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Optimum Mineral Nutrition Beef Systems

by John Lawrence, Mineral Supplements Technical Manager

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Feeding Yeast to Beef Cattle

Yeast promotes intakes, growth rate and carcase classification, with an average net benefit of £36 per animal (see table below).

Supplied under the brand name of Actisaf (formerly Biosaf) it has been shown to increase feed intakes, improve growth rates and improve food conversion efficiency when fed to beef cattle. In addition, EU registration trials show that animals fed Actisaf have better carcase classification and reduced incidence of acidosis, lameness and cud balls.

Overall, Actisaf creates a healthier, more efficient rumen, which promotes higher intake and better feed utilisation, ultimately leading to more productive, healthy and contented animals. It can be supplied either as a Farmpack for home mixers, or it can be included with your beef minerals for added convenience in a one bag, one product solution.

How does it work?

  • Helps to maintain the rumen pH in the optimum range.
  • Reduces oxygen levels in the rumen.

  • Encourages the growth of the “good” bacteria.
  • Improves the energy supply from the rumen.
  • Increases the amount of microbial protein

Improve meat keeping quality with Vitamin E and Sel-Plex

There are two processes that occur that have a negative effect on keeping the quality of red meat:

  • Fat breakdown causing rancidity
  • Blood breakdown causing discolouration

Vitamin E

Vitamin E is important for muscle formation and meat keeping quality. It also promotes a reduction in drip loss and improves shelf life of red meat. Feeding Vitamin E at levels in excess of requirement, reduces the rate of carcase deterioration at the abattoir and beyond.

Feeding an extra 1,000mg supplemental Vitamin E/head/day for 3 months pre-slaughter, even on grass based diets, improves the meat’s keeping quality without affecting its taste.  Beef cattle diets vary widely in terms of vitamin E supplied. Selenium works synergistically with Vitamin E in the body and are involved jointly in many functions such as enhanced immune system status.

Sel-Plex

Sel-Plex Selenium is supplied in the form found in nature and therefore the animal is able to utilise it better. Sel-Plex may also help improve the visual appearance of red meat by slowing the change of appearance from red to brown. As meat ages, haemoglobin changes to myoglobin. As part of this process, iron is released producing a brown appearance in the meat.

Mineral Supplements for Beef Cattle

It is important to remember that the mineral requirements of beef cattle on different systems vary greatly. Each is based on different rations and requires a specific mineral supplement to balance them.

Forage based beef

Require a ‘GP’ mineral with good levels of trace elements with low to medium levels of magnesium and phosphorus.

Intensively fed bulls/cereal beef

Must have:

  • a zero magnesium, low phosphorus mineral with high levels of salt to avoid urinary ‘stones’
  • high levels of calcium – cereals are very low in calcium
  • good vitamin E level essential – as cereals are low
  • option to include Sel-Plex organic selenium to work with vitamin E.
  • where treated cereals are used, e.g. propcorn, urea treated, need to increase vitamin E as high moisture content of treated cereals degrades vitamins, particularly vitamin E

Find out more about minerals for cattle now.


Contact us at MVF if you need more help >>

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