responsible trace mineral management
no

Benvenuti in Selko®. Questo sito è disponibile anche in italiano.

Benvenuti in Selko®. Questa pagina è disponibile anche in italiano.

Visita il sito Rifiuta

Bienvenido a Selko®. Este sitio también está disponible en español

Bienvenido a Selko®. Esta página también está disponible en inglés

Visitar la web Cancelar

Bem-vindo à Selko®. Este site também está disponível em língua portuguesa.

Bem-vindo à Selko®. Esta página também está disponível em português.

Visite o site Cancelar

EN

Close
Chiudere / Cerrar / Zavřít / Zatvoriť

Select your language:
Selecione seu idioma
Seleccione su idioma
Selezionare la lingua
Português (Brasil) Español Italiano

Over-feeding of trace minerals is very common in dairy cattle

The key takeaway from this article

  • Dairy diets across the world often contain trace mineral levels that are much higher than the recommendations in the NASEM 2021 guidelines.
  • Trials have shown that over-supply of trace minerals to dairy cows leads to overload with minerals, resulting in poor health and fertility
  • Over-supply of trace minerals to dairy cows also leads to excessive excretion of trace minerals into urine and faeces, resulting in contamination of soil with trace minerals.
  • The source of trace mineral can have a big impact on dairy performance but also on environmental impact and thus on sustainability of dairy farming

The effects of feeding high levels of trace minerals to dairy cows

How much trace minerals do cows need? Trace mineral benefits for cattle are proven. Dairy cows need trace mineral supplementation to avoid mineral deficiencies in cattle that can have a negative impact lactational performance, health, and reproduction. Supplying dairy cows with trace minerals above recommended levels in the NASEM 2021 guidelines on the other hand can lead to:

  • Increased feeding costs
  • Increased reactivity towards vitamins in cattle supplements and premixes
  • Antagonist effect with other minerals in the rumen
  • Trace mineral toxicity in cattle
  • Decreased dairy performance
  • Soil contamination with trace metal ions

Selko® | sharing latest scientific insights

Hydroxy trace minerals improve milk production, health & fertility

Several scientific trials have proven the effects of Selko Intellibond. Prof. Dr. Santos at the University of Florida has again shown great results of our Hydroxy Trace Mineral mixture for cows. Watch the videos from the latest webinar and discover how Hydroxy Trace Minerals like Selko Intellibond can increase colostrum production with 1.5 kg (3.3 lbs) per cow per day and 1.4 kg ECM (3 lbs) per cow per day throughout the first 105 lactation days.

Trace elements NASEM 2021 100 Canadian Dairies 39 US Dairies
ppm 32 kg/d Milk Yield Dairy Cow Average ± SD 10% Lowest 10% Highest Median 10% Lowest 10% Highest
Copper 10 17 ± 5 10 34 18 10 31
Manganese 37 65 ± 18 27 123 73 48 106
Zinc 66 76 ± 21 33 144 74 51 103
Trace elements NASEM 2021 100 Canadian Dairies 39 US Dairies
ppm 32 kg/d Milk Yield Dairy Cow Average ± SD 10% Lowest 10% Highest Median 10% Lowest 10% Highest
Copper 10 17 ± 5 10 34 18 10 31
Manganese 37 65 ± 18 27 123 73 48 106
Zinc 66 76 ± 21 33 144 74 51 103

Table 1: Trace mineral levels fed in 139 dairies compared to NASEM 2021 guidelines for dairy cattle mineral supplementation.

Over-supplementation of trace minerals for dairy cattle is a common issue in dairy herds

Trace mineral deficiencies in cattle are very uncommon nowadays, but studies in Canada1 and the US2 indicate that mineral supplementation in commercial dairies frequently exceeded the NASEM 2021 guidelines3. The recommendation for copper in the NASEM 2021 guidelines is to feed 10 ppm copper to a lactating cow producing 32 kg of milk. In the two studies cited above, average and median copper levels were 70–80% above this recommendation from the NASEM 2021 guidelines (see Table 1).

