Help for stressed cows
The most costly problems on dairy farms are linked to oxidative stress, say two visiting animal health experts.
Professor Peter Surai and Dr Kevin Liu will present global R&D on selenium nutrition and supplementation, on October 28 at the Hamilton airport conference centre.
“They will talk about the importance of selenium as an antioxidant in modern intensive animal production,” says event organiser Trina Parker, country manager of BEC Feed Solutions.
“They will also talk about different sources of selenium for ruminant (dairy, beef, sheep and goats) and monogastric animals (pigs, layer hens, broilers, horses and pets).”
Parker says the seminar is a New Zealand-first, presenting the latest global developments in selenium supplementation.
“It’s well known that NZ has low-selenium soils, and because it’s not essential for plant growth this vital mineral is often overlooked,” Parker says.
“We’re keen to raise awareness of the fact selenium is vital to animal health and production and so supplementation is essential. The link to human nutrition of optimised selenium in animal products is an area waiting to be explored.”
The event is in two parts: 10am -12 noon, selenium in ruminant production and nutrition; and 1-3pm, selenium in monogastric production and nutrition.
Parker claims that new research indicates selenium supplements now available in NZ are not as bio-available to animals as initially believed.
“This is a major concern for NZ animal production, particularly in the dairy sector where selenium options have until now been limited to sodium selenite/selenate and selenium yeast.
The company will soon two organic selenium products in NZ. Easy application is a notable feature of the products, particularly the liquid organic selenium option, which enables water application.
Selisseo 2% Se is the only pure source of seleno-hydroxy-methionine, Parker says.
“It is quite new and different for NZ producers, combining purity, reliability, stability and ease of use with 100% efficiency.”
• To register: www.becfeedsolutions.co.nz/news or telephone 0800 BEC 001.
