Combating the risk of staggers in suckler herds

A Triple Magnesium roll for suckler cows has been added to the Harbro range of magnesium-based products designed to combat the risk of grass staggers. The new roll replaces Harbro’s long established High Mag roll and contains three sources of magnesi

Recent wet weather has increased the risk of hypomagnesemia (staggers) which can result in cows dying within three hours of the onset of low blood magnesium levels.



Cows are unable to store magnesium in their body which means that clinical signs appear very quickly. Daily supplementation with magnesium in the form of rolls, licks, powdered minerals, feed blocks or bullets is recommended in the autumn and again in the spring when cows at grass are at their most vulnerable.



The cost of supplementing a 100-cow herd for a nine-week period over spring and autumn works out at around £336 per year.



“Preventative steps will save money,” says Harbro technical director, Willie Thomson. “Preventing the loss of even one cow over a two-year period will more than cover the additional cost of magnesium.”



Farmers are strongly advised to take time to choose the best solution for their herd depending on how and where cows are fed, the quality of forage available and stage of calving.



“It should be borne in mind that a cow’s requirement for magnesium more than doubles after calving,” Mr Thomson points out.



High dietary levels of nitrogen and potassium are often associated with staggers and older cattle are more vulnerable. Feeding magnesium in one form or another will also ensure that cows receive full trace element and major mineral supplementation.



Molasses is an excellent source of readily available energy and by increasing energy intakes, magnesium absorption will be directly improved. Additional sodium supplementation, in the form or rock salt or nutrisalt licks, may also be required. Increasing the sodium level in the rumen can result in a four-fold increase in the absorption of magnesium.



Harbro’s range of magnesium products includes Triple Magnesium and Hill Cow Breeder rolls, Triple Mag and Mag 15 molassed licks, Grampian Triple Mag powdered minerals, Energyze Mag and Crystalyx Cattle High Mag buckets, High Magnesium feed blocks and Agrimin Rumbul magnesium bullets.

Tuesday, 29 September 2009 10:24 am