and a blue sky

Cavan Images, Getty Images

How do you choose? 

Many companies tout trace mineral feed additives, and it can get confusing. But what can help clear up any misconceptions is to look behind the packaging to the peer-reviewed research.

“Research is critical to prove that your product will work on the dairy,” Zimmerman says. “That’s because a trace mineral’s impact can be seen months down the line, and that’s not always readily apparent on the farm.”

Milk production is a main focus of all dairies, but trace mineral supplements don’t always have a direct correlation to what shows up in the milk tank. “Milk production is easy to measure, but when the response is slow to come, it can be hard to measure,” Gehman says. “But research can demonstrate a response; it just may take a longer time to see the results.”

Management counts

Trace minerals are a critical part of any dairy, but they aren’t a magic bullet.

“Trace minerals are not going to correct for uncomfortable mattresses in your barn,” Kleinschmit says. “If you have poor flooring, trace minerals might help with the stresses on the hoof, but in the end you will need to fix your flooring. Trace minerals aren’t going to hide bad management.”

The day-to-day stresses on every dairy can vary, and dairy productivity can hinge on many factors, including herd health, weather, and genetic makeup of the herd.

“There are a lot of moving parts that go toward the final product, which is milk in the tank,” Gehman says. “But there are many places where the overall farm economics can be improved using a high-quality trace mineral source.”

Was this page helpful?

Related Articles