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RECENT COOL temperatures may have kept a lid on the start to the facial eczema (FE) season, but that's no reason to let down your guard, says farm nutrition specialist Altum.
It has launched an all-in-one zinc product to prevent the painful, and often hidden, disease.
Zincmax+ has organic copper added to overcome the reduced copper absorption associated with dosing with zinc and consequent depletion of liver copper levels, plus a peppermint flavour to counter the palatability problems of straight zinc products.
Altum's animal nutrition manager Jackie Aveling warns just a few cows showing signs of FE can mean a large proportion of the herd are affected subclinically.
"Not only can milk production in these cows be depressed by up to half, but slow wasting or sudden death may also occur in cows that have shown no prior symptoms when they are put under stress, often after calving," she points out.
Reduced drinking with traditional zinc sulphate treatments also impacts production, and there's the risk stock don't get enough zinc to combat the FE, which is the whole reason the zinc's put in the water.
"Zinc treatment can also have a negative impact on young stock, impacting their copper reserves, which are a key requirement for healthy growth," she says.
Zincmax+ is metered into the water system in the same way as other zinc products, except at 28g/cow/day rather than 25g/cow/day to allow for the added ingredients.
Late last month cool temperatures were keeping a lid on spore counts nationwide but Aveling says it is important farmers keep monitoring counts, and have a plan in place to start treatment early before spore counts become high.
Zincmax+ is part of Altum's OptiMAX range of regionally specific animal nutrition products designed to work in harmony with a complete nutrition programme by filling the micro-nutrient gaps.
Recent rainfall has made for a fantastic growing season in many regions, but farmers are also reporting a proliferation in pests and diseases such as facial eczema, flystrike, porina and internal parasites.
As we move towards the warmer, more humid months, farmers across New Zealand are already preparing for the annual challenge of facial eczema (FE).
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ) is calling on farmers from all regions to take part in the final season of the Sheep Poo Study aiming to build a clearer picture of how facial eczema (FE) affects farms across New Zealand.
Reecently Beef + Lamb New Zealand hosted a webinar giving farmers an update on findings from the Sheep Poo study, featuring Dr Cara Brosnahan and vet Ginny Dodunski. This study, which is entering its final year, is a key part of the Eliminating Facial Eczema Impacts (EFEI) programme and is helping build a clearer picture of how FE affects farms nationwide.
Beef + Lamb New Zealand (B+LNZ), in partnership with the Ministry for Primary Industries (MPI) and other sector organisations, has launched a national survey to understand better the impact of facial eczema (FE) on farmers.
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