Trace mineral testing in Ontario cow-calf operations

Abstract

There is much confusion surrounding trace mineral supple­mentation in cattle, particularly on cow-calf operations. Because a total mixed ration is rarely utilized, it can be chal­lenging to determine the amount of mineral that cattle are con­suming on a daily basis. When producers have health concerns in their herd that may be tied back to trace mineral consump­tion, the veterinarians struggle to determine if supplementa­tion was appropriate and which tests are the most effective to examine trace mineral status in the cows. The objective of this study was to examine the trace mineral status of cows on cow-calf operations in Ontario and understand more about the sup­plementation strategies that were being used.