1North Dakota State University Extension Service
Carrington Research Extension Center, Carrington; 2Logan County
Extension Agent, Napoleon; 3Animal and Range Sciences Department,
Fargo; and 4Dahl Land and Cattle Company Land, Gackle
Applying science based concepts to the ranch or farm should improve management
and reduce production costs. Areas of
concern for this case study were forage quality, water quality, and mineral
supplementation.
A cooperating beef
cattle producer from south central
Sixty three samples
were collected from May to November 2002. The samples were analyzed in
duplicates for concentration of the following nutritional components: % Dry
matter content, % Ash, % Crude Protein, % IVDMD (in vitro dry matter
digestibility – used to calculate energy as TDN), % Acid detergent fiber, %
Neutral detergent fiber, % Calcium (Ca), % Phosphorous (P), % Potassium (K), %
Magnesium (Mg), % Sodium (Na), % Sulfur (S), % Copper (Cu), % Zinc (Zn), %
Molybdenum (Mo), % Iron (Fe), and % Manganese (Mn). The total number of analyses was 4553.
Overall averages for
nutritional components of forage samples collected in 2002 are listed in Table
1. Water quality ranged from 420 – 2650
parts per million total dissolved solids while fecal coliforms ranged from 70
to 3900 coliforms per 100 milliliters.
For this case study,
the data suggest that the pastures provide adequate levels of nutrients for
lactating beef cattle for the following major feed needs: crude protein,
energy, calcium and phosphorous.
However, the trace mineral content of the forages indicates a severe
shortage of copper, an excess of molybdenum (which can further exaggerate a
copper deficiency), and adequate amounts of potassium, magnesium, sodium,
sulfur, zinc, iron and manganese.
The National
Research Council – Nutrient Requirements of Beef Cattle 7th Ed.
1996, recommends 10 ppm (parts per million, or milligrams per kilogram) for
copper in beef cattle diets. This case
study averaged 3 ppm copper. Low levels
of dietary copper might lead to copper deficiency symptoms that may be
manifested in poor cattle health and reduced ability to fight diseases. High concentrations of molybdenum, as found
in this case study, can lead to scours and poor feed efficiency. In addition, high concentrations of
molybdenum will reduce the bioavailability of already low copper levels. Copper levels in the water were less than 3.5
ppm with most less than 1 ppm. In
general, water appears to be a minimal source for trace minerals.
In this case study,
the cattle are very adept in selecting high quality forages that contain
adequate energy, protein, calcium and phosphorous. Although phosphorous concentrations in the
grass decreased as the summer progressed, phosphorus concentrations did not
drop below recommended levels.
Copper
supplementation appears to be warranted.
Providing additional copper could be as simple as adding copper sulfate/
proteinates to loose white salt or as complex as using a commercially
formulated mineral supplement. In
general, the cattle in this case study selectively grazed high quality forages
that contain adequate energy, protein, calcium and phosphorous during the
grazing season.
Table
1. Case
study - nutritional and mineral content of range grasses for 2002
|
Nutritional content |
Overall |
Nov-02 |
Winter hay 2002-03 |
|
% DM |
95.8 |
95.372 |
97.390 |
|
% Ash |
9.7 |
8.512 |
10.820 |
|
% CP |
10.2 |
11.177 |
13.706 |
|
% IVDMD |
58.4 |
50.111 |
58.410 |
|
% ADF |
36.8 |
37.804 |
35.045 |
|
% NDF |
66.6 |
62.340 |
56.030 |
|
% Ca |
0.473 |
0.824 |
0.922 |
|
% Phos |
0.181 |
0.152 |
0.239 |
|
% K |
0.892654 |
|
|
|
% Mg |
0.199013 |
0.217 |
0.305 |
|
% Na |
0.016671 |
0.013 |
0.021 |
|
% S |
0.154746 |
0.103 |
0.181 |
|
Cu ppm |
3.080891 |
5.158 |
4.348 |
|
Fe ppm |
156.0697 |
292.175 |
189.511 |
|
Mn ppm |
79.31061 |
111.527 |
100.300 |
|
Mo ppm |
149.645 |
1222.430 |
400.505 |
|
Zn ppm |
29.1856 |
26.575 |
24.804 |