3 critical tips for

making the most of your

herd precalving

Nutrition and
management will
curb disease.
Many of the diseases and disorders associated with calving (listed below) have
economic consequences which reach far into lactation.
vv Milk fever
vv Ketosis
vv Retained foetal membrane metritis
vv Mastitis
vv Displaced abomasum
The incidence and severity of these disorders can be significantly reduced by
improving nutrition and management during the dry and transition phases.
Prior to dry-off, it is important that cattle are in good condition, with an average
condition score of between 5-5.5. Drying off too lean or overweight can lead to an
increase in calving disorders and a reduction in reproductive performance during
the following lactation.
As a guide, check cow condition scores 200 days into lactation. It is at this stage
that decisions need to be made to ensure the herd is dried off in the correct
condition.
If cows are too light at this stage and will not achieve a condition score of 5-5.5 at
dry-off, consult Kober.
During the dry period (between drying off and 21 days prior to calving), ensure
that cattle have sufficient nutrition (including energy, protein, vitamins and
minerals) to maintain condition and grow the pre-natal calf.

P: 03 5480 7087
F: 03 5480 7027

www.kober.com.au

Diet, energy and

the transition cow.
Dry cows
During this period a ration of Anipro, pasture and hay can often provide enough
nutrition to meet the needs of your cattle. It also reduces the feast or famine
effect that is often seen during the dry phase.
Anipro is a palatable, consumption controlled NPN, mineral and vitamin
supplement. When provided during the dry phase, Anipro allows cattle to better
utilise poorer forages, therefore maintaining weight during this critical time.

Springing cows
21 days prior to calving cows enter the Transition Phase. The key objectives of the
transition phase diet are to:
vv Sustain feed intake.
vv Ensure energy requirements are met. During the last 3 weeks of gestation
energy requirements increase significantly. Energy is required for maintaining
condition, colostrum production, stress recovery and immunity.
vv Balance dietary electrolytes, or, cations and anions (DCAD). Electrolytes play a
major role in reducing calving related disorders such as milk fever.
vv Provide vitamins and minerals essential for many metabolic and physiological
processes including colostrum production, stress recovery and immunity.
vv Transition the rumen to the lactation diet.
vv A good transition diet should include soluble energy, digestible fibre,
protein, minerals, vitamins and anionic salts. A combination of a pre-calving
supplement such as Prelac, with grain and hay is a great mix.

P: 03 5480 7087
F: 03 5480 7027

www.kober.com.au

Grain is good.
In most situations, fibre can be supplied in the form of average quality hay or
straw. These should be available ad libitum throughout the transition phase.
Energy can easily be supplied by including a portion of grain to the diet.
Minerals, vitamins and anionic salts can be included in several ways. In the past,
the most common way has been to include these within the grain ration. However
this can lead to rations becoming distasteful, leading to the animals refusing to
consume them, and thus missing out on the benefits. It can also be difficult to
ensure that all animals are able to receive sufficient quantity in open feeding
situations.
Prelac is a palatable liquid supplement designed to provide cows with
supplementary levels of essential vitamins, minerals and anionic salts during the
Transition Phase. With a DCAD of-2600Meq/KgDM*, Prelac is a highly effective
means of ensuring calcium mobilisation and therefore reducing milk fever
incidence.
Prelac is also formulated to supply extra Zinc (Zn), Cobalt (Co), Copper
(Cul,Manganese (Mn) and Selenium (Sel) as Organic Trace Mineral (OTM). OTMs
are high available and assist to support essential metabolic processes during this
stressful period.
Summarising 40 years of OTM research shows that cattle supplemented with an
OTM 365 days of the year conceive 23 days earlier, have a 15-70% reduction in
SCC, suffer from less white line disease and produce 1-2 litres extra milk per day
throughout lactation.
*DCAD calculated using the formula recommended by Dairy Australia for
managing transition cows ((Lean, I and Degaras, P (2011). DCAD (mEq/kgDM) =
(Na+ + K+) - (Cl- +S2-)).
Prelac utilises HCl (Hydrochloric Acid) which drives a stronger dietary DCAD than
the anionic agents routinely used in most other transition supplements (ie lead
feeds}.
At Kober, were all about Agricultural Intelligence. How do we make things
better? How can we improve our results from previous years by working smarter
rather than just longer? If youd like to reap the benefits of Kobers Agricultural
Intelligence, talk to us today.

8.5
8.0

Urine pH

7.5
7.0
6.5
6.0
0

HCI

NH4 Chloride
(Ammonium
Chloride)

P: 03 5480 7087
F: 03 5480 7027

www.kober.com.au

Calcium
Chloride

Sulphuric
Acid

Calcium
Sulphate
(Gypsum)

Magnesium
Sulphate
(Epsom Salts)

Elemental
Sulphur

29-35 Cornelia Creek Road

Echuca VIC 3564
PO Box 725
Echuca VIC 3564
P: 03 5480 7087
F: 03 5480 7027

www.kober.com.au