The Importance Of An Autumn Magnesium Supply
There are only a few days left until October, which can be one of the most dangerous months in the year for cattle when Grass Staggers (Hypomagnesaemia) can occur on any farm across the UK.
The risk of staggers is high when we get wet weather, cooler nights and high rainfall that create the conditions for continued grass growth, which is low in nutrients but high in water content. An imbalance in nutrients, especially magnesium cannot be avoided in such situations, especially if the grass is the main source of minerals with no additional supplement being on offer.
The incidents of staggers most commonly occurs in mature, lactating cows that are being grazed at grass, when the milk yield is high but the grass is low in magnesium and energy. The application of fertiliser, following a late cut of silage for instance, can also have an effect, as high levels of potassium can restrict the uptake of magnesium by the grass. High levels of nitrogen and potassium can also interfere with magnesium absorption in the animal's digestive system.
Often the first sign of Hypomagnesaemia is sudden death; finding a high yielding dairy cow or a suckler cow with a calf at foot, dead can be the first sight to greet a stockman in a morning.
Sometimes a cow will show symptoms before death, she will be increasingly nervous, will shake, walk stiffly and when she collapses her legs and feet will 'paddle' and her head will be held back.
The fact is that although this is often looked at as an individual cow problem it needs a whole herd solution.
Any incidence in the herd will mean that magnesium levels are low in the entire herd, with only one or two animals, in the first instance, exhibiting major symptoms. In other herd members there will be evidence of sub-clinical disease, they will be increasingly nervous, they may appear difficult to handle, milk production will be lower and there may be weight loss amongst the herd.
Millions of pounds are lost to the cattle industry, every year, through the incidents of grass staggers and the deaths caused by it. Surprisingly high when the methods of preventing the disease are so easy to introduce and so cost effective.
As they cannot store an easily available form of magnesium adult cattle are totally dependant upon dietary sources to satisfy their day-to-day requirements and to meet any sudden increases in demand especially at times of stress. Therefore they should have continually available readily absorbed, palatable sources of magnesium.
Neglecting the cow's requirement for magnesium at these high-risk times during the year can be expensive and yet the problem can be so easily solved by making magnesium available in the most appropriate form to all cattle. Either as liquids, solid molassed tubs or by enhanced levels in bagged minerals.
