Cowdemy RumenFIG. 09Applied11 min

Reading minerals

Read ash, macro- and trace-mineral units, daily intake, availability, interactions, and DCAD without turning one feed result into a ration verdict.

Spot it

MeaningSoil contamination may be contributing to both results.
Next checkReview harvest conditions, sample contamination, water iron, and a repeat sample.

Field notes on this focus

Note 01Ash is not a mineral panelAsh measures total inorganic residue; it cannot tell whether calcium, potassium, or soil contamination caused the result.4 min · 2026-09-17

Sources

Nutrient Requirements of Dairy Cattle, 8th revised edition — NASEM (2021)
Understanding and Using a Feed Analysis Report — University of Nebraska–Lincoln Extension
Understanding your forage test results — Oregon State University Extension
Forage Laboratory Analytical Procedures — Dairy One Forage Laboratory

Plate credit

Stomach figure adapted from the public-domain 1905 plate Interior of a cow (The Household Physician; Wikimedia Commons) and standard ruminant-stomach teaching figures. Educational only.

Not a veterinary diagnosis, prescription, or ration formula.