Mineral Cobalt For Cattle

Vitamins B complex perform a variety of functions in the body. The major source of vitamins in dairy cattle is green roughages which is a feed ingredient that has a high concentration of slowly degradable fiber. It is general knowledge B vitamins, including folic acid and vitamin B12 can be synthesized by ruminal bacterial.

High quantity production of milk is associated with higher vitamin requirements as it is utilized for higher metabolism and milk production.

Vitamin B12 (also called cobalamin) is produced only by bacteria and archaebacteria if Co supply is adequate. The lack of a trace mineral, cobalt, can result in a vitamin B12 deficiency in cattle. This is because cobalt is a part of the vitamin B12 compound and is essential for rumen bacteria to manufacture this vitamin.

Cobalt is an essential component in microbial synthesis of vitamin B12 in ruminants and it is the central atom of the vitamin B12 molecule. Cobalt deficient in animals will show general symptoms such as poor appetite, reduced performance and reproductive.

One glass (250 ml) of milk can provide more than 1 μg of vitamin B12. Cows’ milk is an ‘excellent source’ of vitamin B12, this is due to one glass of milk (250 ml) provides nearly 50 % of the RDA.
Mineral cobalt for cattle

Colostrum of dairy cattle

Newborn calves are very susceptible to disease. Before they can develop their own immunity they are entirely dependent on the antibodies contained in their mother’s milk.

Colostrum is the name given the milk produced just before and after the calf is born. The first colostrum is very different from most of the milk produced during the lactation.

It contains about twice the solid level of normal milk and the very high level of immunoglobulin.

The greatest difference in colostrum and later milk is the extremely high level of the protein, globulin that contains the antibodies. Its fat content is often, but not always, higher than that of milk.

Of the individual minerals Ca, Na, Mg, P and chloride are higher in colostrum but K is lower.

Claves should have access to 4 L to colostrum within the first six hours of life. They will not need any additional milk for the next 12 to 24 hours.
Colostrum of dairy cattle

Holstein cattle

The Holstein, as it is commonly known today, was originally known as Holstein-Friesian because of its origination in the province of Friesland in the Netherlands and the Holstein region of northern Germany. In Holland, they were bred to make the best use of the grass pastures available.

Holsteins came to the United States in large importations during the 1860s and 1870s.

Some Holsteins possess a recessive gene for red hair color and red and white animals commonly live alongside their black and white counterparts.

The Holstein is a large-framed animal, the mature cow mass varying from 550 to 650 kg. Bulls often exceed 1000kg. Because they are fleshy animals, the Dutch types of Holstein are often classified as dual-purpose animals rather than as dairy cattle.

Their large size is beneficial in reducing the labor requirement per liter of milk produced, as labor input is largely a function of the number of cows on a farm.

Holsteins are known for their ability to produce large quantities of milk that can, in many cases, approach the butterfat and protein content of other major dairy breeds.

The average Holstein cow produces about 18,000 pounds of milk a year with 3.2 percent protein and 3.6 percent butterfat averages.
Holstein cattle