Variability in individual animal's intake of minerals offered free-choice to grazing ruminants

Tait, R. M.; Fisher, L. J.

doi:10.1016/s0377-8401(96)01007-3

Cited by 42 publications

(34 citation statements)

References 7 publications

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“…Because of these potential errors, we (Dixon and Petherick 1996;Dixon and Smith 2000;Dixon et al , 2001 have used lithium as a marker of supplement offered for 9-10 h on a specific day, and accepted that the measured variability in supplement intake relates solely to a specific day. However, it is well established that there is often large variation between days in voluntary intake of loose mineral mix and block supplements (Rocks et al 1982;Weber et al 1992;Tait and Fisher 1996). A compromise must be made between greater accuracy if lithium-labelled supplement is offered for only 1 day, and making measurements with lesser accuracy but probably more representative of average intake of supplement over several days.…”

Section: Measurement Of Supplement Intake By Individuals In Herdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithium salts as a marker of intake of supplements by cattle

Dixon¹,

Smith²,

Reid³

2003

Aust. J. Exp. Agric.

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Abstract. In a series of experiments the appearance of lithium cation in plasma following ingestion or intravenous administration of lithium salts was measured in order to examine the suitability of lithium as a marker of supplement intake by cattle. In experiment 1, cattle were offered low quality hay ad libitum and 0.15, 0.4, 1.0 and 3.0 kg cottonseed meal (CSM) supplement per day. Following ingestion of lithium-labelled CSM, the lithium concentration in plasma reached a maximum after about 24 h and the subsequent decrease in concentration appeared to follow a single exponential relationship. The rate constant of this disappearance of lithium from plasma was greater (P<0.05) when 3.0 kg than when lesser amounts of lithium-labelled CSM were consumed. Plasma lithium concentrations 24 and 32 h after ingestion of lithium-labelled CSM were both linearly related to the amount of supplement consumed (r = 0.86 and 0.87, respectively, n = 32, P<0.001), indicating that the plasma lithium concentrations could be used to measure intakes of supplement by individual animals. In experiment 2, following intravenous administration of lithium chloride the disappearance of lithium from plasma over 96 h appeared to be best described by 3 exponential compartments. In experiment 3, cattle were offered molasses-based or loose mineral mix (LMM) supplement, or water, labelled with lithium and the rate constant of disappearance of lithium from plasma between 32 and 96 h was determined. The pattern of the decrease in plasma lithium concentration was similar to that observed in experiment 1. In experiment 4, the variation about the estimates of supplement intake was measured in heifers (n = 24) offered hay and water ad libitum and in addition a meal of 60 g of lithium-labelled molasses-urea supplement; between 20 and 28 h after ingestion of the lithium-labelled supplement the coefficient of variation (CV) among animals in plasma lithium concentration was about 15%. The likely errors associated with the use of lithium salts to measure intake of supplement are discussed. These experiments confirm that lithium salts can be used as a marker to estimate intake of supplement by individual animals.

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Section: Measurement Of Supplement Intake By Individuals In Herdsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Lithium salts as a marker of intake of supplements by cattle

Dixon¹,

Smith²,

Reid³

2003

Aust. J. Exp. Agric.

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“…It was observed that cows prefer a softer lick enabling them to receive more in a shorter period. Tait and Fisher (1996) present the problem of lick hardening due to air humidity and cow saliva. As a result, cows must spend a longer time to consume the same amount of lick, which negatively affects consumption.…”

Section: Resultsmentioning

confidence: 99%

Microelement Supplementation in Dairy Cows by Mineral Lick

et al. 2009

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The aim of this experiment was to verify the option of providing microelement supplementation to dairy cows in the dry period through supplemented mineral lick, and then to compare the content of microelements in the blood, colostrum and milk. The experiment was carried out on a farm with Czech Fleckvieh dairy cows. We formed an experimental group (E), supplied with mineral lick ad libitum enhanced with organic forms of microelements (Se, Zn, Cu, Mn) for four to five weeks before parturition and 1 week after parturition. The control group (C) did not receive any mineral lick. The use of mineral lick by cows was very uneven, its total consumption oscillated between 0 to 250 g of lick per animal per day. Lick feeding did not result in evidential increase of concentrations of monitored microelements in the cows' blood, colostrum and milk. Only a tendency to increased concentrations of Se and Cu in the blood of group E of cows was observed; the average Se concentration increased by 60 µg·l -1 (Cu by 9 µmol·l -1 ), whereas in group C, Se increased only by 30 µg·l -1 (Cu by 6 µmol·l -1). The concentration of microelements in colostrum after parturition dropped quickly. Significant drops were determined for Se, Cu and Zn on the first (for Mn on the second) day after parturition. Selenium concentration in the first colostrum was 5 times higher than in milk, Cu concentration 3 times higher, Zn concentration 4 times higher and Mn concentration 1.3 times higher.

