Nutrition 101
minerals
& vitamins
This section is a continuation of the previous section
on wildlife nutrition, where we emphasised the point
of how the rumen environment is affected by seasonal
changes on the available graze or browse. This section
is an overview of the importance of a few important
nutrients essential for optimal rumen function, animal
production and health.
Minerals and
vitamins in game
(general overview)
Mineral requirements and mineral maintenance
The process of ensuring good
body condition, optimal reproduction and horn growth is directly
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related to the optimal supply of
protein from available nitrogen
bound material in forage or of supplemental origin (urea or non-urea
supplements) for meat and milk
production. Animal growth will
only be ensured if the animal has
an optimal supply of energy, protein and skeleton forming material.
Photos by Meldt van der Spuy
Essential
Sub-optimal production, reproduction and growth normally occur if a deficiency or a complete
lack of a particular nutrient, especially minerals, exists.
There are 21 recognised essential minerals needed for normal
bodily functions such as growth,
reproduction, horn growth and
general health of which there are
two groups namely: macro- and
trace- or microelements.
All minerals are necessary in
relatively small amounts and are
critical for all physiological states
– growth, development, immunity,
enzyme functions and cell regulation among others.
Subclinical deficiencies are
normally difficult to diagnose, they
are normally associated with an
Management & production
inexplicable drop in reproduction
efficiency, growth rate or condition
score. This makes the identification
of which mineral is deficient very
difficult.
Macrominerals
Macrominerals are required in
amounts greater than 100 mg/kg or
ppm daily. This group of minerals
includes calcium, phosphorous,
magnesium, sodium, chloride,
potassium and sulphur.
These minerals play important
roles in, among others, growth
(horn, bone and teeth), transmission of nerve impulses and osmotic balance within the cells.
In terms of summer or green
season supplementation, it is
very important that intake of
phosphorous be ensured.
Trace minerals
Trace minerals are required in
amounts smaller than 100 mg/kg
or ppm daily. Trace minerals can
be further divided into essential
and non-essential trace minerals.
Essential trace minerals are minerals used by the animal for production, reproduction and growth.
These are iron, manganese, copper, zinc, selenium, cobalt, iodine,
chromium, nickel, fluorine, molybdenum, vanadium, tin and silicon.
Most macrominerals and trace
minerals are absorbed from the
small intestine. Some are used
in the rumen by the microbes to
further enhance their proliferation
and growth.
Mineral antagonism and
interactions
Some minerals ingested from
water, forage or feed may never
be absorbed by the animal. If
antagonism between minerals
exists in the watery rumen
environment, certain minerals
may antagonise others to such
an extent that they bind other
minerals or to enzymes, possibly
causing death. An example is
when molybdenum and sulphur
combine to form thiomolybdates.
If this condition exists and
there isn't an optimal supply of
copper, the thiomolybdates enter
the animal via the rumen wall
and bind to the enzymes that
normally use copper, causing
thiomolybdate poisoning. This
is often confused with Cu
deficiency.
If high levels of certain
minerals or trace minerals occur
in the lumen of the intestine, the
animal will absorb suboptimal
amounts of certain minerals
or trace minerals. In some
instances, certain minerals will
be absorbed instead of the
correct ones, causing possible
physiological imbalances.
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Management & production
Figure 1: Mineral interaction wheel Mn.
I prefer the use of granular
salt mineral licks, otherwise soft
blocks. For expensive game,
however, the use of hard blocks
may increase the rate of teeth
wear.
Vitamins are required in even
smaller amounts than minerals.
In addition to being vital, vitamins
must enable animals to utilise other nutrients efficiently. Many metabolic processes are initiated and
controlled by specific vitamins
during various stages of life. Important vitamins needed by herbivores are, vitamins A, D, E, K, B12,
thiamine, niacin to name a few.
