Spring turnout is a major event on all livestock owners' and farmers' calendars. The weather has improved, calving and lambing are in full swing (or even complete!) so it’s time to ensure you complete turnout safely and effectively. We’ve pulled together some of our top tips...
1. Is your area safe?
Time to check your fencing! Is your fencing secure and undamaged? This is one of the first checks you need to ensure your livestock will be safe and secure. Check to make sure any of your timber or poly posts need replacing, if energiser batteries are fully charged or if wire fencing is secure. In addition, ensure there are no poisonous plants in the vicinity, this should be regularly checked.
Time to make some repairs? Shop our range of timber and fencing.
2. Check the quality of grazing
If your fields have been utilised over winter it’s worth checking to ensure that there will be enough grass for your livestock to eat. If the grass quality is low or minimal you may need to consider alternative feeding options such as mineral or feed tubs and silage.
As nice as the start of spring can be, there are some very serious issues you need to stay on top of to prevent them from concerning your livestock. At the start of the turnout period, it is vital to watch out for any changes in behaviour or milk constituents; this could be a sign of digestive upsets.
Another potential issue critical to look out for is Hypomagnesemia, otherwise known as Grass Staggers, or Grass Tetany. Most cases of grass staggers in the UK occur in recently calved beef cows, but the disease can also occur in dairy cows, especially if they are unsupplemented throughout the dry period. In a recent University of Edinburgh study of 988 spring-calving suckler cows from more than 80 farms across England and Scotland, 29% had low magnesium blood levels in the last month of pregnancy (Farm Advisory Service, 2022).
Magnesium plays an important role in nerve and muscle function and the functioning of the immune system. Although livestock has significant stores of Mg in the bones, little of these stores are available to maintain levels in the blood. Therefore, our livestock is dependent on the Mg supplied in the diet and from supplements to maintain blood levels. Blood and urine tests can confirm Mg deficiency.
How to prevent it.
The best option to stop grass staggers affecting your livestock is by being prepared early and making sure you have the best environment for your herd. Avoid using potash fertilisers; the high level of ammonia increases the risk of Hypomagnesemia, furthermore, potash fertilisers also hinder magnesium absorption.
It’s crucial to maintain a balanced, but delicate diet to reduce the risk of diseases such as grass staggers, too much lush pasture could lead to food passing through too quickly, not giving the magnesium long enough to be absorbed.
Useful products.
StowAg mineral buckets are a great way to make sure your livestock is getting a substantial amount of magnesium, as well as other vital minerals.
StowAg offers 3 available mineral licks suitable for cattle: Suckler Mag Booster (£25.90), StowAg Cattle Elite Booster (£22.60). and StowAg Dual Mag (£19.16). These mineral blocks are ideal for when extra nutrients are needed, if you feel like your herd is at high risk of hypomagnesaemia, we recommend the Suckler Mag Booster. The Suckler Mag Booster was specifically created to combat diseases such as grass staggers, it should be fed to lactating suckler cows every day during high-risk periods. It is important to remember that cows do not store magnesium, so it is crucial that they intake a substantial amount of magnesium every day.
Another useful product that can help keep on top of your herd during spring turnout, is the Gallagher Electric Fencing range. Using electric fencing will allow you to monitor how much grass your cows are eating each day. By fencing off specific sections of the cattle field each day, you can control how much of the field the cows must graze in, making it easier to see how much grass is being consumed.
The Gallagher S100 Energiser can power up to 6 miles/10km or 10 hectares of multi-wire fence. The product is highly portable and robust making it a suitable alternative to battery-powered systems. The easy installation and portability also make this energiser suitable for powering temporary fencing in hard to access locations. This product features a rechargeable battery and solar panel.
We stock a full range of Gallagher electric fencing products, including turboline rope and tape, offset ring insulators, live fence indicators, energisers, and poly posts!
3. Prepare for flystrike
Flystrike is particularly common during the summer but it can occur at any time of the year. Flystrike can be unpleasant for your livestock and the farmer treating it, so prevention really is better than the cure! Make sure you examine your livestock regularly during at-risk periods, keep on top of shearing, and try some fly prevention treatments. Shop our range of fly control online today.
4. Ensure your ear tags are compliant
Have you noticed that one of your herd has a missing tag? Or you can no longer read it?
If so, you must get a replacement tag and fit it as soon as possible! Our in-store cattle tag printer allows us to print your replacement tags while you wait, making it easy to ensure you're above board! We currently offer Large Flexo, Medium Flexo or a Flexo Button Tags. Find out more about our ear tag service.
5. General Health Checks
It is always beneficial to run health checks on your livestock wherever possible. To make the most of an easy grazing season turnout treatments can be broken down into four topics, parasites, clostridial diseases, vaccinations and minerals as well as standard shearing and clipping practices. Ensure you have the correct handling equipment and health products to ensure these checks can be carried out safely and successfully. If you need advice, talk to one of our Animal Health SQPs today via telephone at 01451 830 400 or visit our in-store animal health counter.
To view all of our products, visit the StowAg website today: www.stowag.com
References.
· Charlotte Cunningham. (2021). Guide to magnesium supplementation in cattle. Available: https://www.fwi.co.uk/livestock/livestock-feed-nutrition/guide-to-magnesium-supplementation-in-cattle. Last accessed 27/04/2022.
· DairyNZ. (2022). Magnesium and grass staggers (grass tetany). Available: https://www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/cow-health/grass-staggers/. Last accessed 27/04/2022.
· Farm Advisory Service. (2022). Spring is around the corner, are you ready for turnout?. Available: https://www.fas.scot/article/spring-is-around-the-corner-are-you-ready-for-turnout/. Last accessed 27/04/2022.
· Farm Health Online. (2022). Magnesium Deficiency in Cattle. Available: https://www.farmhealthonline.com/disease-management/cattle-diseases/magnesium-deficiency/. Last accessed 27/04/2022.
· Gallagher. (2022). Uses and benefits of electric fencing. Available: https://www.gallagher.eu/en_gb/why-use-electric-fencing. Last accessed 27/04/2022.
· Megalac. (2019). Autumn Grass staggers: How to spot the signs and what to do next. Available: https://www.megalac.com/about/news/210-autumn-grass-staggers-how-to-spot-the-signs-and-what-to-do-next. Last accessed 27/04/2022.
· NADIS. (2022). Grass Staggers (Hypomagnesaemia). Available: https://www.nadis.org.uk/disease-a-z/cattle/grass-staggers-hypomagnesaemia/#:~:text=Hypomagnesaemia%20(Grass%20Staggers%2C%20Grass%20Tetany). Last accessed 27/04/2022.