Plan 365 March 2018 by Farmlands

MARCH 2018

RURAL INFRASTRUCTURE

NUTRITION

FORAGE AND ARABLE

HORTICULTURE

ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

DAIRY MANAGEMENT

Plan 365 is a technical guide aimed at helping shareholders learn about best practice and the latest advancements in rural technology.

NUTRITION

New technology enables exceptional management In pursuit of one of Farmlands’ key objectives – to ensure shareholder success by fostering innovation – the co-operative has recently become a national supplier of Allflex Animal Monitoring systems.

ruminate – for any given diet, an

Individual cow monitoring via collars and pedometers has been around for some time but the latest generation of sensors are now so small they can be housed in an ear tag. Predominantly purchased to identify when cows are cycling or to generate an alert in the event of ill-health, Farmlands is supporting their use because they offer nutritional benefits via their ability to measure rumination activity for individual cows or group of cows, which provides new ways to measure how the diet is affecting cows in real-time.

rather blunt measurement with a long

A major challenge for rationing pasturebased cows is that it is very difficult to know what they are actually eating on any particular day. Ruminants

large, the same diet eaten by a group of

accurate measurement of how many minutes per day cows are ruminating can reveal how well each cow is doing compared to her peers. One might imagine that rumination activity is a lag, but rumination times respond very quickly to changes in the diet. More is not always better – simply adding straw to increase rumination times may not improve animal performance or health – but for any particular diet there is an optimum level of rumination, which if not reached or exceeded by some cows could indicate a problem. Rumination time can be especially useful to know when the diet is changed – especially during transition periods and post-calving. By-andcows should generate the same result in terms of rumination times, barring differences in dry matter intake related

to the size of the animal. In practice, New Zealand farmers have found that rumination times can be restricted when cows are forced to graze to low residual levels and milk production per hectare can be increased by changing grazing management. Whilst there is no optimum rumination target, if rumination times can be lifted and production rises at the same time it would seem reasonable to conclude that intakes had been limiting production. If some cows are struggling to increase intake whilst in the colostrum mob, rumination times will give a clear indication when appetite has increased sufficiently for them to enter the main herd. If transition onto crops is not going well, clinical symptoms will eventually alert people to the problem but rumination activity will react much more quickly and indicate where diet or management changes are required. I have been fortunate recently to be able to spend some time studying the Allflex Animal Monitoring system and what I really like is the concept of management by exception. Very detailed data can be collected every 20 minutes from a huge herd of cows but the information it creates is filtered and presented in such a way that farmers can focus on the exceptions rather than the norm. They present a very practical way in which innovation can be used to improve success. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Dr. Rob Derrick, Nutritionist, Farmlands.

| Waikato dairy farmer Kevin van der Poel is pleased with the results achieved on his farm from use of the Allflex system.

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NUTRITION

Feed your hens well for healthy eggs Eggs are the perfect food. They are naturally nutritious and have even been called nature’s multivitamin, as they provide a range of essential vitamins and trace minerals. In their book, Commercial Poultry Nutrition, Professors Leeson and Summers from the University of Guelph estimated that two eggs provide as much as 25 percent of the daily requirements of vitamin A and 30 percent of the daily requirement for riboflavin, an important B vitamin, for an adult human.

Nutrient

Two eggs supply the following of an adult’s daily requirement (%)

Protein

Energy

Calcium

Phosphorus

Iron

Vitamin A

Vitamin D3

Thiamin

Riboflavin

Niacin

From Leeson and Summers, 2005.

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But levels of these essential nutrients present in eggs can and do vary, with the amount of the different nutrients often depending on the amount of these essential nutrients present in the feed that the hens are consuming. Recognising the importance of these essential trace elements and vitamins to the health of both the hen and her egg-consuming owner, NRM Peck ‘n Lay ration contains a comprehensive vitamin and trace mineral pre-mix designed to provide optimum levels of these essential nutrients. While vitamins may be present in some of the feeds consumed by free-ranging poultry, there is considerable variation in the amount available to the bird due to inherent variation in levels in plants, as well as destruction of vitamins over time by physical and chemical agents. Feeding a quality balanced feed like NRM Peck ‘n Lay helps to ensure that birds obtain all the necessary vitamins to help support health and wellbeing, as well as egg production. Eggs also contain large amounts of lutein and zeaxanthin, two antioxidants which play a role in limiting the degenerative processes that cause our eyesight to deteriorate as we age. The use of natural pigments extracted from marigolds and paprika in NRM Peck ‘n Lay provide a rich

