Ruminlix BoviMin 365 and MasterVet Bolus
Combined mineral treatments from Nutribio make positive difference on Co. Mayo suckler farm.
Suckling is a high risk business: the sustainability of the venture is totally dependent on the cow rearing one calf successfully each year. This is a principle which Co. Mayo man Michael Mitchell is more than happy to espouse.
Currently managing a herd of 30 high quality suckler cows near Castlebar, he is quick to point out that only quality calves will get the premium price required to make the books balance at the end of the year.
“Quite a number of men in this area have gotten out of suckling over recent years,” he said.
“But the cows suit my farm and I have invested a lot of time and energy in developing the type of herd that can maximise calf quality and output from grazed grass and silage.
Use of AI on farm
Key to the attainment of this objective has been Michael’s exclusive use of artificial insemination on the cows.
“It’s a DIY operation, AI works well, given the fragmented nature of the farm. But it also ensures that I am crossing the cows with proven sires. Over recent years, I have used a mix of Limousin, Simmental & Parthenaise bulls. This allows me to breed the type of replacement heifer that I need and quality beef calves for market. All calves are sold shortly after weaning at around 7 months of age. The herd is split between spring and autumn calvers. Again this suits the layout of the farm and my own time availability. Fundamentally the system has been developed to allow me make best use of grass.”
Trace Element imbalances
Tying in with all of this is Michael’s commitment to re-seed regularly and to soil test accordingly. But as every farmer knows, every business has its challenge. In the case of Michael this has presented itself in the form of key soil trace element imbalances. “We are in a high Molybdenum area, with the result that Copper is locked up. There would have been Selenium deficiency issues to deal with up until this year. We have also had Iodine deficiency problems to deal with in the past.”
Working closely with his local Nutribio representative David Wilson, Michael is successfully addressing these mineral imbalance issues. The plan put in place has centred on the use of Master Vet High Trace boluses in tandem with RuminLix Bovimin 365 mineral buckets. “The boluses help replace necessary trace minerals during times of increased demand. They contain Copper, Cobalt, Iodine, Selenium and Zinc. Each bolus lasts for six months. As Michael is quick to confirm, “the boluses are easy to administer and they stay in place.
They have played an important role in allowing me to keep on top of the mineral imbalances in the grass and silages produced on the farm.”
Use of complementary products
Complementing the MasterVet Boluses is the use of Nutribio’s RuminLix Bovimin 365 mineral buckets. They represent a year round source of essential minerals for all the stock on the farm.
“The buckets are extremely palatable. They were launched over a year ago and I have made them available to the cows and calves continually since then. The biggest challenge on the farm is that of keeping sufficient body condition on the cows throughout the year. To make this happen I need to provide high quality forages and to ensure that their mineral balance is correct. And to this end, the use of the MasterVet Boluses and the RuminLix Bovimin 365 buckets have made a very positive difference.”
For more information on these products or for advice on how to manage your herd, please call (021) 450 7303 or visit http://www.nutribio.ie