Dairy and suckler cows struggling to recover post-calving will benefit from Nettex Fresh Calver, a highly palatable supplement that provides energy, hydration and nutrient boosts, says Emily Hall, livestock farmer and Product Manager for Nettex.
Limited liquid intake during the calving process paired with heightened hormonal, dietary and environmental challenges exposes cows to more stress than they can handle.
“Any cow in her second lactation plus, but especially high yielders averaging more than 30 litres and older cows, are at an increased risk of post-calving problems such as a displaced abomasum, retained placenta, milk fever and ketosis,” explains Ms Hall.
These post-calving health incidents come with costs associated with labour, treatment and loss of performance, adds Ms Hall. Per case, the average post-calving illness costs £220/cow for milk fever, £208/cow for displaced abomasum and £100/cow for ketosis.
However, risk can be mitigated by providing a balanced rehydration supplement immediately post-calving. Formulated to include calcium, glucose and electrolytes, Nettex Fresh Calver is a highly palatable, water-soluble drink supplement to aid in rapid recovery. It also includes vitamin E and selenium to support afterbirth delivery. .
Available in 1kg packs, one sachet of Nettex Fresh Calver should be mixed with 15-20 litres of warm water and given to cows immediately post-calving. This will supply them with a highly palatable drink they are likely to accept during the initial period when they need to eat and drink.
According to Ms Hall, the formulation of Nettex Fresh Calver has been developed with insight from cattle farmers and on-farm experience to improve palatability and optimise nutrient inclusion.
“Rapidly rehydrating post-calving cows while supplying the correct balance of glucose, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals will help mitigate the risk of post-calving problems,” concludes Ms Hall. “Nettex Fresh Calver is farmer developed and proven on-farm to help do this.”
To learn more about Nettex Fresh Calver, visit Nettex (net-tex.co.uk)