source of both lutein and zeaxanthin, ensuring that hens produce eggs with rich, golden yolks high in both of these essential antioxidants. Regardless of the quality and quantity of nutrients provided in the feed, the amount of those nutrients that a hen can absorb will be limited if she has poor gut health. Some of the first indications that a hen is suffering from poor gut health may include diarrhoea or sticky dropping, or even a reduction in the colour of the yolk produced by an otherwise healthy hen. Many factors can affect gut health in poultry, from the presence of pathogens such as worms, to antinutritional factors such as complex carbohydrates that are difficult for poultry to digest and which are found in feeds such as wheat and barley. Manufactured from high quality ingredients, NRM Peck ‘n Lay contains specially selected enzymes that help to increase the digestibility of the feed, and added organic acids and essential oils to help support gut health. View easy recipes and tips on how to prepare perfect eggs at www.eggs.org.nz For more information, pick up a copy of the NRM Chook Book or talk to the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Natalie Chrystal, Nutritionist, NRM.

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NUTRITION

Mineral nutrition in late lactation With autumn upon us, most dairy farmers will be starting to make decisions about when to start drying off, with body condition at front of mind. Thanks to considerable research both within New Zealand and internationally, it is clear that body condition score at calving plays a significant role in ensuring a productive lactation, including influencing the incidence of metabolic disease, milk production and reproductive success. Yet while our focus over the next few months is on managing cow body weight and condition, we tend to forget that the mineral status of the cow from drying off through to calving will also play an important role in determining the success of the subsequent lactation, as well as the health and wellbeing of the next generation of cows. In a similar manner to cows drawing on body condition in early lactation to provide much needed energy for milk production, American researchers (Ellenberger et al., 1931) estimated that cows in early lactation lose as much as 800 to 1,300g of calcium from their bones to support milk production in a process known as lactational osteoperosis. If the cow is to be able to repeat this in subsequent lactations, then bone calcium reserves need to be replenished during the last 20 to 30 weeks of lactation and over the dry

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period â&#x20AC;&#x201C; with cows estimated to require as much as an additional 8g per day of absorbed calcium during this period over and above her requirements for maintenance and milk production. Because calcium and phosphorus are both required in precise amounts to form bone, ensuring adequate phosphorus intakes over this period is equally important, as a phosphorus deficiency may prevent normal bone mineralisation. Unfortunately, feeding too much phosphorus can also present problems and phosphorus intakes over the transition period in particular should be carefully managed. Many of the feeds that have been introduced into the New Zealand dairy production system over the last few years have wildly different macro (calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, sodium and potassium) and trace mineral composition when compared to pasture. Some feeds, such as maize silage, are particularly low in minerals. Other feeds such as palm kernel and maize DDGS are low in calcium but relatively high in phosphorus, and feeds such as fodder beet are well known for being low in phosphorus content. The introduction of these new feeds, combined with changes in pasture species and production, environmental factors and the increased MS production that we now require from our cows, it is more important than ever to ensure that

the mineral requirements of cows are being met throughout lactation. Trace minerals including cobalt, copper, iodine, selenium and zinc are required in very small amounts but play an important role in many physiological functions, such as enzyme reactions, modulation of the hormonal and nervous systems and in supporting health and immune function. While it might be tempting to reduce trace mineral supplementation for cows over the next few months because the stress of early lactation and mating is behind us, the last third of lactation provides an opportunity to replenish trace mineral reserves before drying off and before foetal demand increases in the last 60 days of gestation. Taking some time now to review your mineral supplementation programme and ensure that cows are receiving an adequate and balanced amount of essential macro and trace minerals will help to reduce the risk of animal health issues at calving and in early lactation next season. Talk to your local Nutrition Specialist to design an effective mineral supplementation programme for your herd. Ellenberger, H., Newlander, J., and Jones, C. H. 1931. Calcium and phosphorus requirements of dairy cows: Weekly balances through lactation and gestation periods. Vermont Agricultural Experiment Station Bulletin 10:245-260. Article supplied by Natalie Chrystal, Nutritionist, NRM.

