ISSUE FOCUS FEED & ADDITIVE MAGAZINE March 2022 21 liBond crystals dissociate layer by layer, resulting in a gradual and sustained release of trace metal ions in the cow’s duodenum. This strategic release supports the higher bioavailability of hydroxy trace minerals by the animal to support performance. Can the choice of trace mineral support other desirable activity in the rumen? As rumen fermentation improves, the production of volatile fatty acids which serve as an important source of energy increase. A trial including two group of animals compared animals fed sulphate trace minerals to a group receiving IntelliBond. Feeding IntelliBond resulted in an increase of volatile fatty acid production in the rumen of 11%, resulting in an increase in propionate production of 15% compared to animals receiving the control diet. Another trial conducted at Cornell University in New York State found that cows fed hydroxy trace minerals had increased milk production in early lactation compared to cows fed sulphate trace minerals. And from an efficiency perspective, cows fed hydroxy trace minerals reached peak production sooner and produced 3.5 liters more milk at the peak of lactation. The dynamics of lactation persistency in dairy cows indicate that 1 kg of extra milk at peak lactation is equal to 200 kg of extra milk per lactation. Other studies conducted with IntelliBond have shown a significant increase in fat corrected milk. Beyond improving efficiency and the environment, how can strategies to support fiber digestibility support producers’ economics? Feed efficiency is a key driver of dairy farm profitability. By tweaking the diet to improve fibre digestibility – like replacing sulphate trace minerals with hydroxy trace minerals - cows can produce more milk from the same amount of feed. Depending on the milk price, the incremental cost to supplement a cow with IntelliBond throughout her entire production cycle can be earned back within 3 to 4 weeks, resulting in a strong return on investment and a significant improvement of income over feeding costs on the dairy farm. References available upon request Figure 1: Sulphate sources of trace minerals were shown to be significantly more soluble in the rumen of cattle than IntelliBond[1].
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