Start your cows on the right foot before calving. Ensuring your calvers are receiving a balanced ration of macro and micro minerals will go a long way to setting them up for a successful season. Energy demands peak as cows move from pregnancy into lactation, and when calvers lack key nutrients, vitamins and minerals in the lead-up to calving you risk metabolic disease, poor milk and fertility, and weaker calves.
A successful transition means the cow will come into lactation with better rumen performance, lowering the risk of metabolic disease and increasing the likelihood of a healthy calf. The transition and early lactation period for calvers require a diet high in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorous, as well as trace elements. Rumen buffers are useful in stabilising rumen pH over this time. The cow’s digestive system must be transitioned to a level where she can digest as much good quality feed as possible during this time to in order to maintain condition, produce milk, and drive the hormones required over the coming months to become pregnant again.
