DAIRY TALK February 2019 Never miss a newsletter SIGN UP TO OUR EMAIL LIST Lots of grass doesn t mean your cows are necessarily fatter this year anexafvc.co.nz/ newsletters By Katrina Roberts, Anexa Vets, Herd Health Veterinarian Just because we ve mostly had a really good summer (so far) for grass growth, doesn t mean that your herd is in any better BCS that it is normally at this time of year. I know that may sound contradictory to popular belief, but think about the strategies that you would often already have in place at this time of year to mitigate BCS loss - whole herd on OAD or 16h milking, young/ light cows already on OAD or you may have started feeding out supplements such as maize and PKE (which are great for BCS gain). Assuming that all is okay and that all cows in your herd this season are in target condition for their stage of lactation is a huge risk to next season s reproductive performance. Although we spend a lot time as vets and consultants talking about herd-level strategies and interventions, now is the time to think about the individual cows in your herd we cannot afford to treat all cows as equals. Each cow will be in a different situation right now. This is related to her; Expected calving date (hopefully confirmed by pregnancy test by now), Age (first calvers have to be back to BCS 5.5 for their second calving, which means they have to be in better BCS now, and they take longer to gain BCS at this time of the year as they are still growing), Current BCS, Milk production (TAD, OAD, dried off already), and Type and quantity of supplements (and total feed) available for her (specifically related to how the feed partitions to BCS gain). Therefore, the best investment you can make now is to individually condition score your herd and use that information to make individual decisions for your cows. For example a heifer in BCS 3.5 this week (not uncommon), that is due to calve on the 10th July and is expected to gain BCS when dry on a predominantly grass diet needs to be dried off NOW in order to hit her target of BCS 5.5 for next calving. We know from working with herds that the second calvers often have the poorest 6-week incalf rates. Getting these young animals back to 5.5 is crucial for their lifetime productivity. We can help you achieve an improvement in BCS for your herd by: Individually scoring your herd (we have BCS accredited vets and we can do it during milking), Helping you set these cow-level BCS targets for during lactation and during dry off, Helping provide practical solutions to achieve these targets, and We have vets that can help you with feed budgets, Return on investment and nutritional advice around achieving these BCS targets Contact your local Anexa Vet or clinic for more information. Heat Stress By Ali Cullum, Anexa Vets, Morrinsville Our cows suffer heat stress during the summer, especially on days with temperatures above 23 C, and with relative humidity above 80% (Waikato!). The heat stress or hyperthermia is caused by the fact that the cows can no longer cool their bodies down to their normal internal body temperature of 38.6 C. Black cows absorb heat very quickly and become very hot. Jerseys in general are more heat resistant than Friesians. This may be due to the origin of the breeds: Jerseys come from a more tropical latitude than Friesians. Conversely, if you supply shade to hot cows, black cows will lose heat more quickly than white cows. What does this do to the cow? There are several immediate effects, a reduction in appetite, an increase in drinking, and most importantly an associated reduction in milk yield. Columbian research involving Holstein Friesians estimated that with each 0.5 C increase in body temperature above 38.6 C, milk yield will decline by 1.8 kg/day (15 g MS/cow/day). Severe continued heat stress can also cause loss of pregnancies. What are the cow signs of heat stress? Like us they sweat! They breathe faster, and they extend their necks and pant. They drink more, and they seek shade (if it is available). They also change their behaviour. They will mob up and hang their heads to the ground. The mobbing behaviour creates some swirling air patterns which gives them minor relief from the heat. Higher producing cows produce more body heat of metabolism and therefore suffer most effects on hot days. What can we do to help the cows? We can supply shade! If you have a covered feed pad or stand off area, access to the shade during the day will help. Some farms have shady paddocks that they use as a sacrifice area for hot days. We can supply lots of water, both in the paddock and at the dairy/ stand off pad. We can move the cows at cooler times of day, eg. if milking in the afternoon, delay until 5.00pm, rather than 3.00pm. If milking once a day, then early morning is usually a cooler time of day. We can use sprinklers on the collecting yard and that coat wetting will reduce body temperature for several hours after milking. Feeding lush food is not always possible when it is hot, but this type of food generates less digestive heat and therefore less heat stress to the cow. Refer to: DairyNZ Farm Fact 3-15 https://bit.ly/2g9sjc6
