| 97 nzdairy RURAL SERVICES » Agvance Nutrition Ltd Jason and Kayla Laurence farm 215 cows in the Waikato and have seen great success using Agvance premix minerals. Strong early lactation leads to strong mating performance Chris Balemi: Agvance If things go wrong in early lactation, you’ll feel the knock-on effects all the way through to mating and summer production. We see it more than necessary, with cows struggling to bounce back after calving, low submission rates, poor conception, and a drop in milk solids when the heat kicks in. More often than not, this issue stems from a less-than-satisfactory pre-calving transition management, and is often further compounded by less-than-optimal nutrition during the early part of lactation. The early lactation period places a huge demand on the cow. As she recovers from calving, she’s also ramping up milk production, which requires a large amount of energy. The hormonal changes around reproduction only put the cow under more potential stress. If the mineral levels that underpin this process are lacking, her system can’t keep up. Subtle signs of stress: We’re not just talking about full-blown milk fever or ketosis here. Subclinical deficiencies can quietly drag down cow performance, ie. if calcium mobilisation isn’t firing properly, you’ll get cows that calve okay but then are slow to get going, slower to eat, and slower to cycle. Add in low calcium, magnesium, or phosphorus, and recovery after calving is going to be poor. At worst, you will end up with increased milk fever, ketosis, retained membranes, and metritis. These issues make it far more challenging to even get the cow to cycle, let alone attain pregnancy. If the basics have been done well up to this point, the cow has transitioned properly and has had adequate supplementation during early lactation, then the focus should shift to trace elements like selenium, zinc, and copper. These can play a big role in the production of hormones and the capacity of the liver to produce vital energy. Without enough of these trace elements, immune function drops, and hormone release will be subdued. From a freshly calved cow to back in-calf When a cow’s mineral needs aren’t met in early lactation, her whole system prioritises survival and milk production. Reproduction drops down the list. That’s why we see late or silent heats, poor first-round conception, and extended calving spreads next season. When cows aren’t cycling strongly early in the season, it becomes challenging to maintain that nice, tight calving spread. Fixing it fast The good news is, you can correct these gaps quickly when you know what you’re dealing with. Blood tests at 10 to 14 days post-calving will give you good information on energy levels and minerals. From there, we can target the right supplements and make any necessary changes to the diet, which often includes a mix of macro minerals like calcium and magnesium, along with a combination of chelated, lipid-coated, and soluble trace elements designed to ensure rapid and maximum rumen uptake. It’s important to use the correct mineral forms proven to work well in the rumen. Not all supplements are created equal, and if cows can’t absorb what you’re feeding them, you’re just wasting time and money. A system-wide effect: Mineral nutrition isn’t just about preventing disease. It’s about giving cows the physiological support they need to recover, cycle, produce, and thrive in tough conditions. If you nail early lactation, you set cows up for better conception, stronger summer production, and a tighter calving next season. It’s all linked, and minerals are the engine oil that keeps the whole system humming. Get it right early, and you’ll see the benefits right through to summer and beyond. Sources: https://agvance.co.nz/mineral-deficiency- directly-related-to-empty-rates https://www.dairynz.co.nz/animal/nutrition/ trace-elements https://www.publish.csiro.au/ebook/ chapter/9780643107403_Chapter8
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