Salt and Trace Minerals for Livestock, Poultry and Other Animals
NUTRITION AND DISEASE INTERACTION
An increasing amount of information is accumulating to show that many nutrients are needed at higher levels to improve the ability of animals’ immune system to cope with infection. Sodium, chloride, zinc, copper, iron, selenium, phosphorus and magnesium already have been shown to be helpful in this regard (152). It is apparent from the Wisconsin (203) and other studies that nutrient requirements for growth, feed efficiency, gestation and lactation do not necessarily mean that those levels will be adequate for normal immunity and high disease resistance. This indicates the need for more sophisticated studies that include the animal’s nutrient needs for normal immunity against diseases. It also means that higher nutrient levels than those recommended by NRC may be needed for maximum productivity and health of the animals.
Salt with additives
Salt can be obtained with or without additives. Most producers add six of the trace minerals (iron, copper, zinc, manganese, cobalt and iodine) and some also add selenium to trace mineralized salt. Salt producers formulate products with additives other than trace minerals. These include other nutrients as well as non-nutritive feed additives. Salt is an ideal carrier of many feed additives because salt is needed by all animals on a daily basis.
Anthelmintics (de-worming agents) may be added to salt. Salt is a convenient means of supplying an anthelmintic for parasite control.
Ionophores such as monensin and lasalocid can be added to salt, primarily for cattle and sheep under pasture conditions. Similarly, antibiotics such as oxytetracycline have been mixed with salt and self-fed (183). This use is most common in a grazing situation. Salt-drug combinations should be fed only if the product is purchased through a feed company or prescribed by a veterinarian.
Vitamins A and D are frequently added to salt. In some cases other vitamins are added, particularly with salt or salt-mineral mixtures for horses, swine or poultry. When vitamins and trace mineralized salts are fed together the mixture should be kept dry to prevent some of the trace minerals from catalyzing the breakdown of the vitamins.
Magnesium in salt or salt-mineral mixtures for grass tetany is being used with increasing frequency.
Sulfur is added to certain salt products. Calcium and phosphorus are added when a complete mineral mixture is desired. Specific amounts of calcium and/or phosphorus can be used, depending on the animal or the feeding program. Salt can be used plain, with added trace minerals or with added macro minerals calcium and/or phosphorus.
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