I must admit I struggle with the mineral supplementation thing ---- I have places that suffer from low mineral levels and sheep that show symptoms ---particularly Cobalt deficiency
I monitor this in various ways---bloods/PM/soil & grass analysis/visual appraisal and so I am pretty sure of the problems I face
mainly Cobalt deficiency (some Se too)
So in the past i have done a small trial on a mob of 140 ewes. I bolused 1/2 the ewes and their lambs ...monitored FEC, growth and mineral status (bloods) over the next 10 weeks and found no difference between the two groups (all sheep in 1 mob in the same field ) --- in fact the untreated group had a slightly higher growth rate!
This year I have bolused ewes pre-lambing (different bolus) and will blood test lambs (but at 4 weeks they are starting to show signs---scabby ears etc)
So I am not sure where to go with it ----I know it's affecting performance on one farm
I guess I have to supplement the lambs somehow but with past results I am not that confident
I monitor this in various ways---bloods/PM/soil & grass analysis/visual appraisal and so I am pretty sure of the problems I face
mainly Cobalt deficiency (some Se too)
So in the past i have done a small trial on a mob of 140 ewes. I bolused 1/2 the ewes and their lambs ...monitored FEC, growth and mineral status (bloods) over the next 10 weeks and found no difference between the two groups (all sheep in 1 mob in the same field ) --- in fact the untreated group had a slightly higher growth rate!
This year I have bolused ewes pre-lambing (different bolus) and will blood test lambs (but at 4 weeks they are starting to show signs---scabby ears etc)
So I am not sure where to go with it ----I know it's affecting performance on one farm
I guess I have to supplement the lambs somehow but with past results I am not that confident