Trace Minerals for Whole Herd Health

Mar 29, 2021

Trace minerals are required in cattle for a variety of functions including immunity, reproduction, growth, and digestion. Trace minerals are found in both organic and inorganic sources - they include zinc, manganese, copper, and cobalt. Organic trace minerals have better gut absorption and improved bioavailability. Organic trace minerals are found in feed and forage, but without extensive testing there are no guarantees that cattle will get what they need from forages alone. Most standard minerals contain inorganic trace minerals sources, which have lower gut absorption, but are less expensive to purchase. Minerals with organic trace minerals, like Availa 4, can better help meet your cattle’s needs.

Cattle fed Availa 4 Organic Trace Minerals have been research-proven to:             
  • Produce healthy calves with strong immune systems.
  • Produce high quality colostrum.
  • Recover from calving quicker allowing them to breed sooner.
Research has also shown how important organic trace minerals are during times of stress, such as:
  • Pre-calving, when a cow is transferring nutrients to her calf.
  • Bull development and pre-breeding to improve semen quantity and quality.
  • Breeding, for better pregnancy rates and calf retention.
  • For calves at weaning time.
  • Feed it year around to offset environmental stress factors.
The cost of Availa 4 is only pennies a day, a small price for the potential benefits over inorganic trace minerals. Stop in or call us at Smith Fertilizer and Grain and ask us about the benefits of adding organic trace mineral to your mineral program.