Dairy Business Centre
May 2021 Newsletter 

In this months Newsletter: 

Top Tips for Dry Off 

By now you should have already met with your vet to discuss your dry off plan.
This plan should include:

  • Teat Seal or Antibiotic, or both?
  • Hygiene plan such as: clean shed, clean dry off administers, teat spray
  • Identify cows to be dried off, using Body Condition Scoring, calving date and feed availability.
  • Identify high risk cows and create a plan for each group:
    • Lame cows – Treatment plan, pre and post dry-off
    • Mastitis during the season – Stronger Antibiotics
    • High SCC – Stronger Antibiotics

Other things to consider during dry off:

Weather: If possible, it is recommended to avoid drying off on wet days. This is to prevent rain run-off carrying dirt and other bacteria settling on the teat end potentially increasing chances of dry cow mastitis.

Diet: Appropriately change diet to slow milk production. ie:  increase NDF and decrease protein.

Trained Staff & Recording: Ensure there are enough trained staff to administer the dry cow antibiotic and/or teat seal. Clearly mark cows that have been dried off, update recording program such as MINDA etc..

A successful drying off period will reduce the risk of dry cow mastitis and early spring mastitis.

Why are Winter Minerals Important?

Winter minerals are necessary during the dry period to give the animal a chance to rebuild her mineral stores that were lost during the season. Cows lose their mineral stores through milk production, pregnancy and physiological processes. Diet alone is not enough to restore and rebuild the minerals lost.When minerals are insufficiently supplemented to a pregnant cow, the calf growing inside will source minerals from elsewhere. This leads to the wasting away of muscle and bone, which is often seen two weeks post calving when weight losses are more apparent.

For stock grazed on Fodder Beet, it is important to ensure animals are receiving appropriate phosphorous supplementation. Fodder Beet itself is very low in mineral concentration – particularly Phosphorous. Typically Fodder Beet has 50-70% less Phosphorous concentration than when compared to kale or pasture.

Phosphorous is most frequently associated with infertility, poor milk production and poor appetite and is directly associated with Calcium uptake.

Phosphorous is only able to be utilised by the cow if it is at a 2:1 ratio calcium to phosphorous. The likes of DCP are at a ratio of 18:22. This is not enough Phosphorous supplied at the correct ratio to calcium to adhere to the cows skeletal frame, thus failing to rebuild the cows stores.

With stock having been grazed on beet for multiple seasons, whether they are on it as young stock, dry cow or as a milker, the animals stores are being constantly depleted. Deficiencies are also seen to be carried through to the next generation, with many calves being born P deficient.

For every litre of milk produced, 1g of phosphorous leaves the cows body. The average NZ dairy cow will only have 4.5kg of phosphorous in her body. Diet alone is not enough to fully restore the phosphorous that is lost. 

This winter, all stock grazing on crops such as Kale, Fodder Beet, Rape and pasture need to have a consistent supply of minerals to prevent future health issues this coming season.

Product of the Month

Loose Lick minerals – the easy way to supplement minerals this winter. 

With no added flavouring, DBC Loose Lick’s provide ad-lib availability of minerals to cows that are “Craving” minerals, allowing the animal the ability to self-medicate. DBC Loose Licks are waterproof, minimising wastage.

Formulated at the correct ratios of Calcium: Phosphorous, DBC Loose Licks are designed for maximum absorption and utilisation in your herd.

Ideal for winter mineral supplementation or during the lactation season, the DBC Loose Lick range includes LITE options without trace minerals, high phosphorous (Fodder Beet Loose Lick) and Dairy Loose lick to accommodate for all diets and mineral requirements.

Checkout the video below to see the waterproofing in action.

 
Waterproof, No Wastage, Cost Effective, Bioavailable Minerals
Suitable for all cows this winter.

MAXIMIZE CONTRACTS 

Maximize Calf Pellets Early Bird Contracts are available now !

North Island Clients please get in touch with your DBC contact for delivered price!

Have you heard? DBC are making the change to become a more environmentally friendly company… starting with the packaging our MAXIMIZE Calf Pellets! 

This season DBC are making the transition from plastic bags to paper bags!

DBC’s chosen paper bags are Environmentally Certified, HACCP Certified and Quality Certified.  Meaning they strong, durable, moisture resistant bags that completely decompose within 84 days of composting!

What’s Being Seen in the Field

  • Drying Off  – Ensure you have a drying off plan in place. Drying off determines the success of the animal throughout the dry period, transition and lactation.
  • Winter Milking – Make the most of the higher payout this season and keep an eye on diet changes with pasture and other feeds to ensure peak production is being met and maintained.
  • Winter Feed – Check feed budgets to ensure cows are able to be fully fed this winter. Commodities and silage prices are high this winter, and if crops have fallen behind on budget, fully feeding cows will become expensive if you are not prepared.
  • Winter Minerals – Provide your stock with DBC Loose Lick minerals through the winter! DBC’s mineral range is designed for all stock feed Fodder Beet, Kale, Pasture and other crops! A water proof, cost effective method of efficient mineral supplementation for your herd.
  • Calves and Heifers – Keep feeding quality nutrition to keep young stock growing. Calves and Heifers should be supplemented loose lick minerals to continue supporting their growth and development.

Max-T-Mins + Chromium

DBC’s Water Soluble Minerals 

Trace minerals develop and maintain proper animal functionality such as bone and muscle development, immunity, nerve system function and repair, energy and metabolism pathways and hormone regulation.

Necessary for cattle function, trace minerals are typically cycled through the cow rapidly and need to be replenished/maintained daily.

Getting trace mineral supplementation right for each herd is difficult to achieve. DBC have a new and improved Max-T-Mins formula! Max-T-Mins has been seen to improve cow health and performance within 4 weeks!

Coupled with Organic Liquid Chromium to aid in glucose regulation giving cows more energy to improve production and performance!

Market Update 

The DBC arrow traffic light system is a good indication on the direction the market price is moving and when the time is right to buy.

Currently the global commodity market has increased dramatically over past four months. This significantly influencing the high prices we are seeing today.

PKE
The PKE price is currently increasing due to the limited supply of PKE at origin. The price is still being influenced by freight and the ability to maintain consistent supply into the country.

Protein
Soya Meal pricing is slowlycreeping upward. This is due to the dollar dropping and the drought the U.S is facing. This continues to make traders nervous that this seasons crop is lower in yield than initially anticipated.

Because Soya Meal is the main driver of protein prices globally, this has influenced the price of Canola and Maize DDG price to also increase.

Grains
Due to the predicted increase in milk pay out, grain prices are starting to rise. It has also been implied that there is not the volume of quality grain grown this season, suggesting the price will also increase due to short supplies. If grains such as wheat and/or barley are a part of your business then it is strongly advised to contract your required tonnages sooner rather than later.

For more information on the market or to contract commodities please get in touch with your DBC rep about feed options we can provide to help you through these times.

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