Sudden Death of Sucklers in This Weather.

cattleman123

Member
Location
devon
Yes Staggers...most buckets are a waste of time...Crystalyx are the best...cows will lick them rather than some of these harder buckets...used for years now...no staggers...Ah someone beat me too it
 
I find that the coos will not stint on consumption if you put out a nice mollassed bucket like Chystalyxx..

IKWYM about feeding supplements in concentrate, but not really on option for some sucklers in many cases.

The trouble with molasses is that stock like sugar and will eat it like sweets. In the blink of an eye they are gone and they aren't cheap these things either. I know 25kg bags of powdered mineral isn't sexy but it really is what it says on the tin, just a case of getting them to eat it.
 

JCB_JCR

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Somerset
Wet and muddy? We've had a few die after spring turn out in a field they could walk through hedges/ muddy ditches. Took us a couple years to work out it was clostridial. So vaccinated this spring. No problems this year....
 

steveR

Member
Mixed Farmer
The trouble with molasses is that stock like sugar and will eat it like sweets. In the blink of an eye they are gone and they aren't cheap these things either. I know 25kg bags of powdered mineral isn't sexy but it really is what it says on the tin, just a case of getting them to eat it.
I have found mineralised mollasses works pouring on straw or hay in situations like the OP has got. But pricey too... I prefer buckets for convenience TBH.
 

Werzle

Member
Location
Midlands
Surely this is exactly the time to offer mag buckets, when staggers risk is high. They are young cows generally in good nick, get a 4 way bolus at turnout which helps keep them right. We have no fertility or health issues and we are feeding them as we always have done. There is still plenty grass and 25 cows will be eating a round bale of straw a day.
It looks like we will just need to get the rest in and hope it turns cooler.
In spring calvers spring turnout into lush high sugar grass is the risk period for staggers and not now in the autumn when grass quality is low . If you have lush grass now i doubt they would be hungry enough to be eating a bale of straw a day either. If you had autumn calvers which would be producing alot more milk i would agree they would be at a much higher risk. If you think it is staggers get some mag flakes in the water tanks asap or if you are really worried and its only 20 odd get them in the crush and give them a bottle under the skin until the mag mins get time to work
 
I have found mineralised mollasses works pouring on straw or hay in situations like the OP has got. But pricey too... I prefer buckets for convenience TBH.

I didn't know you could get molasses with minerals formulated into it. That sounds expensive. I can appreciate the convenience of buckets but I wouldn't be satisfied knowing I was spending the money and not knowing that each beast was getting enough.
 
In spring calvers spring turnout into lush high sugar grass is the risk period for staggers and not now in the autumn when grass quality is low . If you have lush grass now i doubt they would be hungry enough to be eating a bale of straw a day either. If you had autumn calvers which would be producing alot more milk i would agree they would be at a much higher risk. If you think its staggers get some mag flakes in the water tanks asap

Mag chloride flakes in the water is another cheap way of doing it but you will need to dose all available sources of water as I'm not sure it tastes that nice.
 

hagar

Member
The trouble with molasses is that stock like sugar and will eat it like sweets. In the blink of an eye they are gone and they aren't cheap these things either. I know 25kg bags of powdered mineral isn't sexy but it really is what it says on the tin, just a case of getting them to eat it.
Personally I'd rather spend £ on crystalix hi-mag than pay £12-1500 for a replacement.
Mine get couple o pounds hi-mag cobs. mag molasses on straw and tubs.
Regarding amount they ate, 18 coos n calves were eating round bale o straw a day and a crystalix tub lasted them about 2.5 weeks
Have tried other tubs but they didn't touch them, have often wondered if crystalix is more palatable but nae point in having tubs that nothing eats.
 
Personally I'd rather spend £ on crystalix hi-mag than pay £12-1500 for a replacement.
Mine get couple o pounds hi-mag cobs. mag molasses on straw and tubs.
Regarding amount they ate, 18 coos n calves were eating round bale o straw a day and a crystalix tub lasted them about 2.5 weeks
Have tried other tubs but they didn't touch them, have often wondered if crystalix is more palatable but nae point in having tubs that nothing eats.

You are feeding a hi-magnesium cob/roll then? Would that be enough in terms of magnesium per head/day and if so what is the rough cost per head to use them?

Buckets around here are prime badger attracting material and well avoided IMO.
 

Radio

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
Radnorshire
Have also heard with staggers of high potash levels causing problems. It does help if the same field is used before housing to keep the K level low.
 

Optimus

Member
Livestock Farmer
Location
North of Perth
Like a lot of others I'd be guessing at staggers.have lost a few at this time of year to it but not for a good few years now.our springs calvers would take a 80kg tub in 5 days this time of year.group of about 40 cows.
 

hagar

Member
You are feeding a hi-magnesium cob/roll then? Would that be enough in terms of magnesium per head/day and if so what is the rough cost per head to use them?

Buckets around here are prime badger attracting material and well avoided IMO.
Recommended rate is 3lb a head, paid £296 in tote bags last month.
I feed 2lb as there are other mag sources in field (straw molassed and tubs). Possibly overkill but have suffered in the past!!
 

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Red Tractor drops launch of green farming scheme amid anger from farmers

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As reported in Independent


quote: “Red Tractor has confirmed it is dropping plans to launch its green farming assurance standard in April“

read the TFF thread here: https://thefarmingforum.co.uk/index.php?threads/gfc-was-to-go-ahead-now-not-going-ahead.405234/
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