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All in-calf cows should be supplemented with minerals for six to eight weeks prior to calving.
Every year, we hear of farms which encounter high mortality in calves or retained placentas and, when investigated, it points to mineral deficiencies.
Where you know that your silage is low in essential minerals, ensure that the mineral mix you are using makes up the shortfall.
Keep an eye on price, but don’t be penny wise and pound foolish. Make sure it has good levels of essential trace elements like copper, selenium, cobalt and iodine.
Where there have been problems on the farm in the past, get the vet to take some blood samples from cows pre-calving to determine mineral profile and make changes to the feeding programme based on these results.
If feeding powdered mineral on top of silage, feed twice daily and make sure there is adequate space for each cow to eat at the same time. It is recommended to have 1.5ft to 2ft or 0.5m to 0.66m feeding space/cow.
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