Jul 19, 20172 min read

TRAC Beef & Sheep Newsletter - Winter 2017

Updated: Jun 1, 2020

Welcome to our Winter Catch Up! A quick note on some things we are seeing in the field at the moment, and some strategies to help combat them.

We're here to help!

GRASS TETANY IN COWS

Unfortunately we are seeing plenty of this in the field this season already, due to low levels of magnesium in pasture as soil temps drop. Things to consider:

Mg is the only mineral that cannot be stored by the animal and needs to be fed everyday.
Mg is absorbed in the rumen, so if fibre levels are low, cows scour and even less Mg is absorbed.
Signs of Grass Tetany include skittish, erratic behaviour, sharp drop in milk production/calf growth rates, dead.
Supplementing with Bovine Boost has been shown to be a cost effective way to reduce losses in production. No molasses, cows will self regulate and only take what they need. Easy.

For assistance in address these issues on your farm, please do not hesitate to visit our website or contacts us directly.

ENERGY REQUIREMENTS

IS YOUR PASTURE MEETING THEM?

For most sheep and cattle producers right now is the time when energy requirements are at their highest for lambing/calving/milk production, right when growth rates of pasture are slowing down. Forage is also typically low in fibre, therefore each kg of feed may not be utilised fully.

Do you see production losses this time of year?
Is your grazing management set for maximum pasture production?
Are your livestock scouring?

Some strategies to improve animal performance through winter:

Offer hay (pasture/cereal will do), for 2 reasons:
take pressure off the pasture to slow down rotation
slow down the digestion so each kg of forage is utilised
Offer some starch in the form of cereal grains

Contact Mark or Owen to discuss the additional benefits of offering starch as a supplement at this time.

WHO IS TPM AND WHAT IS IMPORTANT TO US?

We are experts in Ruminant Productivity

Coaching Agribusinesses to exceed their goals, through leading mineral solutions and result focused tools

TPM not only supply nutrient dense, cost effective loose lick mineral supplements, but also offer a consulting service to:

help determine livestock requirements and ration design for energy, protein, fibre etc for maximum, cost effective animal performance
assist in increasing feed utilisation through grazing strategies and silage conservation techniques
feedlot ration design
summer feeding techniques and strategies
help determine when/where the use of mineral supplementation is appropriate (it's not 365 days a year!)

Please be in contact to discuss how we can assist in propelling your business forward.

Our Consultants