Pre-calver nutrition is the starting point for reducing empty rates and milk fever cases for next season. Chris Stephens, Team Lead of Nutrition at SealesWinslow, says that with herds drying off, the focus is now on building body condition and getting mineral levels right before the start of calving. 

He says that cows that go into calving in poor condition cycle less reliably, and the cost shows up when it is too late to fix them.

Milk fever starts with mineral deficiency in primarily calcium, he says, with magnesium and phosphorus also playing a part. Pre-calver pellets address those requirements in the lead-up to calving while supporting development.

"It starts right before the cow's even calved... when everything comes through to mating itself, the cows’ had many, many days' opportunity to be in peak condition."

Getting the diet right means knowing what is actually in it. Stephens says SealesWinslow uses a modelling system called Ruminix, which takes in all available feed on a farm alongside targets for growth rate, condition, size and milk yield, then identifies gaps in protein, starch or dry matter.

"We delve down into where the problem lies, so that we can actually help fix it."

He says their solution is built around what each farm needs, rather than a standard package. Where gaps exist, SealesWinslow can supply customised pellets, blends, high-energy straights like soybean meal, or paddock-fed options such as palm kernel, depending on the farm system. 

The dry period is the right time to go back through last season's data. Fat-to-protein ratios and milk levels point to where the diet fell short, and whether the fix is adjusting protein, adding bypass fat or changing mineral rates before calving arrives.

With the current milk payout front of mind for many farmers, he says now is the time to act.

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