Minerals

Describe

minerals used in animal nutrition. List sources of minerals for animal feeding. Describe the functions of minerals in animal nutrition. Determine the deficiency symptoms caused by a lack of minerals in the ration.

 Minerals

are inorganic, low or no Carbon. Two groups, major or macro and trace or micro. Major include sodium, chlorine, calcium, phosphorus, potassium, magnesium and sulphur. Trace include chromium, cobalt, coper, fluorine, iodine, iron, manganese, molybdenum, selenium, silicon, and zinc.

 Mineral

2 to 5%. Provide material for growth of bones, teeth and soft tissues. Regulate vital chemical processes, aid in muscular stimulation and activity, reproduction, digestion of feed, repair of body tissue, formation of new tissue.

content of animal bodies range from

 Bones

contain 25% minerals, Ca, 36%, P 17%, Mg .8%. Minerals also affect nerve irritability. Ca and P are essential for production of eggs.

 Most

ration deficiencies come from soil deficiencies. Mineral deficiency may also result because of poor utilization by the animal. Interrelationships between vitamins and other minerals, water.

 Commercial

feeds such as protein supplements or mineral premixes usually contain both major and trace minerals. Feed tags will show min and max amounts of major and micro minerals. Sodium and chloride are guaranteed as the compound salt. Calcium and phosphorus are usually supplied in commercial feeds by adding monocalcium phosphate, dicalcum phosphate.

 Minerals

are usually added to the ration either by feeding them free choice or including them in the mixed ration. Trace minerals can be deficient because of the soil in the area where the feed is grown. Feeding or roughages or concentrate rations only can result in trace deficiencies.

 NaCl,

Ca and P are the minerals most likely to be need in the ration. 70% of the mineral content of an animals body is Ca and P. When livestock are on pasture or are not being fed a concentrate feed, then minerals must be supplied free choice. Animals do not do a good job of balancing their mineral needs when given a free choice of several minerals.

 Bones

and teeth, 99%. Milk and eggs. Most important to lactating animals. Important for muscle and nerve development. Maintaining the acid-base balance of the body fluids.

 Abnormal

and weak bone growth. Young can develop rickets. Without Ca, the joints of young animals become enlarged, bones weak, soft and deformed. Animals are stiff with arching backs. Older animals develop stiffs or osteoporosis. Ca deficiency in older pregnant animals manifest itself as paralysis of the hindquarters.

 Ca:P,

1:1 to 2:1, excess Ca will result in poor utilization of other minerals. An excess of P decreases the absorption of Ca. An excess of Mg decreases the absorption of Ca.Deficiency of vitamin D prevents the proper utilization of Ca. Toxicity may occur, result in kidney stones.

 Grains,

byproducts, straw, dried mature grasses and protein supplements from plant sources contain the least amount of Ca. Legume forages and animal-origin protein supplements are the highest in Ca content. Rations high in grain need a higher level of Ca supplementation, while legume forage rations need little or no added Ca. Ca supplements are derived from two basic groups, Ca phosphates and CaCo3.

 CaCo3

materials have about 35-40% Ca. Ca phosphate materials contain 30% Ca and 14-20% P. Ca phosphates are usually more expensive.

 80%

of the P in the body is found in the bones and teeth. Affects appetite, milk and egg production, reproduction and conversion of carotene to vitamin A and utilization of Vit. D.

 Excessive

amounts of Ca and Mg in the diet reduces P absorption.

 Wheat

bran, wheat middlings, cottonseed meal, linseed meal, meat scraps, tankage, fish meal and dried skim milk. Legume and grass feeds grown in fertile soils are good sources of P. Adequate Vit D levels improves the assimilation of P. Cattle utilize 60% and swine 50% of the P from plant sources. Fertilizer superphosphate should not be used.

 The

optimum ration varies with specie, type of feed and the Vit D level. The ratio is not as important with adequate Vit D is present. Nonruminant ratios 1:1 to 2:1 Ruminant ratios 1:1 to 7:1.

 Cattle,

sheep and horses usually require more NaCl because of the high levels of forages in their diets. Most grains and forages produced on nonirrigated soils are low in Na and Cl. Important for maintaining osmotic pressure in the body cells. Na the major mineral responsible for maintaining a neutral pH level in the body tissues. Cl is essential for the formation of hydrochloric acid in digestive juices. Both minerals affect muscle and nerve activity.

 If

temporarily deprived of NaCl they may develop an abnormal appetite for dirt, manure or urine. No specific symptoms of NaCl deficiency, general unthrifty appearance, slow growth rough hair coat and poor performance. Delayed reproduction, infertility and delayed sexual maturity.

 NaCl

may be mixed at a level of .25 to .50 % and or fed free choice. During lactation period, include salt at about one percent of the ration for cattle, sheep and horses.

 Fed

as block, loose or in the mineral mix. Use salt as a carrier for trace minerals because of the improved palatability of mix. NaCl fed to cattle on pasture often has organic iodine added to prevent foot rot and Mg oxide added to prevent grass tetany. A 20 to 50% of the overall mineral mix in either plain or trace-mineralized form.

 Very

seldom happens unless animal is restricted in their access to water. Ruminants have been found to have levels as high as 15%with no toxicity resulting. Nonruminants are subject when dietary levels are above 8%. Symptoms include staggering, blindness, nervous disorder and hypertension.

 Affects

osmotic pressure and acid-base balance, muscle activity and the digestion of carbohydrates. Most rations contain enough K, therefore it is seldom added to a ration.

 Forages

are high in K, 3-4%. Grains and concentrates .3-.7%. Animals need less than 1% K. Cattle and sheep on high concentrate diets may require supplements.

 Symptoms

are not specific. Include poor appetite, lower feed efficiency, slow growth, emaciation, stiffness, diarrhea and decreased milk production.

 Poor

assimilation of Ca and Mg. High K intake will result in increased urine output. Toxic levels will result in diarrhea, tremors and heart failure. In soils high in K producing forage low in Mg and Ca. If this forage is the main diet, the low Mg causes grass tetany.

 Activates

several enzyme systems, proper maintenance of nervous system, carbohydrate digestion and the utilization of P, Zn, and nitrates. Necessary for normal skeletal development.

 Low

level result in decreased utilization of P, cause vasodilation. Acute Mg deficiency results in grass tetany. Levels lower than .001% in the blood. The animals become nervous, stagger and fall down. Cattle and sheep grazing on grass pasture, small grains, on highly fertilized fescue in late winter or early spring.

 Adding

Mg causes Zn deficiency. To much Mg in the ration interferes with metabolism of P and Ca.

 If

diet is low in Mg, the bones will provide its reserve. A little more than one ounce of Mg per head per day for cattle is enough.