These findings suggest that over-supplementation of dairy herds with trace minerals above the NASEM 2021 recommendations is very common.

Figure 1: Distribution of liver copper concentration in culled cows compared to UK Animal Health and Veterinary Laboratories Agency (AHVLA) standards. Results suggest copper deficiency in cattle symptoms are unlikely to occur, but a serious risk of trace minerals toxicity in cattle exists.

High levels of copper in the ration lead to copper overload in dairy cattle

A UK study4 evaluated liver copper concentrations in 510 cull cows (see Figure 1). The results suggest that while copper deficiency symptoms in cattle are unlikely, the risk of copper toxicity in dairy cattle remains significant.

Similar trends were observed in studies looking at liver copper status of dairy cattle in the US5, and the Netherlands6:

  • In the US study looking at trace mineral toxicity in cattle, 44% of liver samples had copper levels exceeding 500 ppm and 12% of liver samples had copper levels exceeding 850 ppm DM.
  • In the study in the Netherlands, 10% of liver samples exceeded 1,066 ppm of copper.

    These studies confirm that, although copper deficiency symptoms in cattle are uncommon, over-supplementation of trace minerals above the NASEM 2021 guidelines remains a global concern, posing significant risks of mineral toxicity in cattle and mineral copper soil contamination.

Figure 2: Hepatic copper concentration and fertility parameters in replacement dairy heifers fed copper levels close to the NASEM 2021 recommendations (16 ppm) or fed elevated (32 ppm) dietary copper concentrations. Feeding dairy heifers copper above the NASEM 2021 guidelines resulted in accumulation of copper in the liver of dairy heifers and in a reduction of conception rate to first service and an increase in number of services per pregnancy.

Oversupply of trace minerals has negative effect on dairy cattle performance

Given the prevalence of trace mineral oversupply in dairy diets worldwide, a longitudinal study was conducted in the UK7 to examine the long-term effects of copper toxicity in dairy cattle. The study compared dairy heifers fed either a dietary copper level slightly above the NASEM recommendations (16 ppm DM) or an elevated level of copper in the diet (32 ppm DM). Diets were fed from 4 months of age until 6 weeks pre-calving. Results are shown in Figure 2.

Replacement heifers fed an elevated dietary copper level exhibited significantly higher hepatic copper concentrations at all time points compared to those fed slightly above recommended levels from the NASEM 2021 guidelines for cattle. Additionally, the elevated copper diet negatively affected fertility, with reduced conception rates at first service and an increased number of services required per pregnancy. These results show that trace minerals toxicity in cattle is a real risk if cattle are fed dietary copper levels above the NASEM 2021 guidelines.

Source Trace Element Controls Diet with high level Co, Mn and Zn SD p-value
Faeces, mg/d Co 7 23 0.90 <0.01
Mn 1,041 3,101 207.00 <0.01
Zn 1,995 3,500 125.00 <0.01
Cu 516 553 18.00 0.09
Fe 5,495 5,486 149.00 1.00
Urine, µg/d Co 20 103 14.30 <0.01
Mn 45 123 26.00 0.02
Zn 1,087 2,995 985.00 0.20
Cu 687 660 55.00 0.41
Fe 5 8 2.20 0.33
Source Trace Element Controls Diet with high level Co, Mn and Zn SD p-value
Faeces, mg/d Co 7 23 0.90 <0.01
Mn 1,041 3,101 207.00 <0.01
Zn 1,995 3,500 125.00 <0.01
Cu 516 553 18.00 0.09
Fe 5,495 5,486 149.00 1.00
Urine, µg/d Co 20 103 14.30 <0.01
Mn 45 123 26.00 0.02
Zn 1,087 2,995 985.00 0.20
Cu 687 660 55.00 0.41
Fe 5 8 2.20 0.33

Table 2. Trace mineral faecal, and urinary excretions in lactating Holstein cows receiving diets with different levels of trace mineral supply. Feeding trace minerals at twice the level from the NRC recommendations increases the risk of trace mineral soil contamination.

