Cows eating stones

[Devon lad]

Our cows have started eating stones, and sometimes licking random Things. We are on volcanic rock and they have been crunching on stones on the edge of the tracks. We have reduced the amount of N that we have spread this year by 30% ish, milk ureas are at 75-125 instead of the usual 200-300. They are on all grass diet apart from 1kg of 12% parlour nut, 1 bag of mag chloride a day between 320 of them also all calved within last 10 weeks, they are also bulling really well. TIA

 

[Cows 'n grass]

I have to keep rock salt in the collecting yard at all times otherwise they just wreck the hedges, they will just stand there and eat huge mouthfuls of soil.

Giving them salt largely stops them but it's surprising how much grit you find in some when doing AI.

 

[deleted user 837354]

Free access to salt as much as practical. They love it. Also they drink more into the bargain. Cows in hot will need to consume a lot of salt, it's in milk and urine.

 

[mar]

Our cows have started eating stones, and sometimes licking random Things. We are on volcanic rock and they have been crunching on stones on the edge of the tracks. We have reduced the amount of N that we have spread this year by 30% ish, milk ureas are at 75-125 instead of the usual 200-300. They are on all grass diet apart from 1kg of 12% parlour nut, 1 bag of mag chloride a day between 320 of them also all calved within last 10 weeks, they are also bulling really well. TIA

Are they drinking urine from the other cows?

 

[mar]

https://www.independent.ie/business...-a-hidden-killer-in-dairy-herds-34855926.html Try phosphorus, I got a 25kg bag recently for one cow that was drinking other cows urine.

 

[Devon lad]

Are they drinking urine from the other cows?

Not that I’ve seen

 

[Hill Dairy]

Ours are eating stones and AstroTurf which is very annoying. Anyone know where you can get phosphorus to add to water? TIA

 

[Beef farmer]

Our cows have started eating stones, and sometimes licking random Things. We are on volcanic rock and they have been crunching on stones on the edge of the tracks. We have reduced the amount of N that we have spread this year by 30% ish, milk ureas are at 75-125 instead of the usual 200-300. They are on all grass diet apart from 1kg of 12% parlour nut, 1 bag of mag chloride a day between 320 of them also all calved within last 10 weeks, they are also bulling really well. TIA

Those milk ureas seem really low. What's production like compared to normal?

 

[Devon lad]

Those milk ureas seem really low. What's production like compared to normal?

Low, we put it down to not hitting residual great in the spring 1700ish

 

[Beef farmer]

Low, we put it down to not hitting residual great in the spring 1700ish

So production is down?

 

[wooly619]

Was always told lack of phosphorus causes them to chew on stones.

 

[Devon lad]

So production is down?

Yes 10% MS Or 2-3litres down on last year, were at 1.78MS Currently, there in good bcs and bulling well though

 

[Devon lad]

Was always told lack of phosphorus causes them to chew on stones.

Would the wet winter wash a lot of P out of the soil/plant?

 

[wooly619]

Would the wet winter wash a lot of P out of the soil/plant?

Honestly don’t know off the top of my head. But sound plausible ?‍

 

[In the pit]

It's a phosphate issue so get your cake company to put more in your cake
Cows will bull really well but they won't milk and they won't hold in calf
For some reason the cake companies are trying to cut down phosphate levels in there cake
We had same problem 2/3 years ago and have kept levels at double what they were

 

[jimmer]

Out of interest what is the me of your parlour cake , and what's in it ?
@Devon lad

 

[Princess Pooper]

Honestly don’t know off the top of my head. But sound plausible ?‍

shouldn't do. Phosphate doesn't really leach. Might just be low P forage due to other issues though eg lockup due to iron or pH, or lush spring growth. I would get a proper mineral analysis done on bloods from a few cows in case it's not jut P that is low.

 

[Devon lad]

Out of interest what is the me of your parlour cake , and what's in it ?
@Devon lad

12me

 

[Princess Pooper]

12me

Our cake has in the analytical constituents section phosphorus 0.49%. I assume this is a statutory declaration but yours doesn't mention P? (ours also 1.16% calcium).

 

[Devon lad]

Our cake has in the analytical constituents section phosphorus 0.49%. I assume this is a statutory declaration but yours doesn't mention P? (ours also 1.16% calcium).

I did see that there was no specific mention of phosphorus in it?