Transition makes or breaks reproduction
By September, most herds are already calved and are heading towards mating. The window to influence pre-calving minerals has passed, and decisions made in the transition period are only just becoming obvious.
Farmers should consult with a veterinarian to determine if cows are deficient in trace elements before supplementation.
DairyNZ provides the following information on trace elements;
Cobalt
Required for production of Vitamin B12, energy metabolism in the rumen and in the cow, fibre digestion and immunity. High manganese in soil reduces cobalt uptake by plants. Therefore, as pasture is generally high in manganese it is usually low in cobalt.
Copper
Required for growth and production, animal health and immunity, reproduction and calf viability. High intake of molybdenum, sulphur and iron, which often occurs in pasture-based diets, especially in winter and spring, reduces copper uptake by the animal.
Iodine
Required for intake, energy metabolism and milk production, protein synthesis, reproduction and heat detection. Uptake of iodine by pasture can be low. Additionally, iodine is easily leached during wet weather in winter and spring. Requirements for iodine increase during cold, wet weather.
Selenium
Required for disease resistance (e.g. mastitis), placental shedding (post calving cleaning), milk production, reproduction, calf viability and immunity. There are regions that will have high selenium levels in pasture, particularly if they have been fertilised with selenium fertiliser. In such areas supplementation should be avoided. If in doubt, consult with your vet of farm consultant.
Zinc
Required for growth and production, reproduction, hoof strength and immune system. The need for zinc supplementation will vary from farm to farm. Farms using zinc in summer for facial eczema may still require zinc supplementation in the spring. Pasture analysis should determine the need for supplementation. Excess zinc intake will increase the risk of milk fever and copper deficiency and may depress appetite.
NZPork has appointed Auckland-based Paul Bucknell as its new chair.
The Government claims to have delivered on its election promise to protect productive farmland from emissions trading scheme (ETS) but red meat farmers aren’t happy.
Foot and Mouth Disease outbreaks could have a detrimental impact on any country's rural sector, as seen in the United Kingdom's 2000 outbreak that saw the compulsory slaughter of over six million animals.
The Ministry for the Environment is joining as a national award sponsor in the Ballance Farm Environment Awards (BFEA from next year).
Kiwis are wasting less of their food than they were two years ago, and this has been enough to push New Zealand’s total household food waste bill lower, the 2025 Rabobank KiwiHarvest Food Waste survey has found.
OPINION: Sir Lockwood Smith has clearly and succinctly defined what academic freedom is all about, the boundaries around it and the responsibility that goes with this privilege.
OPINION: Should cows in NZ be microchipped?
OPINION: Legislation being drafted to bring back the controversial trade of live animal exports by sea is getting stuck in the…