Build good cow health this spring with Phibro Phibro Animal Health is a global company with a local focus on making a positive di erence in New Zealand’s dairy sector with products designed to optimise the health and performance of dairy cows, backed with technical support. Since entering the New Zealand market in 2018, Phibro has established productive partnerships with veterinarians, dairy consultants, animal nutritionists and technical specialists in the retail sector. “My focus is very much on the New Zealand dairy industry,” says Megan Hardy, who is Nelson-based and working nationwide as the company’s technical manager. “I’m on the road – and on the farm - all the time o ering support and guidance and serving as a technical point of contact on our products.” The lead up to spring calving is a critical time of year on dairy farms. Proper feeding and management of dry cows are essential if risks of metabolic disease are to be minimised. Milk Fever, also known as hypocalcaemia, is the most common metabolic disease a ecting dairy cattle. While the clinical rate in New Zealand cows is between four and eight per cent, there is a much higher subclinical rate of cows feeling the e ects of low blood calcium. “Milk fever is costing New Zealand farmers a lot of money. New Zealand researchers have reported a seven per cent drop in production in sub-clinically a ected animals alone.” Animate® – the smart nutritional choice for a healthy transition Phibro Animal Health’s Animate® product is an ideal proprietary nutritional supplement for transition cows. It contains three important minerals – chloride, sulphur and magnesium – that are necessary requirements for well-formulated negative DCAD (dietary cation anion di erence) diets. Megan says best results are achieved when Animate® is consumed by cows for at least 14 to 21 days prior to calving. Field trials and research have found it helps increase calcium utilization and reduce the incidence of milk fever around calving. “In turn, that lays the groundwork for improved health post-calving and increased milk production.” Animate®’s extra superpower is its palatability. Cows happily consume it, thanks to a coating of tasty molasses and dried distillers’ grains (DDG). It means cows are not put o their dry matter intake at an important time of year. Convenient to use on-farm, Animate® is sold as a concentrated supplement that can be fed on its own or mixed with other feed, (and is fed at a rate of 400 600g per cow in the 14 21 day window prior to calving). Phibro’s Animate® Feeding Programme ensures the right support is o ered to deliver optimum results for the farmer. Boosting dairy herd immunity For year-round health of the herd, Megan recommends Phibro’s OmniGen-AF®, an advanced formulated premix of biologically active ingredients. When fed consistently at the rate of 60g per cow per day, it makes a real impact on immune function. “For the New Zealand dairy sector, OmniGen is a very useful tool for supporting cows’ defenses against in lammation or infection.” OmniGen-AF® can help reduce mastitis, improve in-calf results and reduce issues with heat stress and lameness…all of which adds up to increased milk production down the line.
RkJQdWJsaXNoZXIy NDc2Mzg=