What will this FE season be like? In short, it s hard to predict. So far, spore counts in most areas have remained low, but we are seeing pockets of medium to high risk around the region. Therefore, all farmers should be ready to start their zinc supplementation programme for the season. It s important to remember that while every season has different patterns of warmth and wet; spores are always present on pasture, and given how quickly conditions can change, no season is free from facial eczema. Both short-term exposure to high spore counts (>40,000) and longer-term exposure to low moderate spore counts (>10,000) can lead to liver damage and clinical signs in grazing animals. The graph below, produced by Gribble s laboratory, shows the highest weekly spore count from mid-january (week 1) in the Central Waikato for the past four seasons. It s important to recognise that while some seasons are clearly worse than others (2016!), every season shows a similar pattern spore counts climb rapidly in early February (week 3) and remain elevated until the end of May (week 20). Therefore, it s critical to have a zinc supplementation Source: Gribble s Laboratory NZ, 2018. Reproduced with permission. plan in place ahead of the high risk period, to protect your animals against this devastating disease. What are my options for zinc supplementation? Zinc can be supplemented in four main ways: bolusing, oral drenching, in feed, or water treatment. Method How it works Administration Advantages Disadvantages Zinc bolus (Faceguard or Time Capsule ) Controlled release of zinc into the rumen. Orally into each animal. Accurate dosing per animal (if weighing is performed). Provides up to 6 weeks protection, which can be extended through additional bolusing. Labour intensive More expensive (although still a great ROI vs. production losses from FE!). Drenching with zinc oxide Drenching performed on daily to weekly basis. Stabilisers increase the ease of mixing and drenching and allow the mixing of more concentrated drenches. Orally into each animal. Accurate dosing per animal. 80 90% effective if drenching begins 2 3 weeks prior to risk. Crisis dosing rates (up to 50% higher than regular dosing) can be implemented in high spore count periods. Labour intensive. Must be performed daily to 3-daily to maximise protection. Zinc oxide in feed Available in mineral mix or pelleted forms. Fed out. More accurate dosing than water. Relies on voluntary intake of feed. Relatively low labour requirement. Requires mixer wagon or in-shed feeding system. Zinc sulphate water treatment Dispensed at recommended dose rate via in-line or Peta- Trough dispenser. Via water troughs. Easy to administer. Low labour requirement. Inaccurate individual dosing dependent on voluntary intake of water. High zinc levels in water make it unpalatable and require masking agents. How do I know my zinc supplementation is protective? Most of our farmers put zinc supplementation plans in place, but often, blood tests show that zinc levels in supplemented animals are not high enough to be protective against facial eczema. A 2014 study found that the majority (two-thirds) of farms were in this position. This is especially true of those who supplement solely with water treatment, as it relies heavily on individual animals drinking the required amount. The best way we can confirm whether your animals are protected is by taking blood samples two weeks after the start of supplementation. We can then tweak your zinc dosing accordingly. What should I do next? 4 Discuss your zinc supplementation plan with your vet to determine which zinc product, or combination of products, will work best for you and confirm dosing levels. 4 Check out our weekly spore count emails to identify the current risk for your area, and determine when zinc supplementation should begin. If you are aware of another farmer who would benefit from these emails, please encourage them to sign up at www.anexafvc.co.nz/ newsletters 4 If you have any questions, please contact your Anexa vet today.