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NUTRITION

Equine parasite management Keeping parasite levels in horses under control is highly important for maintaining overall health, and an effective parasite management programme is required to be an integral part of equine husbandry and care. Infestations of parasites usually arenâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t fatal to horses, however can cause damage to the gastrointestinal tract, which in turn can cause diarrhoea or colic. Further symptoms include a pot-bellied appearance and a rough coat, and certain parasites can adversely affect the growth of young horses. Nutritional factors are usually the first consideration made when a horse is having problems maintaining or gaining condition and often it is thought this can be solved through dietary changes. However in the case of a parasite burden, deworming the horse as needed will improve condition without changes being made in feed type or amount. Some common intestinal worms that affect horses are the large and small strongyles (redworms), roundworms, and pinworms. Stomach bots, which are the larvae of a type of fly, are also a common type of parasite in New Zealand but these do not cause a major problem to most horses. Other parasites such as threadworms and lungworms also rarely cause problems. The common signs of worm infestation are tail rubbing, pale gums, ill-thrift, colic, and poor coats. Severe infestation can also cause diarrhoea or sudden death in rare cases. Controlling parasites in horses is a several-step programme. Performing faecal egg counts and administering

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| Controlling parasites in horses is a several-step programme.

oral de-worming preparations are important, but these tasks assume that the horses are already hosting internal parasites. To make parasite control more effective, owners must also take steps to minimise parasite populations on the property and avoid re-infestation after horses have been de-wormed. Pasture management is the key to these parasite control measures. Pasture management should be aimed at killing parasite eggs/larvae and preventing their ingestion by horses. Methods that are effective in achieving these goals are mowing fields closely before winter, rotating horses off a pasture and then cutting hay off that field before horses graze it again, rotating horses and other species (sheep or cattle) in a pasture, and harrowing to break up manure piles in hot weather and then keeping horses out of the pasture for several weeks. Other helpful pasture management

steps to minimise re-infestation with parasites are frequently rotating horses from one pasture or grazing area to another, avoiding overstocking or overgrazing pastures, and removing manure from pastures once or twice a week. Removing manure also removes parasite eggs, and composting the manure kills the eggs within a few days through the heat that is naturally produced as the manure decomposes. Parasite control measures will vary at each equine property depending on stocking rates, other animals present and amount of land available for grazing. For assistance with parasite management and feeding plans to enhance overall health and performance, consult with an experienced equine nutrition advisor. Article supplied by Luisa Wood, Equine Nutrition Technical Advisor.

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NUTRITION

Feeding for the changing seasons As we move out of summer and into the colder months, it is important to think about what our horses require to support their overall condition. Keeping good condition all year round contributes to overall health, optimum performance and having a happier horse. Keeping condition should also be a much easier task than having to build condition back up each year.

supplement pellet such as rice bran.

Your feed choices over winter play a vital role in maintaining condition. One way to support the condition of your horse is to ensure your horse is receiving the right balance of energy, quality proteins, fat, fibre, vitamins and minerals by providing good quality roughage and a nutrient dense hard feed.

biotin for hoof integrity. Aiding hoof

When looking at some of the key nutrients that horses require over winter, oils play an important role. Oils are energy dense and provide no carbohydrates (starch or sugars). They are an excellent way to boost the energy intake of your horse without adding having to add extra kilograms of grain based feeds. Once conditioned, horses have an excellent ability to digest and absorb oil, ensuring they receive the extra calories they need to keep warm and maintain condition over winter. Oils vary in composition and canola or rice bran oils are more favourable due to their better omega 3 profile compared to corn or soy oil. Also “vegetable oil” is usually a blend of different oils, which can vary in composition. Oils are available in a number of forms such as straight canola oil or supplied through a high oil

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Rice bran is derived from polishing the outside layer off brown rice. It also provides a unique blend of natural antioxidants such as vitamin E and gamma oryzanol, along with B vitamins for a healthy metabolism. They naturally contain good levels of trace minerals such zinc and manganese, which are important for hoof and cartilage strength, along with and cartilage strength during wetter, muddier winter months can assist in avoiding injuries. With a minimum of 17 percent oil containing a blend of omega 3, 6 and 9 fatty acids, your horse’s coat will also stay in tip top condition. Rice bran pellets are an easy and convenient way to provide a safe energy boost over the winter months

| Feed choices over winter play a vital role in maintaining condition.

long way with ensuring their overall health during winter. Aim to feed at least 1.5 percent of your horse’s body

and are especially helpful when wanting

weight as roughage during winter

to build topline and maintain condition.

(e.g. 7.5kg for a 500kg horse).

