Therefore, it is useful to calculate TSC for the animals that might have risky behaviors resulting in an exaggerated consumption of a particular diet ingredient. Divide by 1000 for intake of sulfur in grams. Determine the concentration of sulfur in the total mixed ration or individual diet ingredients. Then add the proportionally adjusted sulfur concentrations for all the components. In many areas of the United States surface and deep waters are high in sulfate.
Sulfate salts precipitate where evaporation of high sulfate water occurs.
Water sulfate concentrations can increase as water evaporates in hot weather. Water consumption by cattle is temperature dependent. and increases greatly at high temperatures. Therefore, in hot weather, sulfur intake from water can be elevated due to concurrent increases in water consumption and sulfate concentrations in water. High protein forage such as alfalfa can serve as a source of sulfur, probably as a consequence of the sulfur-containing amino acid content of the protein. It has been shown that rumen microbes incubated ex-vivo can generate H 2 S from added cysteine and methionine.