Minerals, trace mineral and
vitamin supplementation
Game pellets, licks, self-mix feeds
and mineral licks formulated by
recognised game nutritionists will
ensure that the necessary nutrients
such as protein, energy, macro-,
trace minerals and vitamins are
supplied to the animals, in the form
of a supplement if there is enough
available grazing or roughage, or
otherwise as a complete feed.
Currently mineral supplementation of game in camp systems is
largely a salt block placed near
the water or feed bowls. This practice is unadvisable because salt
only supplies salt and whatever
impurities such as heavy metals
and sand that may be in the salt.
This practice has largely stopped
in the cattle and sheep industry. It
is advisable to supply the animals
with a balanced game salt mineral
lick that supplies the necessary
minerals at the time of the year nature cannot give it.
Photos by Quintus Strauss
Vitamins
When to supplement salt mineral
lick
Please remember pellets/selfmixed feeds are formulated to
complement the natural forage
or roughage supplied to the animal daily. A pellet formulated with
a particular minimum intake, will
give the correct amount of digestible protein, energy, macro- and
trace minerals for that particular
animal (species, age, sex and
physiological phase).
When pellet intake drastically
declines, normally seen during
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the rainy season when the animals
chase the fresh green, water-rich,
tasty sprouts, the intake of pellets
or self-mix feed drops significantly. Game tend to either stop eating pellets or self-mix feeds, or eat
significantly less than the required
minimum intake.
The reason why the animals eat
less or stop eating after the rain,
is because the forage quality increases to levels that are unnec-
essary to supply supplemental
protein or energy. Summer grazing after rain is high in protein
and energy as opposed to winter
grazing.
The most limiting nutrients in
summer grazing for high-production game are phosphorous, salt
and other essential trace minerals.
Fenced-in animals cannot source
their own macro- and trace minerals beyond the immediate camp.
Therefore, when fewer pellets
are consumed owing to improved
nutrient quality of natural grazing,
it is advisable to keep an eye on
the intake of the winter supple-
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Management & production
In addition to being vital,
vitamins must enable animals
to utilise other nutrients
efficiently.
mentation. This is to ensure that no
individual animal has the chance
of filling up their bellies with pellets, possibly leading to conditions
such as acidosis and clostridial
toxicosis such as red gut or pulpy
kidney disease (PKD), which have
been diagnosed in sable antelope bulls. Therefore, if and when
the pellet intake drastically drops,
decrease feed accordingly and
supplement a well-balanced salt
mineral lick.
If the situation occurs where
pellets or feed designed to
supply protein, energy and
the necessary minerals, trace minerals
and vitamins at a
predetermined
amount is left over
in the bowls, decrease the amount
of pellets or feed
supplied the next
day accordingly. If
animals receive less than the predetermined amount of pellets or
feed, the animals will also receive
less minerals, trace minerals and
vitamins so it’s advised to supply
the animals with small amounts of
a granular phosphorous lick either
in a bowl nearby or poured over
the remaining pellets at a predetermined amount.
Please remember it is the
owner’s responsibility to ensure
the animals get what nature
cannot supply.
For more information, e-mail
Craig Shepstone: craig.
[email protected].
Boma stress situations and transport
Afrivet, in consultation with Wildlife Nutrition Services and Camelus, have
formulated a stress pack known as Game Min (boma), to be used pre-darting,
or when moving animals from one camp to another, from one farm to another,
for boma and post-boma feeding and while handling of animals. The product
is designed to boost the microfloral environment, ensuring optimal microbe
numbers to assist the animal in digesting the new feed or forage that it will be
eat in the new camp.
The inclusion of electrolytes and sugars will also help to reduce transport
stress, pre- and post-capture game capture myopathy (white muscle disease)
and dehydration, and will allow the animals to start eating faster post-capture,
reducing loss of condition and other rumen disorders. In short, it helps the
animals adapt to new feed or forage when moved or in a boma situation.
This product is comprised of electrolytes, sugars and minerals, and is in a
gel form for easy administration to available water. WR
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