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“…y DMI data reflects the first 4 wk of experimental period, post-calving DMI data reflects 2 wk after all cows had calved. eral observation of variability associated with mineral offered on a free-choice basis (Tait and Fisher 1996;Cockwill et al 2000). Rode et al (1994) reported high variability in intake for grazing heifers offered a free-choice salt/mineral mix, with a coefficient of variation of 32.1 and 29% in year 1, and 29.0 and 38.8% in year 2, for heifers on mineral with and without lasalocid, respectively.…”

Section: Mineral Intake and Performancementioning

confidence: 99%

“…Use of water supplements (Miller 1990) is not suitable for most minerals or additives and is generally considered to require high infrastructure costs. Tait and Fisher (1996), in reviewing the literature, indicated that supplemental nutrients or additives may be provided on a free-choice basis when incorporated into molasses blocks, liquid licks or in a granular form. Free-choice mineral feeding assumes that animals will consume quantities sufficient to satisfy mineral requirements; however, numerous studies have shown animal-to-animal and day-to-day variability in intake and over or under consumption of mineral supplements (Rode et al 1994;Tait and Fisher 1996;Cockwill et al 2000).…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

“…Tait and Fisher (1996), in reviewing the literature, indicated that supplemental nutrients or additives may be provided on a free-choice basis when incorporated into molasses blocks, liquid licks or in a granular form. Free-choice mineral feeding assumes that animals will consume quantities sufficient to satisfy mineral requirements; however, numerous studies have shown animal-to-animal and day-to-day variability in intake and over or under consumption of mineral supplements (Rode et al 1994;Tait and Fisher 1996;Cockwill et al 2000). Over consumption can lead to toxicity, unnecessarily high excretion, environmental issues and high production costs, while under consumption can limit production and increase economic losses.…”

mentioning

confidence: 99%

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Utilization of fortified cubes to deliver trace minerals and monensin in forage-based diets

Ominski¹,

Boadi²,

Wittenberg³

2006

Can. J. Anim. Sci.

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. 2006. Utilization of fortified cubes to deliver trace minerals and monensin in forage-based diets. Can. J. Anim. Sci. 86: 291-298. The potential benefits of mineral or monensin delivery through forage cubes vs. free-choice were investigated in Simmental × Charolais pregnant cows and their calves. Thirty-six mid-gestation cows (615 ± 21 kg) placed in 18 pens were initially depleted of liver Cu reserves by feeding a TMR containing 100 mg Mo kg -1 DM and 4 g S kg -1 DM for 42 d, allowed to stabilize on a low Mo, Cu and S diet for 42 d and were then used in a mineral uptake study. Experimental diets containing chopped grass-hay were fed ad libitum with one of the following three alfalfa-barley grain cubes at 2 kg head -1 d -1 : (1) no addition of mineral and ionophore (Free Choice); (2) addition of mineral and no ionophore (+M Cube); and (3) addition of mineral and ionophore in the form of monensin (+M+I Cube). Mineral intake and mineral status (through liver biopsy and blood sampling) were monitored over a 16-wk feeding period, which included the first 6 wk post-calving. Dry matter intake by Free Choice cows prior to calving was higher than that by +M Cube and +M+I Cube fed cows (P < 0.05). Pre-and post-calving mineral intake (g pen -1 d -1 ) by Free Choice cows was 31.6% higher than +M Cube and +M+I Cube fed cows (P < 0.01). The coefficient of variation for day-to-day and pen-to-pen variation for cows consuming free choice mineral was 81 and 36%, respectively. There was no variation in supplemental mineral intake for +M Cube and +M+I Cube fed cows due to complete consumption of all forage cubes offered. Dietary treatment did not influence mean serum Cu and Zn concentration or plasma ceruloplasmin oxidase (Cp) activity of cows (P > 0.05). However, liver Cu concentration (mg kg -1 ) of +M+I Cube fed cows tended to be higher than for the other treatment groups (P = 0.06). Calf ADG at 6 wk of age was not affected by dietary treatment of dams (P > 0.05). Copper and Zn status of calves at 6 wk of age was not different among dam dietary treatments. However, plasma Cp activity declined more rapidly in +M+I Cube calves compared with +M Cube calves (P < 0.05), which may be attributed to the presence of monensin in the +M+I Cube diet of late gestation cows. Fortified cubes may be used as an effective means of eliminating the variability in mineral intake associated with free choice consumption with no detrimental effect on mineral status of cows and their suckling calves. Les auteurs n'ont pas relevé de variation au niveau de l'absorption des oligoélé-ments chez les vaches recevant des cubes +O et +O+I, ces derniers ayant été absorbés en totalité. Le type de régime n'exerce aucune influence sur la concentration moyenne de Cu et de Zn dans le sérum ni sur l'activité de la céruloplasmine oxydase (Cp) dans le plasma des vaches (P > 0,05). Toutefois, la concentration de Cu (mg par kg) a tendance à être plus élevée dans le foie des vaches recevant les cubes +O+I que dans celui des vaches des autres groupes (P = 0,06). Le régime...

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Variability in individual animal's intake of minerals offered free-choice to grazing ruminants

Cited by 42 publications

References 7 publications

Lithium salts as a marker of intake of supplements by cattle

Lithium salts as a marker of intake of supplements by cattle

Microelement Supplementation in Dairy Cows by Mineral Lick

Utilization of fortified cubes to deliver trace minerals and monensin in forage-based diets

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