Correct rehydration post-calving is crucial to support quick cow recovery. Therefore, the importance of administering a balanced rehydration supplement, immediately after calving should not be over looked.
Calving is an extremely stressful time for the cow. Hormonal, dietary and environmental changes mean cows are exposed to more stress factors than usual. This, combined with the limited fluid intake during the calving process, exposes the cow to a greater risk of post-calving problems such as a displaced abomasum (DA), retained placenta, milk fever and ketosis which can all affect overall performance and productivity.
On average, 7% of the herd are likely to suffer from milk fever, costing an average of £220 per cow to treat, likewise, an average of 3% suffer a DA, costing £208 per cow to treat, respectively.
The loss of productivity, combined with the added labour and time required to deal with sick cows means that these costs are likely to be the bare minimum when dealing with post-calving issues. However, they can easily be avoided by providing a balanced rehydration supplement immediately post-calving.
With this in mind Downland has introduced a new, palatable rehydration product to the market to help support the start of lactation. Downland Post Calver is an oral supplement, specially formulated to include calcium propionate, a palatable form of calcium that also acts as an energy precursor; glucose as an energy source; and electrolytes to reverse the effects of dehydration during calving.
A 1kg, individual cow sachet of Post Calver is formulated to easily dissolve in 15 to 20 litres of warm water, to make a palatable drink that should be given to all cows immediately post-calving, to take advantage of the initial period when they are most likely to eat and drink.
Ensuring that fluid intakes replace what is lost during calving, while supplying the correct balance of glucose, electrolytes, vitamins and minerals, will help mitigate the risk of post-calving problems, ensuring cow performance is optimised and key calving issues addressed.
Ideally, a balanced rehydration supplement should be administered to each cow after calving, as part of the overall post-calving routine to help support the start of lactation.