pre calver minerals

flatout11

is there any hard facts that would support the use of precalver minerals in a suckler herd ie timing rate of supplementation etc.. im suspect unless there is a deficiency it may be a waste of time..... and money ???

49801

flatout11 wrote: »

is there any hard facts that would support the use of precalver minerals in a suckler herd ie timing rate of supplementation etc.. im suspect unless there is a deficiency it may be a waste of time..... and money ???

its well worth feeding a precalver!
iodine supplementation gives lively newborns that get up and suck
think iodine helps with cows passing their cleanings.
seledium helps on the cleaning front too.

only way to check if you don't need them would be to test your fodder and the levels of trace elements in it. But the likely hood is you will need to supplement.

blue5000

I would agree with above, you'd buy a lot of pre-calver minerals for one extra live calf. Unless you are absolutely sure you have no defeciences (spelling:o) in your fodder don't skip the minerals, it's cheap insurance and I'm speaking from experience.

flatout11

but do any of the companys have any facts backing them up
fo example suckler cows would probably benifit from calcium in a pre calver (muscle contractions etc) however tis exculded on the basis of it belongs sold for dairy cows (calcium readsorbtion)
i have used and not used them over the years and i know a fair few that never bother - it has me wondering, if the forage is that deficient on irish farms eg iodine then there would be sympthon at grass during the year would there not?

stagg88

what prices are the pre calver buckets down your way.

I paid 14.50 for life line incl vat

Tora Bora

Big corporations, with big marketing budgets, have a serious knack, of getting their greasy paws into your pocket:o
IF, you have had a demonstrable problem, in your herd, which could be related to mineral deficiency, the consider using supplements.

If you don't have a problem, and have not had a problem, why would you fix what is clearly not broken, and pay good money for the pleasure into the bargain.

pakalasa

I paid €21.38 for a 25Kg bag recently (Dairygold), so for 100g per head for 6 weeks, that will cost you a total of €3.60 per animal. You can decide if it's worth it.

snowman707

flatout11 wrote: »

is there any hard facts that would support the use of precalver minerals in a suckler herd ie timing rate of supplementation etc.. im suspect unless there is a deficiency it may be a waste of time..... and money ???

you answered your own query

salesmen love selling minerals , if you are think you may have problem best to get some bloods taken,

1chippy

wouldnt go without them. cows all calved and cleaning, anything due has come a bulling and no sick calves. we even give minerals to the weanlings and maidens. (different for each) and really seeing a good thrive with all. for what its worth its the first year we have stuck to a strict mineral regime and its the first year we have no probs with calvings or sleepy calves.

Bizzum

1chippy wrote: »

wouldnt go without them. cows all calved and cleaning, anything due has come a bulling and no sick calves. we even give minerals to the weanlings and maidens. (different for each) and really seeing a good thrive with all. for what its worth its the first year we have stuck to a strict mineral regime and its the first year we have no probs with calvings or sleepy calves.

I find the same.

The bucket is an expensive way of feeding mineral. Bags work out cheaper but not always as convenient.

Anyone ever notice the way the cows devour the bucket lick if they dont have access to one for a while?

island of tighe

im with chippy here. you would want to be mad not to feed minerals to your cows.i know loads of lads at this penny pinching that lost calves that were born weak or deficiant in minerals all for the sake of a few quid.your workload will increase with problem cows and calves.there is a cost in that too

pakalasa

At the weekend I fill plastic bottles with the bagged minerals. They're there then, ready to just shake over the silage, no hassle.
A couple of years back I was feeding the minerals on barley, not on the silage. I had one cow that was to timid to fight her way at the trough. She was the only cow I ever had retain the afterbirth.

blue5000

Bizzum wrote: »

I find the same.

The bucket is an expensive way of feeding mineral. Bags work out cheaper but not always as convenient.

Anyone ever notice the way the cows devour the bucket lick if they dont have access to one for a while?

+1 on this, mollasses is about 120? e per ton, pour it into a mineral bucket, stick a lid on it and all of a sudden it's selling for 1000e per ton. Use the bag stuff, shake it on silage, or if you have selenium and/or iodine problems use a trace sure bolus.

leg wax

well its the first winter that i have done minerals about right,the cows with calves got salt licks plus fertility minerals poured on the silage and i can see the results here, and i knew it was working when the last 9 cows to calve all came bulling after 7 weeks.the bagged mins are a lot cheaper but i will still use crystalyx licks at grass.

flatout11

snowman707 wrote: »

you answered your own query

salesmen love selling minerals , if you are think you may have problem best to get some bloods taken,

id agree with you snowman, personally i dont think we have ever had a problem with mineral deficiency but i am left wondering how they can flog so much minerals each year on the back of damm all hard facts,
most lads i know start feeding it several months out !!!

leg wax wrote: »

well its the first winter that i have done minerals about right,the cows with calves got salt licks plus fertility minerals poured on the silage and i can see the results here, and i knew it was working when the last 9 cows to calve all came bulling after 7 weeks.the bagged mins are a lot cheaper but i will still use crystalyx licks at grass.

id suspect leg wax you got a number of other things right lasst year because i dont know how minerals brings about the onset of heat in cows,
often the percieved benifits of one change are merely masking by several others

jeff greene

flatout11 wrote: »

how they can flog so much minerals each year on the back of damm all hard facts,
most lads i know start feeding it several months out !!!

Some info here on imbalances and issues arising from them.

flatout11 wrote: »

id suspect leg wax you got a number of other things right lasst year because i dont know how minerals brings about the onset of heat in cows,
often the percieved benifits of one change are merely masking by several others

Just my opinion but if she calves with no issues, held cleaning, milk fever, etc, it should mean she will start cycling earlier.

flatout11

jeff greene wrote: »

Some info here on imbalances and issues arising from them.



Just my opinion but if she calves with no issues, held cleaning, milk fever, etc, it should mean she will start cycling earlier.

funny no one ever picked up that work after phil rodgers retired, i wasnt looking at the fert issue from that perspective - but then again you would want i would suspect the incidence of retained palcenta milk fever etc... is quite low in suckler herds