ARE YOU FEEDING INADEQUATE VITAMINS &
MINERALS AND NEED ADVICE?
Every farm is unique and we, at GP Feeds recognise this. We are constantly
striving to give our customers helpful information, that we believe
will benefit the day to day running of your business.
There are strong links between minerals, vitamins and the majority
of dairy cow disorders. These can be caused by deficiencies, excessive
amounts, imbalances and interactions between minerals.
The overall health status of the herd is of paramount importance for
the economic production of all milk and meat. This health is affected
to a greater or lesser degree by the mineral and vitamin status of the
animal.
You may be losing money by extra veterinary costs, unnecessary calving
difficulties, impared calf growth and milk fever, to name but a few.
But this can be controlled.
EFFECTS OF MINERAL AND VITAMINS ON DAIRY COW HEALTH
MINERAL |
DEFICIENCY |
RELATED MINERALS |
Associated Problems |
Calcium |
Milk Fever,
Retained cleansing whites.
Lower DMI
Poor growth and bone structure
|
Phosphorus
Magnesium - Competes with absorption sites
Molybdenum - Liming crops increases Mo levels in grass due to
soil PH
|
Displaced
Abomasums.
Lower milk yield
|
Phosphorus |
Milk Fever.
Poor Energy Use
Poor bone structure
|
Calcium - Bone structure
Aluminium - forms insoluble complexes
Copper - Phos inhibits grass uptake
|
Lower milk yields.
Lower DMI
Weak bones
|
Sodium |
Poor acid base balance
Reduced DMI
Reduced fluid balance
|
Potassium - Acid/base balance |
Udder Odema - heifers
Poor rumen stability
Reduced milk persistency
Reduced growth rates
|
Potassium |
Poor Acid Base Balance
Reduced DMI
Poor Nutrient Use
|
Sodium - Acid Base Balance
Magnesium - Excess Potassium reduces Mag availability.
|
Milk Fever - Excess K
Udder Odema - Heifers
Reduced milk persistency
Increased metabolic problems
|
Magnesium |
Milk fever
Staggers
Extreme Nervousness
Poor stress control |
Calcium
Potassium - Reduces Magnesium availability
|
Grass staggers.
Lower DMI
|
Copper |
Retained cleansings
Poor Conception
Early Embryonic death
Poor reproduction
Increased Mastitis.
Suppressed Immune function
Poor energy Use
|
Sulphur, Iron & Molybdenum - Antagonists
that reduce Copper Availability
Zinc - Competes with the absorption sites
|
Copper Toxicity issues with uncontrolled Copper
feeding.
Dangerous for sheep
|
Zinc |
Suppressed immune function
Poor Hormone output
Reduced reproductive function
Impaired keratin synthesis- Poor hoof strength and increased
mastitis.
|
Copper - Competes for absorption sites
Calcium - Competes absorption sites
Biotin - foot health
|
Increased incidence of lameness and high SCC
are common with herds with poor Zinc status. |
Selenium |
Reduced ability to withstand stress and disease
Poor Immune function
Retained cleansings
Poor fertility
White muscle disease
|
Iodine -Work together in Enzyme systems
Vitamin E - Cell antioxidant status
|
Muscular dystrophy- calves |
Vitamin A |
Reduced Immune function.
Retained cleansings
Poor reproductive performance
Poor night sight/blindness
Increased incidence of mastitic infections
|
Beta - Carotene - Pro vitamin A |
|
Vitamin D |
Reduced Calcium/Phosphorus use
Poor bone/skeletal strength (Rickets) |
Calcium/Phosphorus |
|
Vitamin E |
Impaired Reproduction.
Increased Retained cleansings
Increased mastitis infections
Poor immune function
Poor health
|
Selenium - Cell antioxidants |
White muscle disease |
Minerals don't always get the attention they deserve. Yet they are
something that affects all farmers and their stock.
We are increasingly being asked to advise about vitamin and mineral
inclusion rates and we are finding that some diets offered by many feed
Companies, are incorrectly balanced for vitamins and minerals.
Here are a few questions for you to consider:
- Does your current diet supplier supply adequate vitamins and minerals
for the modern high yielding dairy cow?
- Do you include additional minerals in blends fed to dairy cows?
- What are the adequate vitamin and mineral levels?
- Does your present mineral meet all the cow's requirements?
Over the last few years it has become more important to feed adequate
minerals and vitamins because:
- The increase in the use of blends means that the mineral and vitamins
in concentrate cannot deliver the cows requirement.
- Higher milk yield mean higher mineral and vitamins are required.
- A wider range of home ~grown feeds being used could
be short of minerals of have a detrimental effect (e.g selenium and
copper)
- A dramatic decline in cow fertility.
- Increasing evidence of the role or minerals and vitamins in animal
health.
GP FEEDS HAS A RANGE OF PRODUCTS AVAILABLE AND WILL BE PLEASED TO
ADVISE.
We specialise in making a customised minerals, to complement what you
are feeding to your stock already.
Our agents will look at what is currently going into your feed and what
your individual herds requirement is and then alongside Dr Andrew Pine,
we can then formulate a unique Mineral /Vitamin package just for your
farm.
PLEASE PHONE THE OFFICE ON :01948 661602 OR YOUR LOCAL AGENT
|