THIS PROMOTIONAL FEATURE WAS PROVIDED BY SEALESWINSLOW
As South Island farmers head into winter grazing, supplementing dairy herds with the right minerals is critical because even bumper winter crops can still be nutritionally deficient, says a ruminant nutrition expert.
Fodder Beet has become a popular winter crop for dairy farmers across the South Island from Canterbury to Southland, but even a bumper crop can be low in protein and phosphorus, says Paul Drew, SealesWinslow Technical and Quality Manager.
“Fodder beet is a great high- yielding crop and in a good year it’s possible to grow more than 30 tonnes of dry matter per hectare. It’s relatively high in sugars and has a good level of metabolisable energy. However, it’s low in protein and low in phosphorus, so farmers need to consider how they compensate for those two factors,” says Paul.
Phosphorus is important in bone formation and maintenance, as well as many other metabolic functions such as energy metabolism. Deficiencies can lead to production problems, pica, and poor appetite. Serious deficiencies can impact reproduction post-calving and infertility.
For young stock, a phosphorus deficiency can set up long-term problems, such as poor skeletal development and weak bones. This is because adequate phosphorus is essential for the proper development of the skeleton and is stored in bones along with calcium in a ratio of 2:1 (calcium:phosphorous).
“For cows or young stock overwintered on fodder beet, even with a good a crop, they can suffer a phosphorus deficiency that can lead to long-term issues such as lameness and reproductive failure,” says Paul.
Where cows are wintered on fodder beet for up to 100 days, phosphorous deficiency will often manifest itself at calving or early lactation. “Creeper cows are typical of phosphorous deficiency, where the cow goes down but is alert, a difference to cows that go down due to typical milk fever.”
The difficulties of supplementing phosphorous over winter can be overcome with the use of a simple solution such as lick-blocks, says Paul.
“Often the effects are not obvious, but in serious cases cows will go down and sometimes they don’t recover.”
A high-protein supplement and dusting crops with Phosphorus are two options farmers often use, but lick-blocks now offer a simple solution, says Paul.
SealesWinslow developed its Fodder Beet Block to combat the issue. The molasses-based lick block contains phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, sodium, cobalt, copper, iodine, selenium, and zinc, providing excellent nutritional support for cattle grazing fodder beet.
“While phosphorus was our main concern, we were also interested in other aspects of stock health, particularly around trace element status,” says Paul.
Supplementing herds on fodder beet is as simple as putting tubs of Fodder Beet Block at the crop face and allowing one 25kg tub per 25 or one 500kg block per 500 head of cattle.
“It’s easy to move the blocks as the fence is shifted and there is no wastage. Farmers know the product goes into the cows, not into the ground,” says Paul.
“Molasses-based lick blocks are a good choice to make sure your herd is getting all the minerals they need. They not only supply essential minerals but also aid in rumen digestion, contributing to overall animal health and productivity.
“There is a lot happening for dairy herds over winter in the lead up to calving and post calving. Getting mineral supplementation right can help protect cows’ health and well-being, make sure they calve down well and re-enter the milking herd in good condition.”
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