Innovation in magnesium supplementation supports cattle grazing winter pastures

LEADERS in ruminant nutrition innovation, Wagga Wagga based AusFarm Nutrition Products (ANP), has been working with cattle and sheep producers for almost two decades to boost the productivity and profitability of extensive grazing systems.

Recently, the ANP technical innovation team has focussed on increasing the performance of cattle grazing winter pastures. Specifically, attention has been on the role of effective magnesium supplementation in increasing production and lowering losses due to grass tetany in high performing cattle.

Grass tetany (hypomagnesaemia) is a condition associated with low blood magnesium levels and is common in pregnant and lactating cows during the cooler months in southern Australia. It is also one of the leading causes of mortality in adult cows in south-eastern Australia and is estimated to cost $13.7 million in lost production annually.1

With a rich history in introducing livestock production innovation to the Australian market, ANP’s Chief Nutritionist and Managing Director, Dr Paul Meggison is extremely excited about the launch of ANP’s most recent product, StockMins-BoviMag Magnesium Supplement for Cattle.

“It’s always exciting to launch new products and support Australian farmers to produce the best meat, fibre and milk in the world. StockMins-BoviMag is another tool in the toolbox that can help cattle achieve peak performance and maximise on-farm profitability,” Dr Meggison said.

According to Dr Meggison, magnesium is important for many functions within ruminant animals and has a major role in nerve function and energy metabolism.

“Magnesium is not highly mobilised in the body and can become deficient quickly if forages don’t provide magnesium effectively. This is common in low magnesium grazing crops and lush green pastures during winter,” he said.

Dr Meggison believes that with grass tetany we only see the tip of the iceberg and that effective magnesium supplementation has a more widespread role in animal productivity and wellbeing.

“Effective magnesium supplementation has also been linked to a reduction in calving stress, post-weaning stress and significant growth promotion in ruminants grazing magnesium deficient pastures.”

StockMins-BoviMag is a weatherproof, granular, loose lick supplement designed to boost essential mineral, vitamin and trace element status in cattle at times when minerals, especially magnesium, calcium and sodium, are less available and in high demand.

StockMins-BoviMag provides cattle with multiple sources of magnesium to maximise absorption and rapidly elevate the magnesium status of supplemented livestock.

Don’t wait until it’s too late, talk to the team at South East Rural Supplies today on (02) 6452 3511 and turn your winter grazing risk into production reward with StockMins-BoviMag Magnesium Supplement for Cattle.