Speaking to a few vets, the recent wet and cold weather over the last few days seems to have brought a spike in tetany and pneumonia cases.
Suckler cows have a poor capability of storing magnesium (Mg) in their body and need a daily supply to prevent deficiency.
It is common with suckler cows when they are grazing very bare, as well as lush, pastures.
This grass is frequently low in Mg due to quick growth and heavy slurry spreading, which is high in potassium and can have a negative effect on Mg uptake.
It can be associated with stress from transport, wet weather, cows in heat or changes in diet or pasture.
Cows under pressure sucking early spring-born heavy weanlings can also be prone to tetany.
Ways of controlling or preventing grass tetany include:
Feeding high-Mg concentrates.The addition of Mg to the drinking water (this can be questionable in periods of wet weather).Buffer feeding with hay or straw.Giving free access to high-Mg minerals, either by way of powder mineral or mineral licks.The use of Mg bullets — at least two bullets or boluses should be used per cow which will release Mg at a controlled rate each day for four to six weeks.Pneumonia
Pneumonia has also reared its head in weanlings on a number of farms in the last few days.
The drop in temperatures, accompanied by the wet weather, has meant calves have had to deal with a tough change in conditions over the last few days.
The incidences of pneumonia I came across were all in recently weaned calves that weren’t vaccinated for pneumonia.
Stress has a huge impact on the onset of pneumonia and there are a number of things you can do to avoid stress in weanlings.
Make sure the lungs are clear of any worms pre-weaning by giving a worm dose with a residual activity.
Try to avoid doing too many tasks at once and stagger tasks such as castrating, housing, weaning and vaccinating so that the animals don’t get too stressed.
If you do have to house, make sure there is adequate ventilation in the shed. Don’t stock the shed too high, ensuring that there is adequate lying and feeding space for all animals.
A comment was made on this week’s Irish Farmers Journal winter finishing webinar that if you think a pen will fit 10 calves, put eight in it.
Space in sheds is important
Eating meal and forward creep-grazing are great ways of reducing the cow-calf bond pre-weaning.
Gradual weaning, whereby a few cows are removed from the main group every five days, works very well on some farms.
If you are selling weanlings, take a moment and think about the purchaser - if your calves give problems this year, you mightn’t have them around the ring next year.
Vaccination has a role to play on some farms and take guidance from your vet on the correct route for your farm.
Some feedlots that are purchasing on farm are asking that calves have started their vaccination programme pre-moving. Sick calves cost money and dead calves cost a lot more.
Speaking to a few vets, the recent wet and cold weather over the last few days seems to have brought a spike in tetany and pneumonia cases.
Suckler cows have a poor capability of storing magnesium (Mg) in their body and need a daily supply to prevent deficiency.
It is common with suckler cows when they are grazing very bare, as well as lush, pastures.
This grass is frequently low in Mg due to quick growth and heavy slurry spreading, which is high in potassium and can have a negative effect on Mg uptake.
It can be associated with stress from transport, wet weather, cows in heat or changes in diet or pasture.
Cows under pressure sucking early spring-born heavy weanlings can also be prone to tetany.
Ways of controlling or preventing grass tetany include:
Feeding high-Mg concentrates.The addition of Mg to the drinking water (this can be questionable in periods of wet weather).Buffer feeding with hay or straw.Giving free access to high-Mg minerals, either by way of powder mineral or mineral licks.The use of Mg bullets — at least two bullets or boluses should be used per cow which will release Mg at a controlled rate each day for four to six weeks.Pneumonia
Pneumonia has also reared its head in weanlings on a number of farms in the last few days.
The drop in temperatures, accompanied by the wet weather, has meant calves have had to deal with a tough change in conditions over the last few days.
The incidences of pneumonia I came across were all in recently weaned calves that weren’t vaccinated for pneumonia.
Stress has a huge impact on the onset of pneumonia and there are a number of things you can do to avoid stress in weanlings.
Make sure the lungs are clear of any worms pre-weaning by giving a worm dose with a residual activity.
Try to avoid doing too many tasks at once and stagger tasks such as castrating, housing, weaning and vaccinating so that the animals don’t get too stressed.
If you do have to house, make sure there is adequate ventilation in the shed. Don’t stock the shed too high, ensuring that there is adequate lying and feeding space for all animals.
A comment was made on this week’s Irish Farmers Journal winter finishing webinar that if you think a pen will fit 10 calves, put eight in it.
Space in sheds is important
Eating meal and forward creep-grazing are great ways of reducing the cow-calf bond pre-weaning.
Gradual weaning, whereby a few cows are removed from the main group every five days, works very well on some farms.
If you are selling weanlings, take a moment and think about the purchaser - if your calves give problems this year, you mightn’t have them around the ring next year.
Vaccination has a role to play on some farms and take guidance from your vet on the correct route for your farm.
Some feedlots that are purchasing on farm are asking that calves have started their vaccination programme pre-moving. Sick calves cost money and dead calves cost a lot more.
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