Over-supply of trace minerals can lead to trace mineral soil contamination

Over-supplementation of trace minerals to dairy cattle can lead to excessive mineral excretion, increasing the risk of runoff of trace metal ions that contaminate water sources and harm ecosystems.

A recent study conducted in Canada8, evaluated the effects of feeding trace minerals above the requirements for cobalt (Co), manganese (Mn), and zinc (Zn). The control group diet was formulated to meet the NRC 20019 recommendations for a 650-kg Holstein cow producing 40 kg of milk per day with a dry matter intake (DMI) of 22.5 kg/day. This diet provided the following concentrations of trace minerals: 0.24 ppm Co, 35 ppm Mn, and 89 ppm Zn. The high trace mineral diet group received increased levels of 0.78 ppm Co, 115 ppm Mn, and 168 ppm Zn. Cu and Fe levels were kept at the same level of 19 ppm Cu and 205 ppm Fe for both groups. The excretion data are summarized in Table 2.

Source TM Median Distribution, percentile
10th 25th 75th 90th
Manure trace mineral, mg/d Copper 417 232 263 471 725
Iron 8,225 5,035 6,168 10,569 14,572
Manganese 1,784 1,133 1,368 2,127 2,420
Zinc 1,693 919 1,336 1,982 2,291
Source TM Median Distribution, percentile
10th 25th 75th 90th
Manure trace mineral, mg/d Copper 417 232 263 471 725
Iron 8,225 5,035 6,168 10,569 14,572
Manganese 1,784 1,133 1,368 2,127 2,420
Zinc 1,693 919 1,336 1,982 2,291

Table 3. Distribution of amounts (mg/d) of trace mineral in manure on 39 US dairy farms. Increased levels of trace mineral in the ration were associated with an increased risk of trace mineral soil contamination.

Increasing trace mineral supplementation above dietary requirements significantly raised the output of trace minerals in both faeces and urine:

  • Cobalt: faecal excretion increased by 323%, while urinary excretion rose by 505%.
  • Manganese: faecal and urinary excretions increased by 298% and 272%, respectively.
  • Zinc: faecal excretion rose by 175%, with urinary excretion increasing by 276%.

In a study conducted across 39 commercial farms in the US2, the association between dietary mineral concentrations and trace mineral outputs in milk and manure was investigated. Elevated concentrations of trace mineral in the diet were associated with higher trace mineral excretion in manure, further underscoring the environmental implications of over-supplementation (see Table 3).

Both studies show that excessive mineral intake leads to higher trace metal ion loads in manure and urine, which in turn can lead to the contamination of soil with trace minerals. This underscores the importance of determining how many trace minerals a cow needs. It is crucial to align dietary mineral levels accordingly to support both production efficiency and environmental sustainability, and to redcue cost of a dietary diet to the minimum.

Responsible mineral management to avoid over-feeding of trace minerals to dairy cattle

Concerns about mineral deficiencies in cattle result in over-feeding of trace minerals. Trials have shown that over-feeding of cattle with trace minerals is a common problem in many countries in the world. This can lead to trace mineral toxicity in cattle and trace mineral soil contamination.

Understanding how much trace minerals do cows need is a first step toward responsible trace mineral management. The NASEM 2021 guidelines contain mineral recommendations for cattle for the total diet. By calculating the contribution of the basal diet and comparing it to the animals’ requirements, nutritionists can accurately determine whether additional supplementation is necessary.

If the total diet fails to meet the herd's mineral requirements, supplementation should be provided at the appropriate levels to avoid copper deficiency in cows, along with deficiencies of other trace minerals. It is however more common that the ration supplies minerals above NASEM 2021 requirements. If cattle are fed trace minerals above the requirements found in the NASEM 2021 guidelines, reducing supplementary sources can offer multiple benefits. Eliminating unnecessary mineral supplements can lead to cost savings, can simplify management tasks, and can significantly reduce trace mineral excretion into the environment, which avoids trace mineral soil contamination.

How much trace minerals do cows need? The Responsible Trace Mineral programme aligns trace mineral feeding with precision nutrition strategies. Use Selko IntelliBond in a Responsible Trace Mineral programme to improve herd performance, increase farm profitability, and make dairy farming more sustainable.

