How important are pre-calving minerals?

Pre-calving minerals are essential for a smooth calving season. Cows should be supplemented with pre-calving minerals six to eight weeks pre-calving. They should contain all the essential trace elements like iodine, copper, selenium and cobalt.

Magnesium is also important to reduce the incidence of milk fever post-calving.

Pre-calving minerals should contain low levels of calcium. This is to make sure that the cow mobilises enough calcium after calving.

On Tullamore Farm this year, silage samples were sent away for mineral analysis and results came back low in magnesium and high in potassium.

This isn’t an ideal combination as the potassium locks up the magnesium. Because of this, the feeding rate was increased to 150g/day fed across two feeds to make sure all cows were getting access to minerals.

Colostrum: is it really that important?

Journal vet Tommy Heffernan has placed huge emphasis on colostrum and getting adequate colostrum into calves shortly after birth.

Tommy said: ” It’s one of the few free things that we produce on a farm that is free to give to the calf and yet we don’t give it enough attention”.

Pre-calving diet is important to make sure that cows are getting enough energy and protein to make sure good-quality colostrum is being produced. Feeding soya pre-calving can help boost quality and quantity of colostrum produced. Feeding rate should be between 0.5-0.75kg/day.

Suckler calves should get 3l of colostrum within two hours of birth. Calves will absorb antibodies better via sucking but stomach tubes are a good way of feeding.

Is artificial colostrum as good as the real thing?

It depends on the type of colostrum. In order of preference, you should source colostrum like this:

  • 1 The calf’s mother.
  • 2 Another cow from the farm.
  • 3 Frozen colostrum from a neighbouring farm.
  • 4 Artificial colostrum.

    • Artificial colostrum that contains bovine colostrum will have a level of immunity in it but won’t be the same as real colostrum. Some of these products just act as an energy source for calves.

    Be careful around thawing frozen colostrum and make sure the water isn’t too hot and don’t use the microwave. Store frozen colostrum in zip lock freezer bags and it will be easier to thaw them out.

    Journal vet Tommy Heffernan and beef editor Adam Woods at the Spring Health Management Series - Castleisland mart, Co Kerry.

    What can I do after a real tough calving where the calf is unable to stand?

    First thing is to make sure it gets a good feed of colostrum. After a difficult calving, calves will also be in some pain so a painkiller is also a good idea. If the calf has a swollen tongue or has any swelling, Tommy said anti-inflammatory injections should be used.

    Heat is also important and calf jackets or red lamps can be really useful to help calves retain heat.

    Tommy also spoke about how acidosis can occur in these calves who have had a difficult calving. Bicarbonate can be important to reverse this acidosis and this can be given via a stomach tube.

    How important are painkillers?

    The appropriate use of pain killers is becoming more and more important. After a difficult calving, both the cow and calf should receive a painkilling injection. This will allow the calf suck and also get the cow eating again quickly.

    Tommy also spoke of the increasing importance of using a pain killing injection during the dehorning process.

    He said: “Anaesthetic is a must and painkillers have been shown to have a positive effect on calf recovery.”

    Next week’s demos take place in Camlough Mart, Co Armagh, on Wednesday 27 February at 7.30pm and Aurivo Marts, Balla, Co Mayo, on Thursday 28 February at 7pm.