Mineral Feed Supplements

Mineral Feed Supplements 

mineral supplements used when there is a deficiency of certain chemical elements in livestock-raising regions. In practice, feed rations are determined by the content of calcium, phosphorus, sodium, chlorine, and various trace elements in the feed. The majority of forage feeds are deficient in sodium and chlorine. Animals that feed primarily on forage feeds need a supplement of salt, which contains sodium and chlorine. Ground chalk, travertines, sapropel, limestones, wood ash, and gypsum are used as calcium supplements. When there is a deficiency in calcium and phosphorus, such phosphates as defluorinated phosphate, calcium phosphate, dicalcium phosphate, and disodium phosphate are used.

In preparing mineral mixtures (simple and compound) the animals’ mineral requirements are taken into consideration, as is the mineral content of their feed. Mineral feed supplements are given together with concentrates, silage, oil cakes, and crushed roots. The supplements should always be used in mixed feeds. Factories produce salt mixtures, salt licks, and tablets from mineral feed supplements, many of which contain necessary trace elements.