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Fertility & reproduction

Good reproduction isn’t just getting cows in‑calf; it’s keeping them in‑calf. Metabolic stress, nutrition gaps and disease often drive early pregnancy loss, delayed cycling and poor conception. Cows need consistent energy, protein and the right balance of macro minerals (calcium, magnesium, phosphorus) and micro minerals (zinc, copper, manganese, selenium, iodine), plus targeted trace nutrients (chromium, boron) at key times to carry pregnancies to term. This page is your quick guide to when risks appear, what to do now, what to watch, and how to match mineral delivery to your system. 

Talk to your Agvance consultant to build a herd‑specific plan.

Jump to

Timing & risk windows
What to do this week
What to monitor
Matching products to your system
FAQs
Products

Timing and risk windows

Springer (pre‑calving)

What’s happening: The cow grows the eggs that will form her first post‑calving cycles.

Main risks: Poor feed quality or low mineral supply undermines egg development and future cyclicity.

Focus: Quality feed, full mineral coverage and extra Chromium (7-9 mg) and B (~100 mg) where needed.

Calving (start of cycling)

What’s happening: Cows begin to cycle; strong heats indicate good function.

Main risks: Insufficient energy/rumen fill, mineral shortfalls, poor colostrum quality.

Focus: DCAD and calcium management, maintain ME and protein, ensure minerals reach cows (consider higher iodine for heat strength).

Peak milk (mating onset)

What’s happening: Cows approach mating as pasture quality changes.

Main risks: Low DM and energy density, rumen instability, reduced milk fat and conception drivers.

Focus: Feed testing, energy topping, rumen buffers/yeast, and continued full mineral coverage.

3–8 weeks post‑mating (implantation window)

What’s happening: Embryo either implants or is lost.

Main risks: Inconsistent feed/mineral supply and metabolic stress during this critical period increase early pregnancy loss.

Focus: Maintain consistent feed quality, use feed test data to balance minerals and manage rumen health.

Post‑mating (pregnancy maintenance)

What’s happening: Embryo development and fetal growth.

Main risks: Ongoing nutrient shortfalls or heat stress affecting retention.

Focus: Maintain quantity/quality of feed, tailor minerals from test results, keep chromium for heat stress support where needed.

What to do this week

  • Review herd calendar and flag cows in each key reproductive window (springers, fresh, peak‑milk, 3-8 weeks post‑mating).
  • Pull BCS by mob; prioritise light cows, late lactation cows and repeat breeders for targeted plans.
  • Get a feed test if you haven’t recently – base mineral decisions on what cows actually eat.
  • Walk mobs daily for metritis, lameness, mastitis or poor heat expression; treat and record promptly.
  • Discuss sampling and targeted mineral strategies with your vet/nutritionist (blood/liver testing and tailored supplements).

What to monitor

On‑farm observations

  • Heat expression and return‑to‑oestrus timing; bulling activity and AI timing.
  • Vaginal discharge, retained foetuses and signs of uterine infection.
  • Milk components (fat %), appetite, rumen fill and dung consistency through feed shifts.
  • Lameness and mastitis incidence affecting submission rates.

 

On‑paper / records

  • Days to first service, submission rate, conception per service and 6‑week in‑calf rates by mob.
  • BCS trends from calving through breeding.
  • Feed test results, milk component trends and any blood/liver mineral test outcomes.
  • Treatment and reproductive exam records (metritis, cysts, pregnancy checks).

Matching products to your system

Choose delivery methods you can manage reliably; product choice follows the nutrition and risk profile of the mob.

Dusted onto daily supplement (good when cows get silage, straw or PKE every day and you want even coverage)

  • Matrix Rumen Buffer: An advanced rumen buffer formulated to stabilise rumen pH and help prevent subacute ruminal acidosis (SARA) in high-performing dairy cows and beef cattle. It is suited to feeding systems where higher-starch diets, rapidly fermentable feeds or low effective fibre can put rumen function under pressure. 
  • Premium Milkers Premix with Zinc: Delivers a comprehensive mineral formulation rich in calcium, magnesium, and phosphorus, with the required levels of zinc to guard against facial eczema while supporting New Zealand’s dairy cows through the lactation period.

 

Controlled in‑feed premixes (best when cows are fed in‑shed (TMR/meal), and you need precise daily dosing for close‑up or breeding groups)

  • Optiprill Performance: A well-balanced early to late lactation mineral supplement. Containing good levels of calcium, magnesium, sodium and trace minerals incorporated into a prill using a clever combination of additives and machinery, finished with a layer of molasses to aid in palatability.

 

Water‑soluble dosing (rapid delivery to a group if water systems are reliable and dosing is accurate. Useful for short-term targeted boosts.

 

Targeted individual treatments

  • Boluses, injectable trace elements or drench protocols for identified high‑risk cows under vet guidance.

 

Mineral bioavailability matters. Work with your vet and nutritionist to prioritise which mobs need group vs individual approaches and to base formulations on feed analysis and test results.

FAQs

When are cows most at risk of losing a pregnancy?
  • The critical window is 3–8 weeks after mating (implantation). Metabolic stress and mineral shortfalls during this time increase early pregnancy loss.
  • Macro: calcium, phosphorus and magnesium. Micros: selenium, zinc, copper, manganese, iodine and cobalt. Chromium and boron can be helpful around calving and early cycling.
  • Start with feed testing and targeted blood or liver sampling coordinated with your vet/nutritionist to identify specific gaps.
  • Often not — lush spring pasture can be low in key minerals. Supplementation based on feed tests is usually necessary to maintain pregnancies.

 Clinical improvements (better heat expression, fewer uterine cases) may show in weeks; herd‑level conception gains typically take months and require sustained management and monitoring.

Talk to your Agvance Consultant to build a tailored reproductive nutrition plan and set up testing or product supply.

Recommended products

Have more questions or ready to order?

Your Agvance Consultant can help you set up a loose lick plan that matches your system and the time of year. Get in touch today. Ready to order? Simply head to My Account, log in or register, and complete your order online.

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