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CloversMum

3486 Posts
Posted - Sep 15 2014 :  08:51:43 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
As the seasons begin to change, do any of you change the mineral supplements that you give your dairy cows? If so, what do you give during the various seasons?
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
Edited by - CloversMum on Sep 15 2014 08:52:13 AM

NellieBelle

11214 Posts
Posted - Sep 15 2014 :  09:55:12 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Have you thought about making MaryJane's Cow Cookies? I was looking at the recipe today and thought that might be a good booster. I don't have access to all the organic feeds etc. around here though I am looking into it. It's on pg.265 of her book.
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA
Posted - Sep 15 2014 :  10:24:30 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We have been using a mineral mix by Fertrell that is good for organic production. Might want to check out this link. http://www.fertrell.com
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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CloversMum

3486 Posts
Posted - Sep 16 2014 :  1:29:18 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I have Clover on organic dairy pellets and alfalfa pellets from Modesto Mills, in addition to rock salt and a little kelp. I have thought about MaryJane's cow cookies...just haven't found the time yet. Clover is in great shape currently; I was just wondering if her mineral supplementation should change over the wintertime. But maybe its just keeping on with the same...she's just fine now!
Loving life and family on our Idaho farm, Meadowlark Heritage Farm; A few Jersey cows; a few alpacas; a few more goats, and even more ducks and chickens
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA
Posted - Sep 16 2014 :  1:38:18 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
I think She will be fine. In very cold climates lots of good hay to keep Her internal fire going and od course if She is bred whatever supplementation you vet has Her on and with your love Ashe will thrive.
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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farmer Liz

36 Posts
Posted - Oct 15 2014 :  12:36:21 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
We tend to offer minerals free-choice and the cows take what they need (we buy an organic mix called Megamin, but that's an Australian product). In summer we use the extra sulphur version as that's supposed to help with flies and biting insects.
http://eight-acres.blogspot.com.au/

Self-sufficiency and Permaculture in Rural Australia
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maryjane

7072 Posts
Posted - Oct 15 2014 :  05:56:27 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
That's what I do Liz, offer a sulphur mix (alfalfa meal and sulphur) in the summer during fly season. But year round I give them the same mineral mix. Because it's a powder and I can be sure that free-choice works for everyone, I've started mixing the recommended portion for each animal in with a few pellets in a small yogurt container, adding water, and shaking it up before adding it to a scoop of feed for each of them

I recently had my herd checked for minerals through a blood draw on each of them. Everything came back looking good except for my bulls who were on the low end of the range for acceptable in selenium so we gave them an injection of Vit. E/Selenium (BoSe).

When the WSU Teaching Hospital did an autopsy recently on my little 5-month old Beaumont, they were able to get a more accurate reading on his nutrition (as opposed to a mere point-in-time blood sample). Perfect scores all around. A liver biopsy on any animal you put down is the best way to know that your feeding and supplement program is working for your entire herd, according to my vet.
MaryJane Butters, author of Milk Cow Kitchen ~ striving for the stoicism of a cow standing in the rain ~
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Mike

1667 Posts
Mike
Argyle WI
United States of America
Posted - Oct 15 2014 :  08:22:49 AM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Use garlic for the cows year round. It contains the sulphur for insect and parasite control plus a host of other goodies.
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Ron

4666 Posts
Ronnie
Peever SD
USA
Posted - Oct 15 2014 :  12:02:07 PM  Show Profile  Reply with Quote
Anyone ever use selplex? We used to make our own mineral mix for the sheep and that was the ingredient for selenium.
With a moo moo here and a moo moo there, here a moo, there a moo, everywhere a moo moo.
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