Essential Trace Minerals for Grazing Cattle in Florida1

The Institute of Food and Agricultural Sciences (IFAS) is an Equal Opportunity Institution authorized to provide research, educational information and other services only to individuals and institutions that function with non-discrimination with respect to race, creed, color, religion, age, disability, sex, sexual orientation, marital status, national origin, political opinions or affiliations. U.S. Department of Agriculture, Cooperative Extension Service, University of Florida, IFAS, Florida A&M University Cooperative Extension Program, and Boards of County Commissioners Cooperating. Millie Ferrer-Chancy, Interim Dean Introduction Pasture forage is the most significant contributor to the trace mineral nutrition of Florida’s grazing beef cattle. Sandy, low-organic-matter soils have long been linked to the production of forages with low trace mineral content. In addition, the organic soils associated with the Okeechobee basin have been associated with the production of forages high in molybdenum, an antagonist of copper absorption. Consequently, Florida beef cattle producers recognize the importance of providing a supplemental source of trace mineral nutrition. Mineral supplementation in beef cattle can be divided into two broad categories, macro-minerals and micro-minerals (trace minerals). These categories are based on the amount of mineral required in the cow’s diet. As a rule of thumb, micro-minerals are required in amounts less than 1 gram per day compared to macro-minerals, which are often required at levels greater than 1 gram per head per day. Multiple trace minerals are essential for basic physiological functions in beef cattle. In this review, we will discuss only those that are recognized as deficient in Florida grazing cattle and that are therefore important considerations in supplementation programs. The table below (Table 1) illustrates those minerals recognized as essential to Florida grazing cattle.