Suckler farmers should be alert for grass tetany in cows suckling a calf as weather becomes more changeable.
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Weather conditions have become much more variable, with the return of frequent rain showers, sunny periods and variable temperatures.
As such, cows with a calf at foot will be at an increased risk of developing grass tetany, particularly when grazing on low grass covers or lush regrowth on silage swards.
At greatest risk will be freshly-calved autumn cows, followed by older, thinner spring-calving cows with high milking ability, or cows that are suckling twins.
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Make sure cows are properly covered for magnesium and avoid grazing swards that have received potash, either as slurry or bagged fertiliser, in the past fortnight.
There are various formats to supplement cows for magnesium. Lick buckets tend to be the more common choice and if they are offered to cows, provide at least one bucket per 10 cows.
Offering cows some hay or silage will increase fibre intakes, slowing down digestion and increasing time for magnesium absorption.
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Weather conditions have become much more variable, with the return of frequent rain showers, sunny periods and variable temperatures.
As such, cows with a calf at foot will be at an increased risk of developing grass tetany, particularly when grazing on low grass covers or lush regrowth on silage swards.
At greatest risk will be freshly-calved autumn cows, followed by older, thinner spring-calving cows with high milking ability, or cows that are suckling twins.
Make sure cows are properly covered for magnesium and avoid grazing swards that have received potash, either as slurry or bagged fertiliser, in the past fortnight.
There are various formats to supplement cows for magnesium. Lick buckets tend to be the more common choice and if they are offered to cows, provide at least one bucket per 10 cows.
Offering cows some hay or silage will increase fibre intakes, slowing down digestion and increasing time for magnesium absorption.
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