Magnesium deficiency

[crazy_bull]

so still struggling with this again this year.

Last year we solved it with Mag flakes in the water troughs however this year there is standing water all over the place so they drink from the nearest puddle as opposed to the trough.

There are general purpose mineral licks dotted all across the fields, as well as high mag blocks also.

We have put mag flakes in the water troughs.

But still having ewes get staggers and die.

Is there anything I can treat the grass with? Mag Lime? Obviously not now but later in the year ready for next year.

Or does anyone use the Mag boluses? The ones I've found only last 3 weeks so I guess I would do at turn out and then again when we vaccinate the lambs.....


C B

 

[jemski]

I have this in one particular field and have had since the beginning of March. I’ve found the only thing that works at the moment is feeding them .5kg cake a day. I missed one day because it was so wet there was no point - there was an inch of water across the whole field. The following day one dropped with staggers running to the feed. Managed to save her but haven’t missed a day since.
They just aren’t drinking much yet - I’ve turned one trough off to see and they’ve barely touched it.

 

[jemski]

I’m also looking into a mag based fertiliser.

 

[Gulli]

I've bolused before. Bit of a faff really and only 21 days cover but they do work
Used to do the ewes as I turned them out. I think you're meant to leave them a few hours first but never seemed to make much difference.

 

[Still Farming]

Bad year for calcium and mag. Deficencies .

 

[wr.]

Hi mag lick buckets?

 

[jemski]

Hi mag lick buckets?

No use if they won’t take them!

 

[Still Farming]

Multi vits drench em all ?

 

[jemski]

Multi vits drench em all ?

They can’t store mag so that would have to be done every day....

 

[crazy_bull]

Hi mag lick buckets?

Buckets of varying makes littering the fields. Have been getting through the general purpose ones quicker than the high mag, but when I tried just high mag they barely touched them so figured the GP ones had mag so bound to help.

C B

 

[Still Farming]

They can’t store mag so that would have to be done every day....

Or until problem subsides and their body adjusts.

 

[Gulli]

Or until problem subsides and their body adjusts.

Better off with a bolus than catching them up to drench everyday surely?

 

[Still Farming]

Better off with a bolus than catching them up to drench everyday surely?

Speak as how I found -obsviosly if BIG farm issue in stock but individual cases recover with immediate injections and treatment.

 

[Sethieboy]

We give ours lifeline buckets. They wont touch mag buckets and theres just enough mag in lifeline to keep them going i find. They also get cake which helps.

 

[debe]

Calcined magnesite, spread at 5kg/ ha, if you can get the powder rather than the small granules please let us know.

This year has been awful for mag

And spread on a dew so it sticks

 

[Gulli]

Speak as how I found -obsviosly if BIG farm issue in stock but individual cases recover with immediate injections and treatment.

Would be fine as a treatment but I think it would be a hassle for prevention.
If it works then it works though beats losing them, there's enough of that this year without any extras

 

[copse]

Tried all sorts here but seem to loose 1% of ewes to staggers each year

 

[GTB]

As said high mag buckets are very unpalatable. There is enough mag in general purpose licks for sheep, they only need a tiny amount daily. As @jemski quite rightly says you can't beat a bit of cake if staggers are an issue.

 

[Adam@Rumen]

Try a free access mineral rather than a bucket. More palatable and normally cheaper - you just need a tub to offer them in.

 

[Brisel]

Lay off potash fertiliser applications. K blocks Mg uptake by the grass.