It is also important your horse has

A family of riders aware of how quality

quality hay and water available during

feed contributes to conditioning

winter. Good quality hay will ensure

success are Vicki, Kelly and Amanda

your horse’s digestive system continues

Wilson. Passionate about horse welfare

to function efficiently and aids in

and with jumping success at the

maintaining their body temperature.

highest level, Vicki, Kelly and Amanda

Being aware of how your pasture

say the results of using CopRice feeds

quality and availability changes during

rich in rice bran speak for themselves.

the winter months will help to ensure you are providing enough feed for the gut to support efficient digestion and overall health. A high fibrous feed (hay/chaff) also helps generate heat through digestion and fermentation in the hind gut. This heat generated during digestion and fermentation supports your horse to maintain their body temperature, and can go a

“CopRice has been fundamental in our horses’ preparation for over a decade. People often comment on how healthy our show jumpers and wild horses look and how well they perform. We love the results we are getting.” For more information, contact your local Nutrition Specialist. Article supplied by CopRice.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Ryegrass rises to challenge The complexities and challenges

Spring sown Asset into waterlogged,

surrounding farming in central

anaerobic soil conditions has been a

Waikato often exceed what is

winner for Simon and Melissa Juby on

considered normal. The seasons are

their clay and sandy loam based soils in

changing, technology is changing

Central Waikato. The Jubys milk 1,300

and farmers are having to change as

dairy goats year round with an intensive

a result. From a forage perspective,

cut and carry system with help from

Asset AR37 Italian ryegrass is

the team at Farmlands Morrinsville.

making this much easier. Its diploid

“Early spring performance of Asset

nature, mid-heading genetics and

AR37 allows us to capture more feed

farmer friendliness in regard to

earlier than many of our other pastures

pasture management and dry matter

sources on farm,” Simon says.

production over an 18 month period

“The density of Asset AR37 is

in the Waikato are second to none.

everything to us. It reduces our risk

to extreme climatic conditions due to the number of plants one kilogram of seed produces. This allows Asset AR37 to do what it is supposed to do, produce invaluable spring feed, under short rounds, for maximum dry matter production.” The Jubys sow asset at 22kg/ha as a pure sward or at 15kg/ ha as an undersowing option. Over the past 2 years the undersowing option has been particularly useful, as pastures have opened up with tough climatic conditions. The team at Farmlands Morrinsville recommended Asset AR37 to the Jubys as an economic option, which is invaluable to this property, as it has dry matter intake requirements 365 days of the year. In many cases, any home-grown feed captured during the winter period is considered a bonus and for the Jubys, Asset AR37 continues to impress in this area. The Jubys have been quick to comment how resilient Asset AR37 is during the summer months. The AR37 endophyte provides superior ryegrass protection against the majority of pasture pests, not only in the Northern North Island but across the country. This allows Asset AR37 to maximise energy reserves for summer dry matter production. Interestingly, Simon states that “when it does go dry for extended periods of time, Asset AR37 is the very first thing to bounce back”. This ensures high quality harvestable grass yields on-farm and reduced fluctuations of the annual milk curve. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Agricom.

| Central Waikato farmer, Simon Juby, in his paddock of Asset AR37 Italian ryegrass.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

Ryegrass cultivar passes with honours Amongst the many ryegrass cultivars available, one has passed with flying colours – both the evaluation of unbiased research, and the real-world testing of inquisitive farmers. Cathy and John van der Goes have been using 24Seven Edge perennial ryegrass on their system two dairy farm near Walton in the Waikato region, with three paddocks spread across heavy and lighter soil types and both rolling hills and flats. “Persistence of pastures has been our main problem,” John says. “All seed companies say their ryegrass is the best, but we have to figure out what suits our system best. Farmlands Technical Field Officer Brian Cornish advised us that he had monitored the performance of 24Seven for several years and that it was a good grass, so we planted three paddocks. Despite the first winter being very wet, followed by a dry summer, it has established well and bounced back from pugging, and the cows enjoy eating it.” 24Seven Edge is a diploid cultivar bred in New Zealand by DLF Seeds and chosen for high density and ground cover. This helps pastures tolerate periods of close grazing that commonly occur during dry summers, and recovery from grazing when soils are wet. Another feature that benefits persistence is the Edge endophyte contained in the seed of 24Seven. Edge does not affect animal health or performance, but has been proved by scientists independent of DLF to

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| Cathy and John’s cows walk to their fodder beet behind a 24Seven Edge paddock.

provide tolerance to insects, including black beetle, Argentine stem weevil and root aphid. This is one of the reasons 24Seven Edge is perfectly suited to the Waikato, as well as other regions throughout New Zealand.

date. It will not start producing any

The total production and seasonal growth of ryegrass cultivars is also important to farmers. The Dairy NZ Forage Value Index (FVI) is an independent profit-based index that creates an economic value for ryegrass cultivars, by allowing for the different value of the feed grown in different parts of the year. 24Seven Edge has achieved the maximum five-star rating for the upper North Island and upper South Island regions. This gives farmers confidence that 24Seven Edge is a good as it gets for the value of feed it generates for their animals.

