Dairy Cow Supplementation: Essential Salts and Supplements in Dairy Farming

Animals need mineral salts in small quantities but they must be present in feeds. Essential minerals for dairy cows are classified into Macro-minerals and micro-minerals. Regardless of classification, all minerals are necessary for dairy cattle’s development, production, and well-being.

Macro-minerals

Macro-minerals are those elements needed in large quantities; they are normally expressed in percentages. The major elements falling under this category include;

1. Calcium (Ca)
2. Phosphorus (P)
3. Magnesium (Mg)
4. Potassium (K)
5. Sulfur (S)
6. Sodium (Na)
7. Chlorine (Cl)

Micro-Minerals

Micro-minerals are needed by cows in traces and expressed in parts per million; they must be adequately supplied in animal feed. The micro-minerals that must be in animal feed include;

1. Iodine (I)
2. Iron (Fe)
3. Copper (Cu)
4. Cobalt (Co)
5. Manganese (Mn)
6. Molybdenum (Mo)
7. Zinc (Zn)
8. Selenium (Se)

Other Supplements

Apart from minerals, there are other essential supplements that play a vital role in the growth, production, reproduction, and health of the dairy herd. Different supplements include energy, protein, vitamins, and amino acids.

Energy supplements

I supplements are used. Commonly used energy concentrates include corn, sorghum, sweet potatoes, cassava, and dry distiller grains. A  well formulated and balanced feed always solves this problem.

Protein supplements

Different sources like  blood meal and brewers grain, cotton seed cake, malt sprouts, linseed, and urea-treated hay make excellent supplements. Also, Soybean meal is also perfect for supplementing and offers up to 40% Crude proteins.

Vitamins supplements

Vitamins are needed in dairy animals to boost immunity and general body functions. Dry and lactating cows should be given supplemental Vitamin A, D, and E, at 90,000 IU/day, 15,000 to 25,000 IU/day, and 500 to 5000 IU/day, respectively. Vitamin A is essential for boosting the immune system and reducing oxidative stress. Vitamin D is vital for facilitating calcium homeostasis and bone metabolism, while Vitamin E is needed for muscle control and nerve functioning.

Importance of minerals in dairy cows

Mineral salts play essential roles in cattle, but when it comes to daily requirements, dairy cows require more minerals than beef cattle. Some important mineral salts, functions, deficiency symptoms, and sources are summarized below.

Table 1: DairyPulse Mineral salts functions, deficiency symptoms and sources

Determining dairy feed nutrient composition

Knowing the mineral composition can be complicated unless farmers formulate their animal feeds. The only way to determine feed components is through laboratory analysis. Various means can reveal the percentage composition of energy, fiber, Nitrogen and minerals.Some of the techniques are summarized below.

Table 2: Analytical methods for nutrient content determination. 

Recommended daily dietary intakes

Providing the correct nutrients is key to maximum production and good health. The animal requirement depends on age, productivity and other factors. Daily dietary intakes are summarized in the table below.

Table 3: Dairy animals Recommended dairy dietary requirements.  

Factors to consider when supplementing dairy cows.

a) The limiting nutrient in a diet

The rule of thumb is only supplement when necessary and use the correct limited nutrient. Some supplements, like protein, are pretty expensive; thus, the use of Nitrogen based supplements should be precise.

Alternatively, using readily available sources of nitrogen like alfalfa, soybeans, and legume hay offer great alternatives to commercial supplements. Although local materials are ideal, some minerals are only enough for animals when supplemented through commercial mineral salts.

b) Are the available supplements readily available for cows?

Many supplements are available commercially for farmers to choose from. However, the element’s availability differs from one product to the other. Farmers should always select mineral supplements that offer maximum utilization since some compounds have the least benefits to animals.

c) Stage of production

The stage of production significantly determines the need for supplementation. Early lactating cows tend to have a high demand for energy and minerals. The less feeding and high energy demand by animals leads to a negative energy balance which calls for supplementation. In most cases, energy supplements and minerals like calcium are supplemented to keep animals healthy and maintain production.

d) Dairy animal age

Age is another factor that dictates the level of supplementation. Feeding young calves and heifers with the right feed is important to enable healthy development. Due to rapid development, young animals require a lot of energy and mineral salts to support their cellular development. Feeding the right rations and supplements ensures they attain puberty at the right age, facilitates the onset of estrus and promotes good production.

Conclusion

Dairy cattle supplementation is vital if feed can’t provide the required nutrients. Adding the right minerals and other nutrients to animal feed is vital for promoting a healthy herd and optimize production. Although giving dairy animal supplements is recommended, balancing the economic part of it is great to maintain farm profitability.