Macro-minerals and Their Significance in Dairy Animal Health: a Review

Author(s)	Dr Ather Hussain Hussain
Country	India
Abstract	Macro-minerals are indispensable nutrients required in relatively large quantities for maintaining the health, productivity, and reproductive efficiency of dairy animals. The principal macro-minerals—calcium (Ca), phosphorus (P), magnesium (Mg), sodium (Na), potassium (K), chloride (Cl), and sulfur (S)—play fundamental roles in skeletal development, muscle contraction, nerve transmission, enzyme activation, acid–base balance, osmotic regulation, rumen microbial activity, and milk synthesis. Deficiency or imbalance of these minerals can lead to metabolic disorders, reduced milk yield, impaired fertility, weakened immunity, and economic losses. This review summarizes the physiological functions, dietary requirements, feed sources, deficiency disorders, and interactions of macro-minerals in dairy animals. It also discusses recent advances in mineral supplementation, including precision nutrition, dietary cation–anion difference (DCAD) management, and area-specific mineral mixtures. Proper macro-mineral nutrition is essential for improving animal health, reproductive efficiency, milk production, and the sustainability of dairy farming.
Keywords	Macro-minerals, dairy animals, calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, mineral nutrition, milk production, reproductive performance, animal health.
Field	Biology > Zoology
Published In	Volume 7, Issue 4, July-August 2026
Published On	2026-07-04

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