A practical guide for farmers and nutritionists on improving efficiency, health, and profitability

Trace minerals such as copper, zinc and manganese play a critical, yet often underestimated, role in livestock production. Whether you manage a sheep flock, dairy herd, beef operation or goat enterprise, optimal mineral nutrition can significantly influence productivity, animal health and, ultimately, farm profitability.

However, not all mineral sources deliver the same value.

Why trace minerals matter more than you think

Trace minerals are essential for a wide range of physiological functions:

• Growth and feed efficiency.
• Fertility and reproductive performance.
• Immune function and disease resistance.
• Hoof, skin, and structural integrity.

Even marginal deficiencies, which are often difficult to detect in the field, can reduce weight gain, impair fertility, increase susceptibility to disease, and lower overall performance.

For producers, this translates directly into lower revenue per animal.

The hidden limitation of standard mineral sources

In most commercial feeds, trace minerals are supplied as sulphates because they are relatively inexpensive. However, these conventional sources have important limitations:

• They are chemically reactive in the feed.
• They can interact negatively with other nutrients before absorption.
• A portion becomes unavailable (locked up) in the digestive tract.

The result?

Producers may be paying for minerals that animals cannot fully utilise.

For nutritionists, this raises concerns about bioavailability, ration stability and nutrient efficiency.

A smarter approach: Hydroxy trace minerals

Recent advances in mineral technology have introduced hydroxy trace minerals, often described as ‘smart minerals’, which are designed to overcome the limitations of sulphate sources.

These minerals offer several key advantages:

• Higher stability in feed – less interaction with other nutrients.
• Targeted release in the digestive tract – aligning with absorption sites.
• Improved bioavailability – more of the mineral is actually utilised.

The result is more effective mineral nutrition at the same inclusion level.

What this means in practice on the farm

1. Improved feed efficiency

When mineral nutrition is optimised, livestock convert feed into body weight more efficiently.

• Better nutrient utilisation.
• Reduced wastage.
• Improved energy efficiency per kilogram of gain.

In feedlot systems and growing animals, this can significantly reduce the cost per kilogram of production.

2. Enhanced growth and carcass performance

Better mineral availability supports:

• Higher live weights.
• Improved carcass weight and dressing percentage.

Field data has shown measurable improvements in carcass performance when zinc is supplied in hydroxy form rather than from conventional sources.

3. Stronger, more resilient animals

Optimal trace mineral nutrition contributes to:

• Stronger hooves and skin.
• Improved skeletal development.
• Enhanced immune response.

This can lead to fewer health challenges, reduced veterinary intervention and improved long-term productivity.

4. Increased profitability per animal

Ultimately, all improvements in efficiency and performance must translate into financial returns.

In a South African sheep production trial:

• Zinc sulphate supplementation delivered a profit of R127,74 per animal.
• No zinc supplementation delivered a profit of R192,97 per animal.
• Hydroxy zinc delivered a profit of R264,04 per animal.

The highest profit was achieved with the more bioavailable mineral source.

Why this matters especially in challenging production environments

Production conditions in regions such as Southern and Sub-Saharan Africa often present additional challenges, including:

• Variable pasture quality.
• Seasonal feed fluctuations.
• Heat stress and environmental pressure.
• Rising feed costs.

Under these conditions, nutrient efficiency becomes critical.

Smart mineral solutions help ensure that every kilogram of feed delivers the greatest possible return – an increasingly important factor in protecting margins.

Where smart minerals deliver the most impact

Hydroxy trace minerals can be particularly beneficial in:

• Growing lambs, kids, and feedlot cattle, where efficiency drives profitability.
• High-producing dairy herds, where nutrient demand is elevated.
• Periods of stress (heat, transport, disease challenge), when mineral requirements increase.

Key take-home message

Optimising trace mineral nutrition is not only about meeting minimum requirements; it is about maximising biological efficiency and economic return.

Smarter minerals deliver:

• Improved absorption.
• Better animal performance.
• Higher profitability.

Simply put, more efficient animals generate greater profit per animal.

Practical consideration for nutritionists and producers

When formulating or selecting feed programmes, the focus should be not only on mineral inclusion levels, but also on mineral form and availability.

Although more bioavailable trace minerals may carry a slightly higher upfront cost, the return on investment can be realised through:

• Improved productivity.
• Reduced nutrient losses.
• Enhanced consistency in performance.