Sulfate reduction and why it’s important for dairy

FeedChat podcast Zana van Dijk, Deputy Editor Dairy Global at Misset Uitgeverij, and Kevin Perryman, Business Development Manager Trouw Nutrtion Feed Additives, discuss sulfate reduction and why this is an important topic for dairy farmers.

The conversation focuses on four concerns associated with sulfate trace minerals in the dairy ration:

• Essential nutrient instability: Sulfates’ reactive nature can be detrimental to Vitamins E, D and A, while also tying up expensive minerals like phytate phosphorous
• Impact on rumen function – while sulfates’ effects when used in footbaths are helpful, their oxidative properties can cause more harm than good inside the animal. Data shows about 3 points of NDFd is lost when zinc and coper sulfate trace minerals are included in the ration.
• In economic terms, the cost of using sulfate trace minerals in the ration comes out to about 30 euro cents per cow per day.
• Higher levels of minerals excreted into the environment represent another concern with sulfates

Research suggests replacing sulfates with organic trace minerals; a blend of organic and hydroxy trace chloride; or hydroxy trace chloride minerals is a sound nutrition resolution to make in 2020.

You can listen to the podcast here:

https://soundcloud.com/user-588379556-79374034/feedchats01e03v1-mixdown2