BISON PRODUCERS OF ALBERTA CANADIAN BISON ASSOCIATION ANNUAL CONVENTION NOV Regina Saskatchewan

Minerals Meeting Bison’s Needs Roy Lewis DVM 1981 WCVM Partner 6 Vet mixed practice Westlock Alberta Interests Large animal reproduction and herd health 10% Practice involves bison elk camelids Own 30 bison cows Written numerous articles bison and cattle.

Why Minerals ??? Needed for Muscle growth Bone Growth Reproduction (Phos) Immune status Enzyme Function Blood Formation Check mineral status best on Liver slaughter samples Mineral deficiencies occur in 75-95% of feeds grown in Alberta

If Bison Not Fed Minerals Decreased Growth Reproductive Rates decline Poorer Immune Response More Prone to Disease and Parasites Deficiencies slow to develop Specific Mineral Deficiencies I have personally seen Iodine def Copper Deficiency Selenium Def Vitamin A Deficiencies slow to correct once minerals added

Signs of a worm burden Initially no clinical signs Poor growth rough hair coat Diarrhea & wt loss (protein loss) Part of the herd affected Lungworms weight loss (coughing) Lack of appetite Death Very little at gross postmortem

Requirements of Minerals for Bison Nutritionists Use N.R.C. reqts for cattle Not specifically done for bison yet Since Bison and cattle interbreed reqts will be very similar. Based on weight reqts Based on feed at season of year Critical to breeding age animals Critical to those undergoing rapid growth.

Calculating Amount Required Nutritionists calculate on NRC assuming nothing in the feed 1 bag = 25kg 40 gms per mature bison daily 25000gms/ 40gms = 625 bison days Minerals and vitamins in the feed is the buffer zone Different Minerals Formulated for Bison

How to feed minerals Blue salt is not minerals it is CO I salt Loose minerals generally has approx 45% salt In feedlot can be mixed in the ration Free choice in feeders (need to be strong enough) Top Dressed in Grain Keep in front of them all the time. I have never seen bison overeating minerals I also keep Co I (blue) salt blocks out ??? Monitor uptake may need to change brands???

Free Ranging Bison Study 1990 WBNP most essential minerals were within normal cattle range Levels lower in free ranging versus farmed Exception was selenium (low in big area in western Canada) Most plant species low in selenium. Bison are the most indiscriminant eaters this is in our favor Bison select their range.

Copper Deficiency Poor Hair Coat Enlargement of the Epiphysis (growth plates near the joints) Chronic Diarrhea Poor Growth & Repro Performance Primary or Secondary (Mo and Sulphates) Have feed tested cattle (8-10 ppm per feed) Dr. Murray Woodbury Smoke Signals Feb 2006

Other Topics Pour On Deworming Study Water Hemlock Other Research Projects Malignant Catarrhal Fever (MCF)