MINERAL NUTRITION AND ANIMAL HEALTH
Dr. Chandrakiran N. Sant
(Dairy Management Advisor)
It has been observed in the Dairy Industry that minerals and their role for the health and performance of the Cows, Buffaloes & Calves are the least known, least talked about and the most misunderstood.
Minerals play the most important & vital role in the health and performance of cattle today. Supplementing a good quality mineral Mixture to the diet can easily solve the majority of the health problems as well as improve the Milk yield of animals.
Infertility & Repeat Breeding is a major problem that is directly related to Mineral Intake as well as balanced Nutrition. The various problems faced by the farmers are: open cows; (anoestrus) cystic ovaries; longer dry periods; retained placentas; weak, silent or no heat cycles; lowering of Milk yield in subsequent Lactation’s ; delayed conceptions and abortions.
WHY is this occurring? The answer lies in the mineral intake.
Another problem that every Farmer as well as the Veterinarian is aware but not paying attention to: is the poor health of calves. Farmers are experiencing problems with Diarrhoea (due to E.coli) in young calves; calves born dead/weak; navel ill; weak bone structure in Calves ; reduced growth rate; reduced immune response which is seen in Calves with the onset of pneumonia and other respiratory problems. Most Dairy farmers experience one or many of the above problems.
WHY?
The answer is incorrect supplementation of minerals.
At the same time the overall health of the adult animal is also a great problem for our Dairy farmers. Farmers are facing problems viz. Reduced growth in young calves; Failure to come in heat before almost 30 months of age; Failure to rebreed after first calf; Diarrhea in calves; Calves unable to put on weight; Foot rot; Pneumonia; Increased incidence of Clinical as well as Sub clinical Mastitis; Increased somatic cell count; Udder Edema; Reduced & retarded growth of ovaries and reproductive tract; Weakness of legs; Cows with arched back; Low milk production; Downer Cow Syndrome; Loss of appetite etc.
The solution to these problems and many others lie in the deficiency & incorrect supplementation of Essential minerals viz. Calcium, Phosphorous, Cobalt, Copper, Iron, Magnesium, Iodine, Zinc, Manganese, Sulphur, Salt & Selenium.
Without an adequate and balanced supply of minerals the animals cannot perform to their genetic potential fully.
No Feed nor any Medication can replace Mineral Nutrition.
