![]() ![]() The question is: do they contain enough to meet your sheep’s requirements? The only way to know for sure is to find out what is in the feeds (by feed sampling and testing), and then balance rations for each stage of production. Most feeds contain a wide variety of these minerals. ![]() Does that mean you have to provide supplemental sources of these minerals to your sheep? Not necessarily. So these minerals are ‘essential’ and needed in sheep diets. The table below shows the major and trace minerals required in specific amounts in all sheep diets. For example: grass hay may contain copper in the amount of 5 mg/kg (or ppm), and a trace-mineralized salt may contain 250 mg/kg. Trace minerals are measured or required and reported in milligrams per kg (mg/kg), parts per million (ppm) or parts per billion (ppb). For example: alfalfa hay may contain calcium in the amount of 1.6% of the dry matter, and a mineral supplement may contain 16% calcium. Major minerals are those that are measured in feedstuffs and reported in requirement tables as percentages (parts per hundred). Minerals fit into two classes: major (or macro) minerals and trace (or micro) minerals. Let’s start by reviewing what minerals are. Are they needed? Do they do a good job of providing essential nutrients to sheep? Are they cost effective? I am often asked about using free-choice loose and block minerals. ![]() (Previously published in Sheep Canada Magazine: May 6, 2014) Eating healthy foods like the ones listed above the best way to ensure your body gets the large quantities of macro minerals it needs.Dale Engstrom, M.Sc., P.Ag, Alberta, Canada Minerals have a place right alongside vitamins in the quest for proper nutrition. If you eat a low salt died, consult with your doctor to be sure you are receiving enough of these minerals. However, since these minerals are carried into the body through salt, the average American diet is seldom lacking in them. The RDA of 4700 mg can be found in many foods such as bananas, orange juice, potatoes and fish.Ĭhloride and Sodium are also considered important macro minerals. It allows energy and electricity to be transferred properly between cells, which in turn ensures healthy cell membranes, nerve impulses and heart rhythm. Potassium does more than just prevent muscle cramps. Magnesium is also present in nuts, soybeans and coco. A good place to get it is through green leafy vegetables such as kale or spinach. You should intake 350mg a day of magnesium. It is necessary to bone health, as well as a healthy thyroid. Magnesium is essential to over 300 biochemical reactions in the body, and is a co-enzyme in over 80 percent of the body's enzymes. Dairy, beef, chicken and even cola beverages have a high phosphorus content. Foods high in phosphorus are usually also high in protein. It also is essential to kidney and liver function. Without phosphorous, your body can't turn food into energy and strength. Phosphorus is needed for bone and tooth health just like calcium, but it is also a vital part of metabolizing energy. The USRDA for phosphorus is around 800mg. Nuts, tofu, shellfish, eggs and wheat are all also viable sources of calcium. The best way to consume the recommended 400-1000mg a day is through low fat dairy products. Calcium deficiencies are responsible for a range of diseases and conditions, commonly including osteoporosis, hypertension and tooth decay. It is responsible for bone development and maintenance, as well as blood clotting and heartbeat regulation. Perhaps one of the most familiar macro minerals, calcium is also one of the most necessary. Macro minerals are key to the success of almost every aspect of your health. Macro minerals include familiar names like calcium, potassium, sodium and magnesium, all of which you need in large dosages. It needs trace minerals, which are so called because you only need a small amount, and it needs macro minerals. Your body needs many different kinds of minerals to stay healthy. ![]()
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