Despite this late heading date,

Another benefit of 24Seven Edge for many farmers is its very late heading

stem until very late spring, 24 days later than mid-heading cultivars. This extends the duration that pasture quality is high in spring, and also reduces stem content over summer. its spring production is still very good, with FVI ratings as good or better than many mid-heading date cultivars. This gives 24Seven the ideal combination of extended quality without sacrificing seasonal growth. “24Seven Edge is one of the best grasses I have used for some time,” John says. “And I’d recommend it to anyone.” For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by DLF.

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FORAGE AND ARABLE

The S effect Don’t let a lack of sulphur limit the performance of your pasture or your nitrogen fertiliser. In last month’s edition of The Farmlander, we looked at best practice pasture establishment. The final tip was to nurture your new grass with light dressings of nitrogen (around 25-35kg N/ha) after each grazing to promote growth during the first 12 to 18 months while clovers re-establish. A SustaiN based product is recommended for this purpose as it allows you more flexibility in application timing, particularly during autumn. Autumn can be fickle on the rain front and urea requires that vital 5-10mm of rain (or irrigation) within 8 hours of application to avoid significant losses from ammonia volatilisation. SustaiN can reduce these losses by 50 percent on average.

The power of SustaiN has been built into a number of other fertiliser products, delivering added benefits to growing pasture and crops. Typically, it is combined with some form of sulphur. “Nitrogen is critical for stem and leaf development but it needs to combine with sulphur to form the proteins that influence pasture quality,” Ballance Science Extension Officer, Josh Verhoek explains. “Sulphur is also a component of chlorophyll, which is obviously essential for plant growth. Plants like to take up nitrogen and sulphur in a 12:1 ratio. If sulphur is lacking you will not be using available nitrogen efficiently, whether from the soil or the bag.” SustaiN S Boost, SustaiN Ammo and the PhaSedN range all contain nitrogen as SustaiN in combination with sulphur in various forms and ratios to effectively deliver both nutrients

in your post-grazing dressings. “If lack of sulphur is an immediate problem, you need to supply it in a readily available form – sulphate sulphur,” Josh says. “SustaiN Ammo is a good option in this situation. If immediate supply is adequate but you want to set your new pasture up well for spring, then PhaSedN or SustaiN S Boost may be a better choice.” These products combine SustaiN with fine elemental sulphur. Unlike sulphate sulphur, elemental sulphur is not water-soluble, so it does not leach in wet winter conditions. Soil microbes gradually convert elemental sulphur to sulphate sulphur. Microbial activity increases as soil temperatures rise, so the sulphate becomes available as conditions for growth improve and plant demand increases. To deliver 25-35kg N/ha, you would need to apply: • 55-75kg SustaiN/ha; or • 80-120kg SustaiN Ammo 30N/ ha (also supplying 11-16kg sulphate sulphur/ha); or • 60-90kg SustaiN S Boost/ ha (also supplying 5-8kg elemental sulphur/ha); or • 100-140kg PhaSedN/ha (also supplying 28-40kg elemental sulphur/ha). Similar principles apply to boosting autumn growth on established pasture. As always, use soil testing to determine exactly what your pasture needs. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Article supplied by Ballance Agri-Nutrients.

| Microbial activity increases as soil temperatures rise.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Maximising beef weaner growth rates in autumn With warm weather and late summer rains, the autumn provides great opportunities for growth in your newly weaned beef weaners. These favourable conditions can also cause animal health challenges suppressing this growth and causing deaths of your valuable young stock, but with good management these losses can be prevented. Good pasture growth conditions in autumn equal ideal conditions for the survival of gastrointestinal parasites on pasture, creating a considerable buildup of infective larvae challenging your beef weaners and depressing growth. These losses are often underrated and by the time you see the clinical signs, such as scouring, a parasite burden may have already caused considerable reductions in growth rates. There are two main parasite species

