Magnesium Deficiency In August!

[Saffy]

I thought I would just scare everyone by letting you know that this evening we had a heifer calf with Magnesium Deficiency! She is 5 months old.

We have still been feeding Suckler Cow Rolls, that are High Mag but in a smaller quantity than in spring and autumn - about half the advised amount.

I thought it must be something else but the symptoms were classic, so I gave her about half a pot of magnesium, crossed my fingers and 10 minutes later up she got. Not sure how much to give a 5 month dexter calf but there wasn't time to find out.

Stephanie

[Rob R]

Perhaps it is the high-mag supplementation that has caused the problem, by creating a higher tolerance in the animals? I've never had to treat a Dexter with it, never mind a calf. We had some copper deficiency problems a few years back, but it turned out, when tested, to be an excess of molybdenum, rather than lack of copper, causing the issue.

[Saffy]

Rob R I think you have been lucky, with my dairy herd I could go years and not get a case - then bang one would go down and be throwing herself about. I think it is vital to have a bottle of magnesium and a flutter valve in the veterinary cupboard just in case, as there is unlikely to be time to call the vet, get the vet there and treat the cow before she dies.

As soon as the mag had trickled into the calf the other day I rang the vet for a visit, just in case it wasn't mag def and was told they had another case of a calf this week where they don't feed high mag food. In fact she advised high mag food or adding to the water if there is no other source of water.

Also this calf isn't eating as much as the others, only coming along once the others have finished and getting maybe one roll but only if there is one left - my fault, I should have been more careful but I didn't really think a calf would get it, however I am PARTICULARLY good at learning the hard way!!!

Stephanie

[Broomcroft]

Stephanie

What's a flutter valve? I give mag subcut with a syringe.

[Saffy]

A flutter valve is an orange flexible pipe with a larger bit on one end to fit over the top of the bottle and a smaller bit on the other end to fit into the needle that is supplied with it, the flutter bit regulates the speed that the fluid goes down the pipe. I find it so useful as you just put the large end over the bottle top hold the bottle upside down and the whole bottle trickles in, no need to fiddle about getting it into a syringe.

Stephanie

[Tim Watson]

I am now concerned how much my calves are getting as well as they tend to be pushed out. Is there something like a lamb creep feeder for calves ? Lets little noses in and keeps the big ones out?

[Rob R]

I am now concerned how much my calves are getting as well as they tend to be pushed out. Is there something like a lamb creep feeder for calves ? Lets little noses in and keeps the big ones out?

Yes, there are creep feeders available for just about any animal, it tends to be a case of letting the whole animal in, just like a bigger version of lamb creeps.

Regarding hypomagnesaemia - the last cow I had, or thought I had, with it, a Kerry, was down & not able to get up, having shown the usual symptoms (though she does show some of the symptoms at the best of times), so we rushed round to our neighbours (a dairy farm) for some Mg & Ca, came back & knelt down next to her with the flutter valve & she promptly got up and walked off not letting us near her! Strange animals, Kerry's (particularly that one!).

[Broomcroft]

I am now concerned how much my calves are getting as well as they tend to be pushed out. Is there something like a lamb creep feeder for calves ? Lets little noses in and keeps the big ones out?

I've got one of these Tim, an IAE calf creep-feeder.....Cost me about £725 new three year ago. But maybe you can make something. Needs to be VERY strong. You just adjust the height of the bar to let only the calves in. Might give those with short-leg Dexters a problem though

[Saffy]

We have now given our calves magnesium boluses to be on the safe side and upped the high mag suckler rolls for the rest of the herd.

Stephanie