Whether you’re stretching forage with EnergiLass 25 EnRG tubs on stalks or TMR-feeding cows with Framework Performance CoProduct Balancer 1600R, now is the time to strengthen your herd’s defenses against coccidiosis, scours and other costly calving season challenges.
The time leading up to calving can influence cow performance and the health of newborn calves. Pathogens from cows can easily infect calves when immune defenses are still developing. So, strategic nutrition during this period provides the opportunity to reduce pathogen pressure and improve the cow’s nutrient use heading into calving season. Coccidiosis is commonly associated with young calves causing diarrhea, decreased growth and depression. Cows serve as a reservoir for coccidia organisms, shedding their oocysts into the environment through feces, which expose young calves to the protozoa. Managing the environment calves are born into, and oocyst shedding can decrease the exposure risk to newborn calves.
Adding Rumensin® to pre-calving rations through products such as Framework Performance Co-Product Balancer 1600R can help manage coccidiosis risk. Rumensin acts by disrupting the lifecycle of coccidia and therefore reducing it’s shedding into the environment. Additionally, Rumensin can help improve feed efficiency in cows by helping the rumen capture more energy from available feed resources. This allows for greater value to be captured from winter feeding programs to maintain body condition during periods of increased nutrient demand. Reducing pathogen exposure before calving however, involves more than managing coccidiosis risk alone.
Supporting a cow’s digestive tract can further contribute to a healthier calving environment. BetaMOS is a yeast cell wall extract that works by binding undesirable bacteria in the digestive tract, limiting their ability to establish and multiply within the gut. This helps to support a healthier digestive environment and can help reduce pathogen pressure can contribute to health challenges following birth.
For producers utilizing lower-quality forages or corn stalks through the winter, EnergiLass 25 EnRG tubs provide a convenient way to deliver BetaMOS while also supplying supplemental protein and energy needed to maintain body condition and support forage utilization. This tub is an effective tool for maintaining cow performance while supporting herd health leading up to calving.
Whether feeding a TMR with Framework Performance Co-Product Balancer 1600R or supplementing cows on stalks with EnergiLass 25 EnRG tubs, consider how incorporating Rumensin and BetaMOS into your pre-calving nutrition can help:
- Reduce pathogen pressure in calving environment
- Improve feed efficiency and energy utilization
- Support body condition through late gestation
- Promote a healthier environment for newborn calves