NUTRITION
A guide to those confusing, added-value fortifications
By Dr. Dan Netemeyer, MFA Director of Nutrition

In ruminant rations today, several added-value fortifications seem to get most, or in many cases, all the attention. The ones most talked about are chelated trace minerals, selenium, vitamin E and biotin.

I will try to address these and how they fit into MFA feeds and feed programs.

Selenium
Essentially all ruminant animals consuming MFA feeds are getting the maximum allowable limit. This means any MFA proprietary feed will supply all the animal's selenium needs when fed close to the feeding directions. Dairy cows may be getting seven mg/hd/day whereas beef cattle will be getting three mg/hd/day.

Selenium has been associated with conception rates in both beef and dairy cattle, a reduction of somatic cell counts and mastitis when used with vitamin E in dairy diets. For this reason, selenium should be fed at the maximum legal limit. All MFA feeds are formulated to do this.

Vitamin E
Vitamin E has been associated with immunity. It keeps animals from getting sick under stress and improves the immune system. In beef cattle, it improves the shelf life of the carcass. Sadly, few feedlots include vitamin E at high-enough levels to increase the shelf life of the meat.

In dairy cattle, vitamin E reduces the somatic cell count in milk and also reduces the incidence of mastitis by up to 30 percent. To achieve these results, vitamin E needs to be fed at 500 IUs per head per day to lactating cows and 1,000 mg/hd/day to dry cows. Heartland dairy feed will have the necessary level of vitamin E for lactating cows, and Rampart Transition feed has high-enough levels for the dry cow.

Biotin
It is a water-soluble vitamin that appears to help foot problems when fed at 20 mg/hd/per day. Biotin reduces the incidence of white line separation, digital and interdigital dermatitis, sole ulcers, horizontal ridging of the foot wall and general lameness.

Whether because of the reduction in lameness or other reasons, a study at Ohio State University (1998) showed a 6.33-pound increase in daily milk production.

The MFA Turbo dairy complete feeds have biotin in the feed to supply 20 mg/hd/day.

Chelated Minerals
They are very controversial. There are limited data to support the extra money they cost. When sold at the retail level, there is a tremendous markup by companies manufacturing and selling these products.

The only chelate that I feel has any substantial research results is chelated zinc.

There are also a lot of arguments between companies selling chelated zinc about which is a chelate and which works best. I think this is nothing more than petty marketing bickering. I feel all the zinc proteinates work the same in that they will reduce somatic cell counts in milk and make the hoof wall harder. There is no evidence that chelated zinc reduces foot rot. There is even less evidence that chelated copper, cobalt and manganese do anything more than the nonchelates.

This being said, I now must say that all MFA products, whether beef or dairy, have chelated zinc, copper, cobalt and manganese added to every ton manufactured.

Summary
It appears that vitamin E at 500 IUs/hd/day and biotin at 20 mg/hd/day are worth their cost. Selenium and the chelates cost considerably less and are added as standard supplementation to all MFA feeds.