Welcome back to the American Cattlemen Podcast. Just ahead, we have Kaid Panek with the American Cattlemen Podcast, and he sits down with Chris Schuetze, owner of Tracer Minerals. Drawing on both formal training in chemistry and biology and decades of “school of hard knocks” experience, Chris focuses the conversation on the critical but often overlooked role of mineral nutrition and fetal programming in cattle performance and profitability.
Chris explains chelated minerals in plain terms. Traditional minerals like zinc sulfate or copper sulfate are reacted with a single amino acid to form a new, electrically neutral molecule—a chelate—that can bypass many antagonisms in the gut and be absorbed further down the small intestine as an amino acid. He stresses that the goal is not to replace conventional sulfates but to use both forms together, creating multiple absorption pathways and improving overall mineral status. The result is better fertility, stronger immunity, improved response to treatments, and more efficient energy use.
A major theme is preparation versus crisis management. Chris and Cade emphasize that success in the cow–calf business starts long before calving season. Proper energy, protein, and mineral intake in late gestation directly affect fetal programming, colostrum quality, calf vigor at birth, and the cow’s ability to rebreed. Because milk is relatively poor in key trace minerals, the calf must be well-mineralized in utero to hit the ground with the best chance to thrive.
They also highlight the importance of forage testing to understand deficiencies and antagonisms such as molybdenum or aluminum, which can tie up copper. Regional differences, like selenium variability, further justify tailoring mineral programs. Bulls receive special attention as well; keeping them in good condition and properly mineralized months before turnout is essential for semen quality and breeding success.
Throughout, Chris frames high-quality, chelated mineral programs not as a cost but as an investment. Incremental gains in fertility, feed efficiency, immunity, longevity, and sale-barn appeal of calves can collectively return far more than the few cents per head per day that a good mineral program costs. The episode closes with a strong message about being intentional, continually learning, and focusing on “little things” in nutrition that compound into major improvements over time.
Tracer Minerals with Chris Schuetze
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