to be concerned about in young cattle in New Zealand. Cooperia sp. particularly in young stock, with significant burdens on pasture building up in the autumn depressing appetite and growth. Cooperia sp. resistant to the ML or “mectin” family of drenches are wide-spread, with levamisole the only active that has retained good efficacy against this species. Don’t forget about Ostertagia sp., which are the most harmful worms in cattle of all ages. The ML drenches are best for the control of Ostertagia – particularly the potent active abamectin. Converge® is an ideal choice for beef weaners, as it contains both levamisole and abamectin. For extra protection from resistance there is Alliance®, a triple combination that contains oxfendazole on top of levamisole and abamectin. Both of these drenches can

also be used on your sheep, keeping things simple and reducing waste. Although pour-on drenches are seen as being more convenient, studies have shown that their efficacy can be variable, with many factors limiting the absorption of the drench. Oral drenches are the most cost effective way to drench your stock, combatting resistance and insuring excellent growth rates in your beef weaners. A good preventative drenching programme using effective, combination oral drenches every 4 weeks through the autumn prevents the build-up of infective larvae on your pasture, reducing parasite challenge and the associated losses in beef cattle. Protection against clostridial disease is also an important consideration for your beef weaners this autumn. Clostridial diseases in cattle include malignant oedema, tetanus, pulpy kidney, black disease and blood poisoning. These diseases are caused by bacteria found everywhere in the environment and often the first you will see of these diseases is the sudden death of often the biggest calves. Prevention by vaccination is your only option and Multine® 5-in-1, developed and manufactured in New Zealand, is an excellent choice. Full protection with Multine requires an initial sensitiser and then a booster 4-6 weeks later. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. ACVM No: A10119, A10249, A000934 ®Registered trademark. Schering-Plough Animal Health Ltd. Article supplied by MSD/Coopers.

| Good pasture growth conditions in autumn equal ideal conditions for the survival of gastrointestinal parasites on pasture.

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ANIMAL MANAGEMENT

Conditions perfect for a parasite explosion Warm, muggy weather, with the odd tropical downpour. These conditions are perfect for grass growth, facial eczema, fungi and blowflies. But the one disease you may not see affecting your cows, that still hits your bottom line, is parasitism due to the explosion of parasite larvae. The larvae of gastrointestinal parasites, including production-limiting Ostertagia ostertagi and lungworm flourish in warm, moist or wet conditions, which are optimal for their development and survival. As autumn progresses with even more damp but still warm days, the larval numbers on pasture tend to peak. Adult cattle in good condition generally have good immunity to parasites but when they ingest large numbers as they are likely to this autumn, this comes at a cost. Protein is diverted from milk production or weight gain to the immune system to fight the larvae. A fit and healthy cow is unlikely to show clinical signs of parasitism such as scours like a calf will, but her appetite is still affected adversely1 and milk production2 and weight gain can drop. If she is in less than ideal condition, her immune system will be further compromised. Treating for parasites at dry off or calving will not help cows now that are infected now and that continue to pick up larger numbers of worm

| Treat cows in autumn to protect them against parasites in the lead up to dry off and kill the ones on board at the same time.

also have persistent action against incoming larvae, protecting them for up to 42 days. Cydectin® Pour-On offers both of these advantages and more. It is the ideal drench to treat cows in autumn, protecting them against parasites in the lead up to dry off and killing the ones on board at the same time. And if you decide to cull a cow following treatment, it has no meat withholding period, allowing better management flexibility.

Pour-On was trialled in cows in late lactation (February) and dry off. In both studies, there was a positive response to treatment of around 4kg milk solids more than their herd mates. If cows are parasitised now, get rid of the parasites and don’t carry them through the winter. For more information, contact your Farmlands Technical Field Officer or the friendly team at your local Farmlands store. Forbes A. et al. Impact of eprinomectin on grazing behaviour and performance in dairy cattle with subclinical gastrointestinal nematode infections under continuous stocking management, Vet Parasitol 2004.

larvae than they normally would. If

Cydectin Pour-On is one of only two

your cows are in this situation, don’t

pour-on anthelmintic products that has

wait until dry off. Many products have

undergone local milk production trials

a nil milk withholding period, which

to demonstrate that they do actually

means they can be treated while

make a difference to production

Cydectin is a registered trademark of Zoetis. ACVM No. A6203.

in-milk with no penalty. But not many

when worms are present. Cydectin

Article supplied by Zoetis.

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2 Murphy, A. The effect of treatment with moxidectin, a long-acting endectocide, on milk production in lactating dairy cows, World Buiatrics Congress Sydney 1998.