How Just Beet It Helped the Camerons Maintain 82% In-Calf Rates on Fodder Beet

Barry and Trish Cameron have worked for a large family farming operation, Chisnall Farms Limited in Canterbury for ten years. They are passionate Contract milkers overseeing 1850 cows that consistently produce over 500kgMS. The Camerons have their finger on the pulse when it comes to animal well-being and are not afraid to try different ideas and products to achieve better results.

Barry is the first to tell you that he has experienced too many cows going down when transitioning on and off fodder beet. He knew change had to happen. The Camerons have tried a variety of ideas, but after three years on the new plan, they will not change now because it is working so well.

Barry and Trish were presented by Fonterra the 11th lowest somatic cell count for last year’s production in the country.

Generally, they have 1400 dairy cows on fodder beet or kale and, under the new plan, have limited cases of downer cows caused by this high-energy but low phosphorus, magnesium, calcium, and sodium crop. The Camerons are happy to share their plan as they are driven to keep animal health issues to a minimum at calving so they get back in-calf.

Barry commented in the interview that the herds under his management are on the Bell-Booth high-performance programme so they have a very tight calving pattern, 82% 6 week in-calf and 9% empty rate with only 10 week mating. They ensure cows are dried off with good trace elements and mineral status, then couple this with a winter adlib Just Beet It programme.

They have limited calving-related issues or metabolics, and this sets the cows up to get back in-calf again.

“If we didn’t address all of the cows’ needs during winter, we would expect to see phosphorus deficiency, which can impact the health of the herd and the reproductive performance of cows. We have confidence in our plan that the cows will do well on kale and fodder beet, and by simply adding Just Beet It alongside this diet, the cows will be well prepared for the new season. The cost of the Just Beet It programme is easily offset by the savings from not treating down cows,” the Camerons said.

The Plan:

Six mobs (based on paddock sizes) and the Camerons assess the crop yield before the cows arrive. One mob is dedicated to early calving cows and any cows that have gone down during the season; they only feed kale to this group. Five mobs are grouped according to calving dates, which makes managing the cows much easier. Cows are introduced to fodder beet (1–2 kg/day) about a month before drying off, allowing them to have fodder beet in their diet before going on the crop over winter. Just Beet It is introduced to all mobs from day one and provided every day until cows start calving. Lactating cows are blood tested before drying off to know their status before going on the crops.

• Provide an allocation of 80gm Just Beet It per cow per day.

• Add to feed bins so the cows can easily access it.

• If the total fodder beet diet exceeds 65% of the cow’s diet increase Just Beet It to a maximum of 115gm/cow/day

• The cow’s consumption can be elevated in the beginning, but it will settle down once the trace element status is

improved.

• For the first two weeks on fodder beet be prepared for cows looking for Just Beet It so keep up with them.

Just Beet It is a highly palatable mineralised loose lick containing extra phosphorus for when feeding fodder beet or kale. The formulation also provides other essential elements like magnesium, calcium, sodium, selenium, copper, iodine and zinc.