Is the juice worth the squeeze? This question gets asked often amongst the Cargill technical team. Although the context of this question may vary depending on what topic is in discussion, the point is always the same. Is the return worth the investment? When it comes to supplemental cow nutrition, different strategies can have different impacts depending on a multitude of different environmental and economic factors that change on a year-to-year basis. One thing that should remain constant in a cow’s nutrition program is mineral. When the dust settles and paychecks are taken to the bank, cow/calf producers get paid according to the pounds of beef they bring to market. The easiest way to maximize the pounds you bring to market is to maximize the number of calves being born and raised to weaning every year. Mineral may not have a large time allotment put towards day-to-day operations, but aside from having available water and forages, it can be the most impactful part of a cow’s daily nutrition plan.

The ROI

Loose mineral should be provided to cows year-round, but they are especially important during breeding season. A cow’s environment can be rich in minerals, but research is clear that providing additional minerals such as copper, zinc, and magnesium enhances pregnancy rates at a minimal cost. A $30 bag of loose mineral breaks down to a cost of just $0.15 per serving. Even though it may sound like an early 2000’s television commercial, there is truth when someone tells you that for $0.15 a day, you can improve your ranch’s profitability. Returns on investments from feeding mineral are found in differences in pregnancy rates among herds. Cows fed mineral don’t magically become pregnant, but they are more likely to cycle regularly barring any other nutrition or health issues. This starts a domino effect of having more cows bred, more calves born and weaned, and finally more pounds of beef sold. Aside from simply having more calves born and weaned, literature is clear that calves from dams that were fed mineral prior to and throughout pregnancy experience less sickness and gain more weight throughout their entire lives.

See the Benefits

In summary, providing a loose mineral to cows year-round is a worth-while endeavor. Providing mineral during breeding season is all but imperative, however. If a producer is able to increase their pregnancy rate within their cow herd by just 10%, the investment of mineral more than pays for itself. On top of this, secondary benefits such as larger, healthier calves, and healthier cows make this decision a no brainer. Mineral during breeding season is not a silver bullet to all a cow’s problems, but it is easily one of the best tools we can keep on our management tool belt.