Difficult to detect and treat, hypomagnesaemia can be a major cause of cow death and complications at calving, with losses of up to 20% reported on properties prone to the problem, the company says.
“Often, the first sign of magnesium deficiency is death, meaning loss of capital stock… loss of calf, and loss of breeding potential in the herd.”
BEC Feed Solutions and animal feed maker and blender James & Son (NZ) Pty Ltd have jointly developed Optimiser MAG – BEEF, a magnesium-rich concentrated feed blend containing BEC’s Bolifor MAG33 product, specifically for beef breeding cow operations.
Trina Parker, BEC country manager, says awareness is growing about the need for adequate magnesium in beef breeding cows leading up to calving and for the month post-calving. The product is said to be meeting a known demand.
“On the back of our success with the Bolifor range in dairying, we’ve had numerous requests from beef farmers for a low-risk feed blend incorporating high levels of Magnesium,” Parker says.
“Our Bolifor MAG33 is extremely palatable; a concentrated mineral blend such as this will be readily accepted by a herd.”
Optimiser MAG – BEEF comprises vegetable and grain by-products, Bolifor MAG33, sweeteners and extra flavours. It is delivered as 500g/day doses. The product is supplied nationwide in 250kg and 500kg bags.
Parker says that, traditionally, beef breeding farmers have not supplemented their stock pre-calving because they have had “no effective means of delivery to the herd”.
“The only real options until now have been magnesium oxide, which is often a feed deterrent, or magnesium salts via water, which is not often achievable at the back of a farm water supply.”
James & Son’s commercial manager, Darren Edwards, says ease of delivery has been central in the company’s development of Optimiser MAG – BEEF.
The product is designed to be delivered to paddocks in bulk sling bags. Depending on herd size, cows can be fed directly, or feed can be administered over a few days via a feed trough.
Optimiser MAG – BEEF will be launched at the Central District Fieldays this week.
