Open. It is a word no veterinarian enjoys saying during the herd check. While researchers continue to look for ways to improve the outcomes of live births, improving the trace mineral status of the cow may be a promising way to reduce hearing that dreaded word: open.

Chromium has become a useful addition to transition diets. Supplementing with 6 to 8 milligrams per cow daily has been shown to significantly boost dry matter intake, energy efficiency and cow resilience. New data shows that these benefits go beyond fresh cows, supporting chromium supplementation throughout the entire lactation.

While vaccines contribute greatly to a cow’s immune system, there are other aspects of the immune system that should not be forgotten. Ensuring that essential elements such as trace minerals are provided, allows for the cow’s entire immune system to be ready to fight off an invasion, not just relying on the special forces.

At freshening, with milk production and the risk of mastitis, the cow finds herself with the lowest levels of trace minerals to support her immune system. Even with properly balanced trace minerals going into the ration, the cow is unable to absorb them quickly enough to return her mineral stores to the levels needed to support immune function in her system and in the udder.

Unfortunately, cows don’t have a dashboard with gauges to tell us which minerals they are low on. Minerals may be considered when things aren’t going well, but how do we know if minerals aren’t adequate? Liver biopsies allow us to check the actual status of the cow without assuming they are OK simply because minerals were offered in the feed. In that sense, liver biopsies are the gauge to tell us how the cow is doing.