NCBA: Trace minerals can create big, positive effects in cattle
Zinpro Corporation has focused on the importance and benefits of trace minerals for production
17 August 2022
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Now in its 51st year of business, Zinpro Corporation has focused on the importance and benefits of trace minerals for production and companion animals since its beginning.
This was evident during last February’s Cattle Industry Convention and NCBA Trade Show in Houston. Adam Warren, territory sales representative, shared benefits of feeding trace minerals to cows and calves with Sarah Mikesell of The Cattle Site.
“Zinpro is focused on trace minerals, particularly using manganese, copper and cobalt,” said Warren. “That sounds a little different. Most people don’t think about that type of thing, but that’s our focus. We’ve been in business for 50 years. We celebrated our 50th birthday last year, so we’ve been doing this trace mineral thing for a long time and now we’re here at NCBA.”
Warren noted the company’s global presence in addition to its expertise.
“We’re focusing our message around the cow/calf side of things, on what we can do to enhance lifetime performance of beef herds,” said Warren. “We play a small role in enhancing lifetime performance. For example, one of the things we’re trying to get into customers’ minds is the fact that we can change something really small and have some big effects, such as weaning weights. So, we can see an extra 28 pounds of weaning weight on calves for these producers, which is a big deal.
“It doesn’t happen overnight. Nutrition is going to take a little bit of time to see the impacts of it. But again, on the trace mineral side of things, we’re trying to promote year-round, good supplementation of these crucial nutrients so their cattle can do what they’ve got them out there to do.”
It’s important to start early with calves, but also to ensure cows have access to the right amounts of trace minerals.
“Generational nutrition is something that we talk a lot about,” said Warren. “Again, trying to feed the cow to have some type of positive impact on the calf and the way they perform. We’ve got a lot of really cool research in this area, as well. For example, the 28 pounds we’re talking about here at NCBA is actually a summary of seven different studies we’ve conducted over different parts of the country. We’re seeing some really nice impacts on the way these calves perform and are putting on more beef, which is what we’re selling
“We have a lot of really good reproduction studies that we’ve done and one of the numbers we’re highlighting is, for example, a 20 percent improvement on the female side of things as to how they perform. So, that’s a nice piece of our puzzle, as well,” added Warren.
Fifty-plus years of practical application can’t hurt, either.
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