Book excerpt: In this issue of Veterinary Clinics of North America: Food Animal Practice, guest editors Drs. Robert J. Van Saun and William S. Swecker, Jr. bring their considerable expertise to the topic of Vitamins and Trace Minerals in Ruminants. Optimal nutrition with adequate trace mineral levels guarantees proper function and nutrition of the animal, but purity and effectiveness are important concerns. In this issue, top experts in the field review trace mineral function, requirements, and content of common feeds, as well as specific diet challenges for ruminants and cattle. - Contains 13 relevant, practice-oriented topics including evaluation of mineral sources; confinement dairy; vitamin supplementation; common toxicosis; maternal-fetal transfer of trace minerals and fetal programming; and more. - Provides in-depth clinical reviews on vitamins and trace minerals in ruminants, offering actionable insights for clinical practice. - Presents the latest information on this timely, focused topic under the leadership of experienced editors in the field. Authors synthesize and distill the latest research and practice guidelines to create clinically significant, topic-based reviews.