Scanning Update By Katrina Roberts, Anexa Vets, Herd Health Veterinarian Scanning is well underway now. Of the 100 spring-calving herds scanned so far, the average 6-week in-calf rate is 70%, this is a similar result to this time last year. As usual there has been a huge range in 6 week incalf rate across the practice 41% to 84%. With 21% achieving the industry target of 78%. Remember at the end of the scanning season last year our AnexaFVC-wide average 6-week in-calf rate was 70% again and this bounce back from the previous season s drop was consistent with the National Dairy Statistics, which indicated a small increase in the national increase in 6-week incalf rate last season also. It is too early to give an average empty rate as yet, as most herds the final scan for empty rate is only being completed as this newsletter is being prepared, however those herd owners that have opted for 9-10 week matings have already completed their final pregnancy scan. The results vary from farm to farm, and there are farms this season who have made big gains in performance, and some who have dropped back. The reasons for the changes in performance are many and will be individual to every farm. Good herd reproductive performance requires on-going attention. It requires focus and hard work, and we understand that it can be hard to stay motivated. Progressing to a higher in-calf rate will require extra effort. Doing the same as you ve always done won t improve the situation. Improving production from the ground up If we have to walk a fair distance, the first thing we do is to ensure we are comfortable. Good shoes and healthy feet can go a long way towards an enjoyable journey. Whereas walking with a stone in our shoe or with a shoe that doesn t fit properly can make it a miserable journey. It s the same for your cows walking the race every day, twice a day covering anywhere between 1 and 10 kms per day, negotiating hard surfaces when hooves are built for soft surfaces; stones or other debris getting stuck may result in overgrown hooves (claws) predisposed to lameness. A small problem can quickly become a larger issue with repercussions that can affect overall production and reproductive performance. Did you know it takes a moderately lame cow at least 28 days to fully recover? It s common sense that a healthy cow is going to produce more and get in-calf easier. The early bird catches the worm: Ensure that your cows hooves are in good condition for calving now with our 3 step checklist: 1. Hoof care: 4 Identify locomotion issues and attend to overgrown hooves > Record locomotion issues, check feet and treat problems early. Ask yourself: How well do you know what you re looking for? Revisit DairyNZ s locomotion scoring videos here: https://bit.ly/2mdynpg > Early intervention can help - Look for overgrown claws at milking and organize for them to be trimmed. Hoof trimming restores the weight bearing surface and existing lesions are removed, so the feet can handle increasing weight from a growing calf. It s like changing out of heels into sneakers. 2. Farm maintenance 4 Assess and maintain tracks. Ask yourself:? Do your tracks have good drainage? Does water run to the side? What did they look like in the spring? Any traffic jam areas?? How deep is the mud? Are there rocks under there that could injure soft hooves?? When was the last time we resurfaced the track? Would this help? Is it in the budget? Are there alternative solutions? 4 Stockmanship on point? Training for staff required? Is everyone aware of track problem spots and do they allow for them when walking stock to shed. 3. Know the lameness impact on your farm 4 Reflect on your records? Do you have enough information to be helpful? Do you and your staff record incidents of lameness when a hoof is treated, or do you record locomotion issues too?? Does everyone record lameness incidents in the same way? Does your farm have a process? Is everyone aware of the recording system? Is the process working? 4 What do the records show?? Are you comfortable with the results?? Discuss the results with your Anexa Vet, healthy hooves contribute to your cows overall animal health, which in turn contributes to their overall production potential, and worth a conversation. For answers and or help with these questions contact Hanneke for a free intro session, phone 07 853 0027 or email lameness@anexafvc.co.nz
Book your Milk Quality Consult Early! Now is the time to start thinking about booking in your Milk Quality Consult (MQC) with your Vet. You will shortly receive your MQC form to complete; it is important that it is completed, as comprehensively as possible, prior to your appointment to maximise the benefits of this consult. Why have a Milk Quality Consult? Your MQC is the ideal opportunity to sit down with your Vet oneon-one and, among other things, discuss how milk quality has gone this season and what strategies you can employ for the coming season. With mastitis, prevention is always better than cure, and your Vet will be able to advise you on how to reduce mastitis incidence, and either maintain low bulk cell count levels, or reduce these levels in your herd during the coming season. They will be able to advise you on the best treatment regime for the clinical mastitis cases that occur in your herd. Here are some other key reasons why an MQC with your Vet can help set you up for a great 2019/2020 season: Your MQC takes care of the prescribing of all the drugs including mastitis antibiotics and teat sealants you are