A new high dose oral calcium supplement for cows or ewes has been launched to reduce the risk of milk fever. Sub-clinical deficiency, which is widely unseen, is associated with difficult births, ketosis or twin lamb disease, and reproductive tract infections.

Easycal®+ from Animax is supplied in easy-to-use single-application pouches. Its yogurt-like consistency can be given with the supplied applicator or poured over the back of the tongue or mixed with a small amount of feed. In the same carbonate form as found in grass, the cattle version supplies 70g and sheep 14g of rapidly absorbed calcium. This is approximately 60 per cent higher than similar supplements.

Recommended timing is around calving or lambing to coincide with an unavoidable dip in blood calcium at the onset of lactation. It works in combination with natural calcium mobilisation.

If required, additional pouches can be given singly at 12 to 24 hour intervals to high risk individuals. Typically, these include cows carrying twins or ewes that have been recently moved or with multiple lambs and, in either species, a history of hypocalcaemia, older individuals and those with too high or low body condition score.

A recent farm-scale study identified that, immediately post-calving, 59 per cent of dairy cows and 54 per cent of heifers had invisible, sub-clinical calcium deficiency (1). It is logical to expect the same in sheep. Compared to herd mates with normal blood calcium levels, deficient cows had nearly double the combined incidence of ketosis, metritis, displaced abomasum and premature culling during the first 60 days of lactation.

But because sub-clinical calcium deficiency itself is invisible until consequences arise, it is understandable to be unaware of the link with problems. Clearly, all the likely consequences can lead to reduced performance, increased culling and significant financial losses.

For those interested in the science, post-calving/lambing problems involve calcium's role in muscle and nervous functions. Even sub-clinical deficiency can affect muscle tone and strength that are so critical at and just after birth.

In addition to a quick unassisted births, peak muscle performance is essential for many other functions, for example the intestines and all muscles. Calcium supply shortcomings are also likely to reduce feed intakes, probably explaining increased ketosis or twin lamb disease incidence. Following such an episode, of course, many animals never again reach their potential.

Easycal®+ pouches do not require a veterinary prescription and are available from animal health stockists.

[1]    McArt & Neves 2020. Journal of Dairy Science, vol 103, no 1