Milk fever,Ca bolus

A calcium bolus contains 10 times more calcium than a bottle contains but is it sufficient to get a cow up which is down with milk fever. I always put a bottle in the vein to get them up quick just incase the bolus is not enough, thoughts please, seems to be milk fever season here with cows calving on grass with no buffer feeding of silage yet as nothing housed and as the weather is good,nothing housed to October possibly
 
Location
East Mids
A calcium bolus contains 10 times more calcium than a bottle contains but is it sufficient to get a cow up which is down with milk fever. I always put a bottle in the vein to get them up quick just incase the bolus is not enough, thoughts please, seems to be milk fever season here with cows calving on grass with no buffer feeding of silage yet as nothing housed and as the weather is good,nothing housed to October possibly
Can't comment as don't use the boluses but I suspect your grass has too much potash in it.
 
My post from the bolus thead-

Use Bovikalc here ,not 100% but worth using.

Old, high risk cows 1 when they first show signs of calving, then 2 or even 3 more at 12 or 24 hr. intervals after calving.
Lower risk 1 post calving.
First and second calvers ,nothing.

Has massively reduced clinical milk fever and use of bottles. My understanding is they only give about 12 hours cover.
We do put Mag in water for 3 weeks prior to calving
.

Never tryed a bolus on a cow which is down , always gone for a bottle ( No. 5 40% ) always wondered about chocking if they are down.
If you are getting alot then try a bolus before calving,, but not too long before.
 

easy farming

Member
Livestock Farmer
A calcium bolus contains 10 times more calcium than a bottle contains but is it sufficient to get a cow up which is down with milk fever. I always put a bottle in the vein to get them up quick just incase the bolus is not enough, thoughts please, seems to be milk fever season here with cows calving on grass with no buffer feeding of silage yet as nothing housed and as the weather is good,nothing housed to October possibly
If they are already down it is probably too late for the bolus. As already said mag flakes in water a good prevention, bolus 12- 24 hours before calving if you can be that accurate, we only feed hay in the calving pen.
Have started using the boluses from G Shepherd quite a bit cheaper that Bovikalc and we didn't find a noticeable difference other than they can shatter if they hit concrete when dropped.
 

Martyn

Member
Location
South west
What rate of mag flakes to people use in a 150l trough? Iv never used them befor and don't have many issues with MF but if it prevents the odd one I'm up for trying it.
 
If that runs out, 48 hours later we get retained cleansing
20210911_065155.jpg
 

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