likely to need over the season. Investment in dry cow therapy is a significant one and your MQC will help you to make the best decisions around your dry cow approach. Remember, our team of experienced and efficient Technicians to help you with your dry off and a range of other services. It will help you to understand more deeply what mastitis risk factors are present in your herd, how they are impacting on your milk quality, and what practical steps you can take to minimise overall risk. Get a better understanding of your herd s mastitis measurement trigger points and what you can do to manage your herd s BTSCC, clinical and sub-clinical mastitis and mastitis culling rates. We can build a plan to utilise our extensive lab testing services including our Antibiogram service to maximise the benefit of your MQC. How can you get the most out of your MQC? Book your MQC early - don t wait until just before you dry off the herd! We can help you make much better decisions around the milk quality plan for your herd for the coming season if we do your milk quality in February. Make sure you bring as much data as possible to the consult, including your completed MQC forms, clinical case data, herd testing data and BTSCC graphs etc. Within our team of over 50 Vets, we have access to a wide range of skills, experiences and knowledge as well access to the latest research through our Cognosco research team. We are here to help you get the best out of each season with a little forwarding planning and support. We look forward to seeing you at your MQC and to partnering with you in the coming season. It pays to belong BECOME A MEMBER AND GET: 2% OFF when you pay on time Large Animal Technicians wanted We are currently looking for enthusiastic people to join our large animal technician team at Anexa on a casual basis, to help with heifer teatsealing and herd dry-off work, based in Morrinsville. Experience is not essential, but stock sense and being a good team player are! Competitive $ rates offered. If you are interested, or you know someone who is, please contact Rhonda May at rmay@anexafvc.co.nz or on 027 886 5621. 4 Quality trim 4 Good service 4 Vet referred Book your herd s hoof trimming now Phone Rhonda on 027 886 5621 or email anexa.services@anexafvc.co.nz anexafvc.co.nz/farm-services HEALTH & SAFETY TIP NEVER leave an animal yarded on its own! Cattle and Sheep are herd animals and are much less agitated when they have other stock for company. So, next time you have an animal that needs to be seen by a Vet, remember to bring a couple of others up with it. Being herd animals, cattle and sheep can become worked up when separated from their herd mates. Examining and treating an agitated animal is much more dangerous for both the vet and farmer and increases the chances that the animal will hurt itself as well as the people around it. 7 4 0800 2 THE VET anexafvc.co.nz Coromandel P: 07 866 8556 Gordonton P: 07 824 2103 Huntly P: 07 828 7660 Maramarua P: 09 232 5891 Matamata P: 07 888 8068 Morrinsville P: 07 889 5159 Ngaruawahia P: 07 824 8630 Ngatea P: 07 867 7256 Paeroa P: 07 862 8815 Raglan P: 07 825 8390 Rototuna P: 07 853 0027 Te Aroha P: 07 884 8014 Te Kauwhata P: 07 826 3581 Thames P: 07 868 7005
Heifer Teatsealing / Herd Dry Cow Registration Complete this form to book our technicians. We will be in contact with you to arrange this service. Farm name: Supply No. Contact person: Contact phone number(s): Email: Heifer Teatsealing Registration Want to reduce environmental clinical mastitis? A teatsealant is one mastitis management tool we can use. Trial work shows that using a teatsealant in heifers pre-calving reduces: 4 Subclinical mastitis at calving by 65% 4 Clinical mastitis in early lactation by 50% Teatsealing is best done 4-8 weeks prior to start of calving. IMPORTANT: Heifers must be familiar with the cow shed. ie. Herringbone: walked into shed, stopped and rowed up or Rotary: loaded onto platform at least three times prior to teatsealing visit. Failure to do so could endanger your animals and our staff. The job will take longer and cost more. Number of heifers: Planned start of calving date: Shed Type: Rotary Herringbone Date heifers return from grazing: Physical address of heifers at teatsealing: Preferred dates (not guaranteed, we will do our best to schedule you in around your preferred dates): Declaration: I understand that I need to familarise my heifers with the cowshed and I will put them through the shed at least 3 times prior to teatsealing. Signature: Date: Herd Dry Cow Registration (Post Milk Quality Consult) Dry Cow Therapy: Just like heifer teatsealing, dry cow therapy should be done under strict hygiene. If you are not sure about hygiene at drying off or you need extra manpower, our technicians are available to insert dry cow in your herd. Shed Type: Rotary Herringbone Planned start of calving date: Preferred dates (not guaranteed, we will do our best to schedule you in around your preferred dates): Full herd Batched dry off Predicated date: Number of cows: 1. Predicted date: Number of cows: 2. Predicted date: Number of cows: 3. Predicted date: Number of cows: To register your herd please FreePost (turn over for posting instructions), drop off, scan & email (anexa.services@anexafvc.co.nz) or fax (07 824 3913) and we will be in touch.
FreePost Authority Number 0800 2 THE VET Anexa FVC PO Box 21 Morrinsville 3340 Posting Instructions Complete all details on this form. Fold along the dotted lines and cellotape. Post (No stamp required).