On 21/5/06 4:20 PM, "woolbgone@aol.com" <woolbgone@aol.com>
wrote:
> Hi I am just finishing up a season of dairy farming here in NZ in the
> cantebury region (Fairlie). It has been a tremendous learning experience.
> However, I am still unclear on the mineral needs here. In the states we
feed
> them religiously, and I always assumed it was as much to prevent lack of
> mineral levels from being a limiting factor, as it was to actual prevent
> mineral deficiencies. Here in NZ we added mineral (MgCl,Se, Cu, I) through
the
> dosetron, and spread Mg and Ca (colostrum group) on the grass in front of
the
> cows, but only during calving. Afterwards we dispensed with all mineral
> supplements until here in the fall as we are drying off. We are adding Mg
in
> to prevent grass staggers with cows being held tight to dry them off. Leon,
> are you saying in your e-mail that there is indication that more mineral
> supplementation would be beneficial and economical?
> Margi
Reply
Salt is the main element needed as shown below.
Pastures on coasts can have enough salt, others seldom do.
The following is from the seven pages on Salt and then some on minerals from
25 pages on them in the eBook I'm writng.
Proof of animals needing salt
A survey I did of 21 Waikato dairy farmers showed that drenching with
Solminix or supplying it in the drinking water caused half the herds to have
less mastitis. Supplying a good SMM in the drinking water through an on-line
tank dispenser all year has given production, fertility and health benefits
in many herds.
Symptoms of a sodium deficiency may often be confused with other nutrient
deficiencies or sicknesses. Whitlock et al. (1975) reported an example of
sodium deficiency in lactating Holstein cows. All salt was removed from the
diet. The water contained sodium naturally, giving cows the equivalent of 10
to 15 grams of salt per day. The first signs of sodium deficiency were that
cows showed excessive urination and increased water consumption to
approximately 80 litres a day. During the first year the 45 cow herd dropped
40% in milk production. Reduced feed intake and loss of body condition were
common. If beef cows drop the same their calves will suffer.
Infertility is one of the common problems of heat stressed cattle grazing
low-sodium pastures. In a German (not a hot country) study researchers found
that conception rates of 1,000 cows on 46 farms averaged 51%, but when
supplemented with salt conception rates rose to 70%. Germans say 7 K
(potassium) to 1 Na is ideal, which in pasture would be 2.8% K and 0.4% Na,
but even temperate pastures can only have about 0.2% Na, so more must be
fed. Na in tropical grasses is about half that.
Chiy and Phillips (1991) grazed 24 lactating dairy cows on paddocks where
all, one-half, or none of the perennial ryegrass pasture was fertilised with
salt at the rate of 50 kg/ha. Half of the cows received 50 grams of salt per
day in their concentrate feed. Salt fertilisation increased pasture growth
rate, sodium pasture levels from 0.29% to 0.49% and decreased potassium.
Milk yield and live weight gains were increased by salt fertilisation. When
given an option, cows selectively grazed the salt fertilised pastures.
Ruminating time (improved digestion) increased both by salt fertilisation
and supplementation.
In experiments (Chiy et al., 1993), voluntary intake of perennial ryegrass
fertilised with sodium chloride (salt) increased 12% to 18% for both sheep
and cattle with sodium levels in forage up to 0.6%.
Researchers have known for years that high potassium intakes decrease
magnesium absorption by animals. Chiy and Phillips (1995) showed that
magnesium absorption increased 23% when sodium was added to a high potassium
diet.
Chiy and Phillips (1995) identified four conditions where sodium deficiency
is most likely -
� Lactating livestock which have high sodium losses through milk.
� Growing livestock with high sodium requirement. The body contains 0.2%
sodium and blood serum contains 93% where it regulates blood pH.
� Grazing animals under heat stress conditions where pasture sodium
concentrations are low and there are large losses in sweat.
Another is animals grazing fertilised pastures where potassium levels are
high and sodium is low which is typical on many temperate pastures. When
sodium is lacking and potassium is high, potassium levels in urine increase
which is part of the reason for grass burning. This is accentuated in hot
weather when animals perspire more sodium so have less for other body
activities. Animals trying to rid their bodies of the excess potassium work
their kidneys and livers harder with stressful results. Damaged livers can
fail to cope, so the animals become subject to other problems including
eczema.
The incidence of grass tetany has halved when salt was applied to pastures
grazed by beef cows.
NZ AgResearch trials on sheep in the pumice areas which are very low in Na
gave substantial benefits in using salt. Three Marlborough, South Island
farm trials with ewes gave increased milk production and body weight
recovery after lambing with up to 10% greater weights in Na supplied ewes.
Most of the gain was between tailing and weaning. Their lambs were slightly
heavier at weaning and suffered fewer losses.
1998 NZ AgResearch trials drenching salt at 38 g/cow/day on a sandy pumice
type soil in the middle of the North Island, so far from the sea, so is low
in Na gave a 12.8% increase in milk solids (MS - fat and protein) worth
$130/cow pa at a payout level of $3.78/kg of MS for a cost of $4/cow. See
www.salt.co.nz
NZ peat (USA muck soil) which is 98% raw organic matter are low in sodium.
Pastures where potassium is high are usually low in sodium.
