12. The Mineral Requirements of Dairy Cattle

Abstract

The most important fact brought out by a review of the present position of our knowledge of mineral metabolism and the mineral requirements in the dairy cow is, that, in spite of the amount of work which has been done on the subject, our information is exceedingly scanty. We know that deficiency of calcium or phosphorus may affect rate of growth, milk yield, breeding capacity, and in all probability susceptibility to certain diseases. We know also that even on what are counted good rations, depletion of the tissues, especially of calcium, in heavy milking cows during lactation is common. In some districts deficiency of iodine causes pathological conditions, and it is common knowledge based on practical observations that even on pasture there is liable to be a deficiency of chlorine. With regard to the possibility of deficiencies of other mineral elements and the effect of such deficiencies on the health and milk production of cows, we have not yet even begun to accumulate knowledge. It is thus impossible to make a final pronouncement with regard to any of the main problems. We need many more data on the metabolism of minerals in the lactating animal and on feeding experiments of long duration with rations of different mineral content. Such information as we have, however, suggests that the subject is one of great potential practical importance, and that if the necessary information were available it might be applied to the more economical production of milk, both by increasing milk yield and by reducing mortality from disease.With regard to the information we do possess, much of it is not immediately applicable in practice because the data have been accumulated with diets and under conditions which have no parallel in practice. The following conclusions sum up in a general way the practical bearing of our present knowledge.