Last updated on October 24th, 2023 at 05:09 pm
Have you invested time and money into a quality mineral program for your cattle herd? It’s out in front of your herd; they seem to like it, but how do you know if every single cow is getting the right level of nutrition?
The truth is, you don’t.
Unless you have some form of electronic identification tag, there is no way to know that every cow is getting to a tub (or some form of mineral) each and every day. But, don’t lose hope yet. There are some key measurables that can help you decipher whether or not your herd is getting the minerals and nutrients they need.
- Consumption. The first way to ensure that your herd as a whole is getting enough is to look at your average consumption. Make sure it lines up with the product recommendation. For Riomax®, that average should be inside the range of ⅛ of a pound to ⅓ of a pound, which is lower than many other tubs because of our high concentration. If consumption is where it should be, there’s a pretty good chance that your cattle are getting what they need. making sure that our average across the herd is averaging inside that range 1/8 to 1/3.
- Appearance. The next measurable is taking a general look at your herd. How do the cows look? Are they shiny, sleek, and content? If so, that is a good indicator that they are doing well and receiving an adequate level of nutrients. If there happen to be one or two animals that look more raggedy and have dull hair coats, it might be a sign that those few aren’t going to the mineral and consuming it as they should be. From there, you can manage accordingly to help them get what they need.
- Results; which is perhaps the most important factor. At the end of the day, you’re most likely using a mineral program in view of better results on your operation. Ensuring that your cows are getting bred, they’re healthy, and they’re staying in prime condition is the ultimate measurable that will help you determine whether your every cow is getting the nutrition they need.
These factors are important to review when supplementing a cattle mineral program. After all, if you’re not getting the results you are looking for, your cattle probably aren’t getting the nutrition they need. Then it comes back to the mineral program; is it doing the job it should? Here at Riomax®, we will do everything we can to ensure your cattle are taken care of and performing efficiently. Ultimately, our goal is to boost your return on investment (ROI) and make you more profitable and sustainable.