ANIMAL MANAGEMENT
Maintain vital trace element levels to support stock health Selenium is a trace element that is vital for normal metabolism and is necessary for growth and fertility. It is estimated that over 30% of pastures in New Zealand will not provide an adequate selenium intake for grazing livestock3.
As with all selenised products, it is recommended not to use it at the same time as any other selenised fertiliser, prill or product without seeking advice from your animal health advisor and you should not exceed the stated dose volume or frequency.
with selenium in a single injection, with
Severe selenium deficiency can lead to ewe infertility and white muscle disease, where lambs are weak or unable to stand. More commonly seen effects, even in cases of marginal deficiency, are ill-thrift, lowered wool production, scouring and poor lamb growth rates. Young growing sheep are the most susceptible to selenium deficiency.
Along with selenium, cobalt is a critical trace element that is required by ruminants to synthesise vitamin B12 in the rumen. Vitamin B12 is an important component of several different enzymes that are necessary in ruminants for energy production and growth, however a NZ study indicated the cobalt requirement of sheep is met by only 54% of pastures6.
A recent Wairarapa tailing trial2
The recommended dose rate of selenium for sheep is 0.1-0.2mg/ kg liveweight4. Where selenium supplementation is indicated, 2mg is the optimal dose for 10-20 kg lambs, while 5mg is appropriate for sheep 25kg and heavier5.
Young sheep are the most susceptible to cobalt deficiency and signs can include depression of appetite leading to poor growth rates, watery discharge from eyes, poor wool production and white ‘washy’ looking wool, anaemia and increased perinatal mortality. Sometimes the only sign may be reduced weight gain with the development of a tail end of unthrifty lambs.
for the future.
To help maintain healthy levels of trace elements and minerals, New Zealand’s leading 5-in-1 vaccine1 just got even better! With the addition of MULTINE® B12 Selenised to the trusted and proven MULTINE 5-in-1 range of products, there is now a suitable option for all sheep farmers and classes of stock.
| Severe selenium deficiency can lead to white muscle disease.
WWW.FARMLANDS.CO.NZ
MULTINE B12 Selenised (2mg of selenium) and MULTINE 5-in-1 Selenised (5mg of selenium) contain sodium selenate and have the convenience of a great 5-in-1 vaccine
or without a 2mg dose of vitamin B12, should it be required Depending on your requirements for selenium and B12, vaccination can start at tailing with either MULTINE B12 Selenised, MULTINE B12 or MULTINE. demonstrated that in lambs born to ewes vaccinated at pre-lamb, and with good colostral transfer of antibodies, there was no detrimental effect to the lamb’s immune response when vaccination with MULTINE started at tailing. Alternatively, vaccination can start at weaning, with a booster 4-6 weeks later so the animals are set up For further information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by MSD animal Health References: 1.
Baron Audit Data, June 2020
2.
Moffat, J; Bruere, S. Vaccination against clostridial disease in maternally derived antibody positive lambs; a randomised, non-inferiority field trial in twin lambs. MSD data on file, awaiting publication
3.
Beef and lamb NZ Trace Element Nutrition of Sheep March 2020
4.
Suttle, N.F and Underwood, E.J. (1999) The mineral nutrition of livestock. 3rd ed, 451-453
5.
West D, Bruere, N and Ridler A (2009). “The Sheep, Health, Disease and Production”. Massey University Press p138, 200
6.
Grace, ND; Knowles, SO & Nortjé, R (2014) Vitamin B12 status and the effects of vitamin B12 supplementation during the first year of life of spring calves from pasture-fed dairy herds, New Zealand Veterinary Journal, 62:5, 274-278
ACVM No’s: A934, A935, A11311, A11766. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Phone 0800 800 543 www.msd-animal-health.co.nz NZ_MUL2008000004 ©2020 Intervet International B.V. All Rights Reserved. Competitor vaccine: ACVM No: A3585.
Farmlands Co-operative Society Limited | © November 2020. All rights reserved.
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