Overview: mineral elements and their role in animal nutrition

Abstract

The intensification of livestock farming is aimed at a comprehensive increase in the production of milk, meat, wool, and other products by increasing the productivity of livestock and poultry and obtaining the maximum amount of product per unit of feed consumed with the lowest possible labor and cost. One of the main ways to increase animal productivity is through proper feeding. An imbalance in the rations in terms of essential and biologically active substances leads to metabolic disorders, a decrease in natural immunity, and diseases of the reproductive system, negatively affecting economic efficiency. The current use of industrial technologies for harvesting roughage and juicy feed is often violated, which leads to a decrease in its quality and high demand for protein, vitamins, and trace elements; in this regard, it is necessary to improve existing and look for new methods of production, evaluation, and use of feed and feed additives. Minerals ingested with water and feed play an essential role in animal nutrition. Quite often, both an excess of some and a lack of other trace elements are detected, which leads to a decrease in animal productivity and a deterioration in the quality of the products obtained from them. The lack of mineral elements can cause significant economic losses to livestock enterprises due to the massive occurrence of animal diseases and metabolic disorders, especially in the winter and spring. Trace elements play an essential role in animal nutrition, as they considerably impact the body's defenses, hematopoiesis, endocrine glands, and digestive tract microflora, participate in protein biosynthesis, and regulate metabolism. The extent to which minerals are used in the diet depends not only on their quantity and appropriate ratio but also, to a large extent, on the level of the organic part of the diet (proteins, fats, carbohydrates) and vitamins. It has been proven that the additional introduction of deficient trace elements into the diet of animals increases their levels in the body, primarily in the liver. Thus, when determining the need for mineral elements in animals, their ratio to other biologically active substances should be considered based on balanced feeding. However, it should be noted that the level of absorption of trace elements by animals largely depends on the form of their compounds.