Every farm is unique and we, at GP Feeds recognise this. We are constantly striving to give our customers helpful information, that we believe will benefit the day to day running of your business.
There are strong links between minerals, vitamins and the majority of dairy cow disorders. These can be caused by deficiencies, excessive amounts, imbalances and interactions between minerals.
The overall health status of the herd is of paramount importance for the economic production of all milk and meat. This health is affected to a greater or lesser degree by the mineral and vitamin status of the animal.
You may be losing money by extra veterinary costs, unnecessary calving difficulties, impared calf growth and milk fever, to name but a few. But this can be controlled.
EFFECTS OF MINERAL AND VITAMINS ON DAIRY COW HEALTH
| MINERAL | DEFICIENCY | RELATED MINERALS | Associated Problems |
| Calcium | Milk Fever, Retained cleansing whites. Lower DMI Poor growth and bone structure |
Phosphorus Magnesium - Competes with absorption sites Molybdenum - Liming crops increases Mo levels in grass due to soil PH |
Displaced Abomasums. Lower milk yield |
| Phosphorus | Milk Fever. Poor Energy Use Poor bone structure |
Calcium - Bone structure Aluminium - forms insoluble complexes Copper - Phos inhibits grass uptake |
Lower milk yields. Lower DMI Weak bones |
| Sodium | Poor acid base balance Reduced DMI Reduced fluid balance |
Potassium - Acid/base balance | Udder Odema - heifers Poor rumen stability Reduced milk persistency Reduced growth rates |
| Potassium | Poor Acid Base Balance Reduced DMI Poor Nutrient Use |
Sodium - Acid Base Balance Magnesium - Excess Potassium reduces Mag availability. |
Milk Fever - Excess K Udder Odema - Heifers Reduced milk persistency Increased metabolic problems |
| Magnesium | Milk fever Staggers Extreme Nervousness Poor stress control |
Calcium Potassium - Reduces Magnesium availability |
Grass staggers. Lower DMI |
| Copper | Retained cleansings Poor Conception Early Embryonic death Poor reproduction Increased Mastitis. Suppressed Immune function Poor energy Use |
Sulphur, Iron & Molybdenum - Antagonists that reduce Copper Availability Zinc - Competes with the absorption sites |
Copper Toxicity issues with uncontrolled Copper feeding. Dangerous for sheep |
| Zinc | Suppressed immune function Poor Hormone output Reduced reproductive function Impaired keratin synthesis- Poor hoof strength and increased mastitis. |
Copper - Competes for absorption sites Calcium - Competes absorption sites Biotin - foot health |
Increased incidence of lameness and high SCC are common with herds with poor Zinc status. |
| Selenium | Reduced ability to withstand stress and disease Poor Immune function Retained cleansings Poor fertility White muscle disease |
Iodine -Work together in Enzyme systems Vitamin E - Cell antioxidant status |
Muscular dystrophy- calves |
| Vitamin A | Reduced Immune function. Retained cleansings Poor reproductive performance Poor night sight/blindness Increased incidence of mastitic infections |
Beta - Carotene - Pro vitamin A | |
| Vitamin D | Reduced Calcium/Phosphorus use Poor bone/skeletal strength (Rickets) |
Calcium/Phosphorus | |
| Vitamin E | Impaired Reproduction. Increased Retained cleansings Increased mastitis infections Poor immune function Poor health |
Selenium - Cell antioxidants | White muscle disease |
Minerals don't always get the attention they deserve. Yet they are something that affects all farmers and their stock.
We are increasingly being asked to advise about vitamin and mineral inclusion rates and we are finding that some diets offered by many feed Companies, are incorrectly balanced for vitamins and minerals.
Here are a few questions for you to consider:
- Does your current diet supplier supply adequate vitamins and minerals for the modern high yielding dairy cow?
- Do you include additional minerals in blends fed to dairy cows?
- What are the adequate vitamin and mineral levels?
- Does your present mineral meet all the cow's requirements?
Over the last few years it has become more important to feed adequate minerals and vitamins because:
- The increase in the use of blends means that the mineral and vitamins in concentrate cannot deliver the cows requirement.
- Higher milk yield mean higher mineral and vitamins are required.
- A wider range of home ~grown feeds being used could be short of minerals of have a detrimental effect (e.g selenium and copper)
- A dramatic decline in cow fertility.
- Increasing evidence of the role or minerals and vitamins in animal health.
GP FEEDS HAS A RANGE OF PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AND WILL BE PLEASED TO ADVISE.
We specialise in making a customised minerals, to complement what you are feeding to your stock already.
Our agents will look at what is currently going into your feed and what your individual herds requirement is and then alongside Dr Andrew Pine, we can then formulate a unique Mineral /Vitamin package just for your farm.