Does breed of cattle affect trace mineral requirements?
A. Yes, breed can have a significant effect. For example, Simmentals and Charolais cattle have a higher copper requirements than Angus because they are less efficient absorbers of copper from the small intestine. Q. Does trace mineral supplementation of diets for yearling colts affect subsequent performance. A. Recent Texas research showed that a complete trace mineral package did increase bone deposition in the yearling. How this affects subsequent performance was not measured. However, soundness of feet and legs is critical for maximum performance and so it could have an indirect effect.