Spreading salt on sodium-deficient South Island hill country pasture may be
a way to help establish new pasture species (R J Aspinall et al. 2004) after
oversowing. Research by Lincoln University students on Mt Grand station,
Hawea, found that sheep were strongly attracted to areas where salt had been
spread.
The colossal ICI Fertiliser Company in the UK added salt to their nitrogen
fertiliser after trials on mineral soils produced more pasture growth and
15% more milk.
When first giving salt to sheep which are low in Na be careful that they
don�t rush it so much that deaths occur from smothering (sheep piling up on
each other). Providing many sources reduces this possibility. If when
supplied animals gorge on it, there is likely to be a benefit in providing
it.
Salt can be safely fed with zinc during facial eczema periods, but if
drenching, salt can close the reticular groove and cause the drench to
by-pass the rumen. When drenching with bloat oils it is particularly
important to be careful of this. Drenching with very cold water can close
the reticular groove even more so than salt, copper, etc. See Animals >
Health > Drenching.
Milking shed drenching doesn't help the young stock, or the cows when they
are dry, which is a time they need it as much as any especially if of sappy
grass during cold wet weather and growing a calf.
A way of achieving this is with a tank dispenser which can have the required
amount of salt (or any water soluble product required) added to the tank
during or after each milking. See the spreadsheet Minerals - Soluble
Feeding.
As with any supplement, care must be taken to avoid sudden changes which can
cause animals to "crash".
1% salt is the recommended amount in totally mixed rations (TMR) for most
animals. Where pasture is grazed and grain mixes fed, a higher percentage
salt is recommended with the grain
In Mid-West USA I�ve seen grazing cattle with chronically low sodium
symptoms.
End
Other necessary elements depend on the soil.
Between 1984 an 1987 while farming on peat and clay I developed Solminix, a
soluble mineral mix (SMM) for feeding to animals in their drinking water. I
sold the recipe to DeLaval. It was so successful that visitors and vets to
farms using it would comment on the healthy look of the cows that held their
heads higher and had excellent sheen and conception rates. Trials I did
while rearing two lots of 80 calves to yearlings showed that those getting
Solminix ate less pasture, grew faster and needed less parasite control.
New Zealand AgResearch woke up to what I�d been saying and succeeding with
in 1985 when we reared 160 calves each year and fed minerals to 80 and none
to 80, while they were all grazing correctly fertilised pastures. Those
getting Solminix in their water needed almost no drenching, ate less pasture
and grew faster so the minerals cost nothing.
NZ AgResearch scientists visited our farm in 1985 and 86, but ignored what I
told them and what they saw in the healthier bigger animals. In 2005 they at
last discovered that the sheep worm problem of resistance to drenches had
been aggravated by repeated over-drenching sheep each time they scour, when
the scouring was often caused by mineral deficiencies - not parasites.
The 5% of top NZ farmers who get their mineral balance right have few animal
health problems and fewer hoof problems. Clients Ian and Paul McDonald at
Patetonga in the Waikato calve 600 cows with only one milk fever case - the
same cow each year.
Solminix has been analysed and copied by companies in NZ and overseas.
A vet company analysed Solminix so see what made it so good and then made
their own, but got a few things wrong because they didn�t know that cobalt
and copper analyses figures needed four and five times more because the
sulphate versions used in water are not pure cobalt or pure copper.
When DeLaval first marketed Solminix in 1988, vets from all over the country
would phone me and ask �What is in it that makes animals look so healthy?� I
suppose they were suffering from the same as doctors and dentists - their
several years of training included only about half a day on minerals and
health, while 99% of their time was studying drugs with information mostly
supplied by the drug manufacturers.
A semen salesman noticed in his eastern Waikato area that some herds bloomed
health, while some were shaggy and sick. He started inquiring and found out
that the shiny herds were on my clients� farms and were using Solminix and
trace element fertilising. He then asked me to help on his farm.
Unfortunately some vets attacked Solminix as being �expensive salt�, etc.,
especially when their clients got them out to their farms only a few times a
year instead of several times a month as many did before using Solminix.
There are twice as many vets in the Waikato now as there were 30 years ago,
but fewer livestock, so they have to depend on the selling side of their
businesses. Some even sell pasture seed and more are doing complete farm
consulting, which is good, because they are then at the top of the cliff,
instead of at the bottom. They also then see the whole farm and herd, not
just the sick ones.
If there was only one element I could feed with pasture, it would be salt,
because pasture, except on the coasts where sea winds and rain cover pasture
with it, can�t get or take up enough of it, whereas with fertilising, most
other elements can be increased in pastures. Grasses in the tropics won�t
take up salt irrespective of how much is applied to the soil, animals
perspire heavily, so need salt.
Obviously, saline soils should not have salt applied.
Successful organic farmers who can�t drench with chemicals against internal
parasites are learning that getting the pasture mineral balances right and
feeding the minerals allowed are essential. The organic organisations have a
long way to go in approving SMMs and trace element fertilisers such as the
health giving slow release Selcote Ultra selenium. They approved fast
release ones that shoot the pasture levels right up for a few months which
is not good and then run out which is bad.
Some organic farmers would like to not fertilise at all and not feed
minerals at all. If they farmed one stock unit per hectare on weedy pastures
they might get away with it, but with today�s land prices those days are
gone.
Best wishes,
Vaughan Jones
Hamilton
New Zealand