Reach out to your local Selko nutritionist for free expert advice

This information is required
This information is required
This is not correct
  • United States
  • Canada
  • Afghanistan
  • Albania
  • Algeria
  • American Samoa
  • Andorra
  • Angola
  • Anguilla
  • Antarctica
  • Antigua and Barbuda
  • Argentina
  • Armenia
  • Aruba
  • Australia
  • Austria
  • Azerbaijan
  • Bahamas
  • Bahrain
  • Bangladesh
  • Barbados
  • Belarus
  • Belgium
  • Belize
  • Benin
  • Bermuda
  • Bhutan
  • Bolivia
  • Bosnia and Herzegovina
  • Botswana
  • Brazil
  • British Indian Ocean Territory
  • British Virgin Islands
  • Brunei
  • Bulgaria
  • Burkina Faso
  • Burundi
  • Cambodia
  • Cameroon
  • Cape Verde
  • Cayman Islands
  • Central African Republic
  • Chad
  • Chile
  • China
  • Christmas Island
  • Cocos (Keeling) Islands
  • Colombia
  • Comoros
  • Congo
  • Cook Islands
  • Costa Rica
  • Croatia
  • Cuba
  • Curaçao
  • Cyprus
  • Czech Republic
  • Côte d’Ivoire
  • Democratic Republic of the Congo
  • Denmark
  • Djibouti
  • Dominica
  • Dominican Republic
  • Ecuador
  • Egypt
  • El Salvador
  • Equatorial Guinea
  • Eritrea
  • Estonia
  • Ethiopia
  • Falkland Islands
  • Faroe Islands
  • Fiji
  • Finland
  • France
  • French Guiana
  • French Polynesia
  • French Southern Territories
  • Gabon
  • Gambia
  • Georgia
  • Germany
  • Ghana
  • Gibraltar
  • Greece
  • Greenland
  • Grenada
  • Guadeloupe
  • Guam
  • Guatemala
  • Guernsey
  • Guinea
  • Guinea-Bissau
  • Guyana
  • Haiti
  • Honduras
  • Hong Kong S.A.R., China
  • Hungary
  • Iceland
  • India
  • Indonesia
  • Iran
  • Iraq
  • Ireland
  • Isle of Man
  • Israel
  • Italy
  • Jamaica
  • Japan
  • Jersey
  • Jordan
  • Kazakhstan
  • Kenya
  • Kiribati
  • Kuwait
  • Kyrgyzstan
  • Laos
  • Latvia
  • Lebanon
  • Lesotho
  • Liberia
  • Libya
  • Liechtenstein
  • Lithuania
  • Luxembourg
  • Macao S.A.R., China
  • Macedonia
  • Madagascar
  • Malawi
  • Malaysia
  • Maldives
  • Mali
  • Malta
  • Marshall Islands
  • Martinique
  • Mauritania
  • Mauritius
  • Mayotte
  • Mexico
  • Micronesia
  • Moldova
  • Monaco
  • Mongolia
  • Montenegro
  • Montserrat
  • Morocco
  • Mozambique
  • Myanmar
  • Namibia
  • Nauru
  • Nepal
  • Netherlands
  • New Caledonia
  • New Zealand
  • Nicaragua
  • Niger
  • Nigeria
  • Niue
  • Norfolk Island
  • North Korea
  • Northern Mariana Islands
  • Norway
  • Oman
  • Pakistan
  • Palau
  • Palestinian Territory
  • Panama
  • Papua New Guinea
  • Paraguay
  • Peru
  • Philippines
  • Pitcairn
  • Poland
  • Portugal
  • Puerto Rico
  • Qatar
  • Romania
  • Russia
  • Rwanda
  • Réunion
  • Saint Barthélemy
  • Saint Helena
  • Saint Kitts and Nevis
  • Saint Lucia
  • Saint Pierre and Miquelon
  • Saint Vincent and the Grenadines
  • Samoa
  • San Marino
  • Sao Tome and Principe
  • Saudi Arabia
  • Senegal
  • Serbia
  • Seychelles
  • Sierra Leone
  • Singapore
  • Slovakia
  • Slovenia
  • Solomon Islands
  • Somalia
  • South Africa
  • South Korea
  • South Sudan
  • Spain
  • Sri Lanka
  • Sudan
  • Suriname
  • Svalbard and Jan Mayen
  • Swaziland
  • Sweden
  • Switzerland
  • Syria
  • Taiwan
  • Tajikistan
  • Tanzania
  • Thailand
  • Timor-Leste
  • Togo
  • Tokelau
  • Tonga
  • Trinidad and Tobago
  • Tunisia
  • Turkey
  • Turkmenistan
  • Turks and Caicos Islands
  • Tuvalu
  • U.S. Virgin Islands
  • Uganda
  • Ukraine
  • United Arab Emirates
  • United Kingdom
  • United States Minor Outlying Islands
  • Uruguay
  • Uzbekistan
  • Vanuatu
  • Vatican
  • Venezuela
  • Viet Nam
  • Wallis and Futuna
  • Western Sahara
  • Yemen
  • Zambia
  • Zimbabwe
This is not correct.
This information is required

