Abstract: A micronutrient supplement which is made by reacting a metal oxide, or metal hydroxide, or metal carbonate of an essential mineral and an acid and/or a metal salt of an essential mineral containing a digestible binder to form a slurry of micronutrient crystals and a digestible binder and forming agglomerated particles of the micronutrient crystals from the slurry. The agglomerated particles provide a non-dusting, free-flowing micronutrient supplement that can be produced with desired particle sizes and densities so as to be easily mixed with a variety of feed mixtures. The digestible binder in the agglomerated particles reduces the opportunity for interactions between the micronutrient crystals and other ingredients that can be present in complex feed mixtures while allowing release of the micronutrients in an animal's digestive system.

Abstract: In general, this invention relates to a micronutrient supplement that can be used in food or in animal feeds and to a method of enhancing the growth of animals using the micronutrient. The micronutrient supplement includes a basic salt of an essential metal. The essential metal can be formulated as a pharmaceutically acceptable basic salt that includes a divalent or trivalent cation of an essential metal, a pharmaceutically acceptable anion and a hydroxyl moiety. Representative essential metals for use in this invention include: Magnesium, calcium, iron, manganese, zinc, copper, cobalt, iron and chromium. When provided as a metal salt, the essential metal is highly bioavailable to enhance the survivability, growth, health and/or reproductivity of animals. The micronutrient supplement can be administered to animals either as a single supplement or admixed with other nutrients or feeds.