Ksmit 454, thanks for starting this thread and good for you for wanting to know more in that you called your rep with questions. The industry needs more like you, because when a producer comes in to buy mineral, they appreciate someone who can answer questions and give them a feeling of confidence in what they are buying. I can't stress the importance of this.
I will try to tell you what I have learned about mineral. in 27+years. All mineral is not created equal.
1.) Look at the tag and if you see 'processed grain by-products' that is not a good mineral. You are paying for grain. Sure, it most likely will be cheaper, but not always. And bottom line, it's not as effective, doesn't hold up well in the elements, either.
2). Particle size is important. That's what keeps mineral from bonding together in the elements.
Coarse mineral will clump, like concrete, or even set up in your mineral feeder. I have a problem with Wind and Rain mineral in that it is coated with something so that it stands up to the elements. So, if it stands up to moisture in the feeder, how much of it is available to the cow, since the cows internal system uses moisture to break the mineral down. Availability is everything.
3). Do not doubt that mineral does a LOT of good. It balances your feed/forage so that cattle are getting what is missing in their diet. A good mineral salesman/woman will have forage analysis of what is needed in your area. When things are balanced cattle perform better; that has been proven.
4.)Buy from a company who spends their research on mineral. Lots of FEED companies are now making mineral, but that's not their primary concern. IMO.
5.)Find someone who offers tech support. Don't just go into a store and buy what they have on the shelf.
6). Be on a year round mineral program. You can't feed it, then not feed it. The cattle will overeat the mineral for awhile, trying to get their copper stores up in their liver. So if you feed mineral for 6 months, they will overeat it for a time. You can feed mineral year-round or feed it for 6 months and the cattle will consume about the same amount of mineral for the year. So why not keep it out. Calves eat the mineral; the yeast in it helps them break down their feed and they will gain more weight. A year round mineral program has lots of benefits. Heavier calves, better breed back, better herd health are three of the biggest benefits.
7.) Quality and Quantity of forage dictates mineral consumption. You can use mineral consumption as a management tool. The cows won't lie to you. If they are hitting the mineral hard and you move them to a fresh pasture, you will find they back off the mineral. Happens every time.
8.)Feed LOOSE mineral, not a mineral block because cattle will get tired of licking (same with salt) and walk away before their mineral requirements have been met.
9,) There is some strategy to feeding loose mineral as efficiently as possible, for instance where to place the tubs, how many tubs to put out; a good mineral representative will help you with that. Don't feel like you are on your own with no one to answer your questions. I understand that feeling. We were there for years.
10.)There are many additives to loose mineral which will make your life easier. Bio-Moss; IGR; Garlic; BovaTech; Rumensin; CTC to name a few. Even deworming with mineral with SafeGuard will allow you to deworm at strategic times so you don't have to gather the cattle. It works WONDERFULLY and will help clean up your pastures.
11.) Don't just look at the analysis on the bag of mineral, look at the INGREDIENTS. Do you see yeast culture; do you see Vit E? There are things to look for and hopefully the clerk in the store can answer your questions.
12.)Consider mineral an investment, not just a cost. Your cattle will stay in the herd longer and that's very important. Even the heifers you retain when their mothers were on mineral, will pay you dividends over the years.
This was information in a nutshell. I wrote this in a hurry so feel free to ask questions and I'll do my best to answer them. Feeding free-choice mineral can make you pull your hair out. They eat mineral in peaks and valleys, but if you keep track, at the end of the year you will find they will pretty much eat the requirement--3 to 4 oz per head per day.
Also, with chelates, only about 30% of zinc and copper are chelated. I have sold mineral for 27 years and the only time I have sold chelated mineral is to a veterinarian who was doing embryo transplants and did not have his cattle on a year-round mineral program. The cost is quite a bit more and with our mineral, we haven't seen a need for it.
I hope this helps!