Successful submit

Thank you for contacting us. Your request for expert advice or customized product quote has been successfully submitted.

In the meantime, we invite you to explore more about our innovative solutions on our website. Or you can discover best practices for cattle farming  here.

References about the impact of overfeeding trace minerals in dairy cows

  1. Duplessis, M., L. Fadul-Pacheco, D. E. Santschi, and D. Pellerin (2021). Toward precision feeding regarding minerals: What is the current practice in commercial dairy herds in Québec, Canada? Animals (Basel) 11:1320. https://doi.org/10.3390/ani11051320.

  2. Castillo, A.R., St-Pierre, N.R., Silva del Rio, N, and Weiss, W.P. (2013). Mineral concentrations in diets, and milk and their value in estimating on-farm excretion of manure minerals in lactating dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 96(5):3388-3398.

  3. NASEM 2021 guidelines. National Academies of Sciences, Engineering, and Medicine (NASEM). (2021). Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Eighth Revised Edition. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/25806.

  4. Kendall N.R, Holmes-Pavord, H.R, Bone, P.A, Ander, E.L. and S.D. Young (2015). Liver copper concentrations in cull cattle in the UK: are cattle being copper loaded? Vet. Rec.177:493.
    ,br>
  5. Strickland, J. M., Lyman, D., Sordillo, L. M., Herdt, T. H., & Buchweitz, J. P. (2019). Effects of Super Nutritional Hepatic Copper Accumulation on Hepatocyte Health and Oxidative Stress in Dairy Cows. Veterinary Medicine International, 2019, Article ID 3642954. https://doi.org/10.1155/2019/3642954

  6. Counotte, G., Holzhauer, M., Carp-van Dijken, S., Muskens, J., & Van der Merwe, D. (2019). Levels of trace elements and potential toxic elements in bovine livers: A trend analysis from 2007 to 2018. PLOS ONE, 14(4), e0214584. https://doi.org/10.1371/journal.pone.0214584.

  7. McCaughern J.H., Mackenzie, A.M., Belach, E.C. and Sinclair, L.A. 2024. Overfeeding copper during rearing affects the liver function and fertility of replacement dairy heifers. Vet. Rec. 2024:e4397. https://doi.org/10.1002/vetr.4397.

  8. Marchand C., Royer, I., Gervais, R., Girard, C.L., Benchaar, C., Hassanat, F., Zastepa, A., Crevecoeur, S., and Duplessis, M. 2024. Effects of feeding sulfate trace minerals above recommendations on nutrient digestibility, rumen fermentation, lactational performance, and trace mineral excretion in dairy cows. J. Dairy Sci. 107(10):7983-7995.

  9. National Research Council (NRC). (2001). Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle: Seventh Revised Edition, 2001. Washington, DC: The National Academies Press. https://doi.org/10.17226/9825.

Selko solutions for sustainable dairy farming

Find out more about sustainable dairy farming