Mineral range provides free supplements to dairy and suckler cows

Grassland Agro supply a unique, high-performance mineral block solution combined with a digestive aid called Calseagrit Iotech.

The Mineral Block range is proving to be an increasingly popular method of providing free access mineral supplements to dairy and suckler cows in Ireland.

Interestingly, this mineral block range are the only free access mineral supplements to combine sodium base self-regulation with the benefits of Calseagrit Iotech digestive aid technology, therefore maximising the utilisation of minerals supplemented to cattle.

Calseagrit Iotech?

Calseagrit is the result of the milling of calcified seaweed to form a powder substance. It is:

A 100% natural product;
Rich in highly absorbable calcium and magnesium;
Naturally rich in trace elements;
High rumen buffering power;
Highly absorbable.

Iotech is a brown seaweed extract which is:

A 100% natural product;
Rich in energy and protein;
Nutritional support for rumen bacteria.

Benefits of Calseagrit Iotech:

100% natural and 100% exclusive;
Supply of highly available minerals and trace elements required for production, health and fertility;
Two seaweed extracts work on rumen function to deliver;
- Favourable pH for bacteria activity
- Supply Energy for favourable bacteria activity

Better digestion of forage in the diet;
Prevention of ruminal acidosis.

What is sodium base?

Sodium is the only mineral element for which ruminants have a specific appetite;
Ruminants regulate themselves for specific sodium consumption;
Sodium is an essential element for production.

Benefits of sodium base

Favourable for forage digestion and animal production;
Stimulates licking and salivation;
Production of a rumen buffer;
Recycling of properties such as urea and phosphorus;
Creates stress relief for animals;
Automatic mineral consumption according to animal requirements.

Grass tetany/staggers

Hypomagnesemia is the technical term and it is characterised by a subnormal level of magnesium in the blood. It is generally associated with grazing.

Typical symptoms are reduced milk yield (up to 15% loss of production), nervousness and muscular tremors.

In the acute form, the cow staggers around, froths at the mouth, collapses and dies.

How do cows develop staggers?

The primary cause is a nutritional deficiency of magnesium which is affected by the intake of dry matter (DM), magnesium content and the availability of the magnesium in the DM.

These three factors can be low under certain combinations of grassland management and environmental conditions.

Cattle must have a regular supply of magnesium as bodily storage is low.

When are cows most at risk?

In early spring when cows are put back onto pasture the grass often has a low DM content and is likely to be low in magnesium and other nutrients.

In addition to ‘poor quality’ grass, stress factors such as cold, wet weather, lack of shelter, rough handling and being in season add to this.

Reducing the risk of staggers

Applications of potash fertilisers and slurry rich in urine lower the magnesium content of grass.

Therefore, applications of potash fertilisers should be delayed until late spring/summer. Late applications of slurry should only be applied to fields for grazing in late spring or cropping.

Supply Spadea Fix’N or magnesium to stock two weeks before turning them out to pasture. Ensure the supply is available to dairy cows for ten to twelve weeks.

Beef and suckler cows should have product available for the entire grazing period.

Milk fever

Hypocalcaemia is an acute lowering of the calcium level of the blood serum. This problem is most common post-calving; however, it can occur a few days prior to calving.

With the onset of low blood calcium levels after calving, the earliest signs of milk fever are muscular spasms and partial paralysis, and chronic symptoms which present themselves as paralysis; unconsciousness; and death.

How do cows develop milk fever?

At calving, the demand for calcium to support milk production rises very sharply. At the same time, due to reduced appetite, it is very difficult to meet these needs by dietary supplementation.

Therefore, the cow needs to be able to mobilise her reserves from her skeleton.

If, prior to calving, an oversupply of calcium has been offered the parathyroid glands (which control the mobilisation of calcium) can ‘switch off’. This means that when the cow needs to mobilise calcium from the body reserves, she is unable to do so.

Dry cow solutions

Providing the cow with the correct nutritional support during the dry period is the easiest and cheapest way to reduce the risk of milk fever.

It is essential to provide a low level of calcium to the cow prior to calving as this ensures the parathyroid gland continues to function correctly.

In addition to this, it is important to supply phosphorous and magnesium, which are necessary to support milk production, reduce stress and allow for easier calving.

Calcium borogluconate can be administered intravenously to restore calcium levels, but this means having the product and correct tools at hand.

Dry cow management utilising Luneo Precalver is the long-term, dry cow solution.

Importance of minerals at grass

The grazing period is a time when the dairy farmer should be looking forward to his lowest cost milk production as energy and protein-rich grass should mean lower feed costs.

However, incorrect mineral balance at this time can have a negative effect on yield and fertility as well as the overall health status of the herd.

Problems associated with grazing

Offering powder minerals outside is impractical. Molasses buckets are often over consumed by cows for the sweet taste and some cows are ‘bullied’ away also.

Traditional salt licks have a high-sodium and low-mineral content and therefore rarely meet the needs of the high-producing dairy cow.

When grass is lush it can be difficult to get cows to take any form of mineral and sometimes dairy cake can be rejected as well.

The mineral solution at grazing includes: