Mineral basics: read the species and the units

Read the species and directions on a mineral label before comparing its numbers. A concentration in the product is different from the amount an animal consumes each day. List the forage, compound feed and supplements with their daily amounts, then use HerdMobile to calculate the ration and check its mineral balance for your animal group.

Edited by Ender Soyuince · About our content

2026-10-21

Compiled from open-access scientific sources.

Why is the species the first check?

Choose mineral products for the target species, using the current label and the complete feeding plan. Check the current package rather than a remembered brand name. Keep products in clearly identified containers and preserve the original label and lot details. If someone else feeds the animals, show them which product belongs to which group. The Merck sheep reference explains sheep’s sensitivity to excess copper and how minerals interact in the complete diet. Choose a product labelled for sheep, follow its mixing directions and include all feeds and supplements in the ration calculation.

What do the units actually tell you?

A percentage and a value in milligrams per kilogram are different expressions of concentration. Neither is automatically a daily intake. You also need to know the amount consumed and whether the concentration refers to dry matter, the product as offered or an added supplement quantity. Read the label’s basis before combining figures from different sources. Ask the supplier to confirm the unit and composition basis when the label is unclear. When a new feed lot arrives, keep its label and analysis with the purchase details. Enter the current nutrient values in your HerdMobile feed record so the next ration uses the feed you have.

How do you track the daily mineral plan?

List all feeds and supplements, including the mineral product. Keep measured amounts, current forage analyses and the product directions together. Record changes in source, product or delivery and note when they started. Weigh the feed used at this feeding and add the amount to your dated feed-use record. Select the animal species in HerdMobile and check the mineral warnings alongside the complete ration. If animals have consumed a product intended for another species, prevent further access and contact the veterinarian promptly with the label and feeding notes. Record the product name, lot and quantities used, with the date. These details help the veterinarian identify the feed involved and the animals that had access to it.

Questions from the farm

Which details should I read on a mineral label?

Start with the animal species, product name, concentration units and mixing directions. Keep a copy with the purchase and feeding records.

How do I bring different mineral sources together?

List the feeds and supplements actually used, their amounts and each source’s analytical basis. Review their contributions within the complete diet.

How does HerdMobile help organise product changes?

Save the product name, lot, amount used and start date with the feed notes. In HerdMobile, follow the daily quantities and dated changes alongside the ration you calculated.

How HerdMobile helps

Bring your animals, feed stocks and farm accounts together on your Android phone. HerdMobile keeps your daily work moving offline: record events, compare feed quantities and follow sales and payments in one place. Use your own feeds and herd information to prepare a ration, then keep a backup file under your control.

See how many kilos of each feed to give — Keep the day’s work in view: open your animal records, plan feeding, follow farm accounts and manage your backup in HerdMobile.

Sources

Merck Veterinary Manual — Nutritional requirements of sheep