REQUIRED MINERALS FOR FARM ANIMALS

All farm animals require inorganic elements or minerals for normal life process. Minerals are divided into 2 major groups which are;

1.       Macro minerals: these are minerals required by animals in large quantities which include Nitrogen, Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium, Sodium, Potassium, Sulfur and Chlorine.

2.       Micro minerals: these are minerals required by animals in small quantities which include Copper, Zinc, Cobalt, Manganese, Molybdenum, Iodine, Iron, Fluorine.

NOTE: Iodine is required for Thyroxine formation and Cobalt, Vitamin B12.

 Some of the common functions of minerals are as follows

1.       Some of them are necessary for enzymes reactions

2.       Some minerals are involved in acid-base balance

3.       Some minerals e.g Sodium and Potassium are the major factors of Osmotic control.

Minerals - Minerals are the inorganic ash residues of food.

Their general Functions Are:
A]. To enter into the structure of the body, not only of the skeleton, but also of the softer tissues such as muscles, glands, and of the fluids such as blood. B]. To regulate many body processes such as the passage of materials into and out of cells and normal growth.

Mineral Supplements

• As higher production levels are achieved there will be a greater need for possible supplements. This is good thinking for high production cows are getting closer to the knife edge of production versus fertility and critical and essential nutrition needs to be fully understood.
• It could be argued that it is difficult to define the mineral requirements for cattle due to the variation in absorption efficiencies on minerals due to dietary intake, age and the physiological state of the animals.

The use of any stock lick that contains trace elements is hazardous due to the spasmodic and very uncertain consumption by grazing animals.