Larry L. Berger, Ph.D.
Salt Institute
Salt and Trace Minerals newsletter
Summer 2007 (Vol. 39, No. 3)
The vast majority of beef calves are born in the spring and sold in the fall as feeder calves. The process of weaning, shipping, and adjustment to a feed­lot environment exposes the calves to numerous stressors. This stress often reduces feed and water intakes and increases their susceptibility to respira­tory tract and other infec­tious disease. Zinc, copper, selenium and to lesser extents manganese and cobalt have been shown to play an important role in maximizing the immune response of cattle.