Dr. Mary Drewnoski: Micronutrients in Beef Nutrition | Ep. 07

The combination of high costs for pasture and drought conditions in Nebraska have led producers to bring cows into confinement, at least during a certain period of the year. However, that kind of management has some consequences, such as micronutrient deficiencies and disorders – observed as vitamin A clinical and subclinical signs, grass tetany, and nitrate toxicity. In this episode, Dr. Mary Drewnoski explains some of the most recent research conducted on what producers have been observing on their farms. The importance of dam nutrition in late gestation for providing sufficient amounts of vitamin A to calves, recommendations of bunk space and creep feeding area for calves, antagonisms of micronutrients in coproducts and alfalfa hay, and nitrate threshold are some of the topics that are mentioned in this episode – in other words, lots of answers to practical questions.

“I kind of want to do what those extension agents are doing – I just love the fact that they have the opportunity to learn all of these things and then share their knowledge to help producers and others.” – Dr. Mary Drewnoski

What you’ll learn:

• Highlight (00:00)
• Introduction (0:35)
• The invited speaker’s background (2:45)
• Vitamin A deficiency (12:15)
• Research conducted on vitamin A deficiency (17:47)
• Important findings and conclusions of the research (20:28)
• Symptoms of vitamin A deficiency in calves (24:14)
• How drought affects vitamin A levels – important considerations (25:40)
• Diet or injections to correct vitamin A deficiencies? (27:57)
• Confinement in Nebraska and consequences for the cows (32:02)
• Antagonistic pressure of high sulfur coproducts (37:53)
• Nitrate toxicity (42:59)
• Vitamin A final conclusions (52:42)
• Final questions (56:50)

Meet the guest: Dr. Mary Drewnoski

Experience:

• Current: Ruminant Nutritionist and Beef Extension Specialist (University of Nebraska-Lincoln)

Background:

• Postdoctoral Researcher (Iowa State University)
• Ph.D., Animal Science (North Carolina State University)
• M.Sc., Animal Science (North Carolina State University)
• B.S., Ag and Natural Resources (Berea College)

Connect with the guest on Social Media: LinkedIn

𝗟𝗶𝘀𝘁𝗲𝗻 𝗼𝗻 𝗔𝗽𝗽𝗹𝗲 𝗣𝗼𝗱𝗰𝗮𝘀𝘁𝘀, 𝗦𝗽𝗼𝘁𝗶𝗳𝘆 𝗼𝗿 𝗮𝗻𝘆 𝗺𝗮𝗷𝗼𝗿 𝗽𝗹𝗮𝘁𝗳𝗼𝗿𝗺.