The Effect of Trace Mineral Fortification Level and Source on Incidence and Severity of Claw Lesions in Dairy Cattle

Research has shown that feeding amino acid complexes of Zn, Mn and Cu and cobalt glucoheptonate (CTM) to dairy cattle, in place of inorganic trace minerals, decreases incidence and severity of claw lesions (Ballantine et al. 2002; Ferguson et al., 2004). Improvements in claw integrity in response to feeding CTM appear to be related to increased availability of trace minerals for metabolism (Paripatananont and Lovell, 1994; Wedekind et al., 1992). Because bioavailability of these trace elements is increased, amount of trace elements fed to cattle may be reduced, while maintaining claw integrity and potentially reducing excretion of trace minerals into the environment. In addition, recent research suggests that cows may benefit from supplementing diets above NRC (2001) requirements for Co and Mn. Kincaid et al. (2003) observed that supplementing lactating dairy diets with Co above NRC (2001) requirements results in improved lactational performance of multiparous, but not primiparous cows. Likewise, in a summary of 8 balance studies, Weiss and Socha (2005) found that providing adult dairy cattle with amounts of ...