Extensive trial work produced by Merial Ancare regarding the use of Eprinex at calving has produced some very positive results. These include:
- Increased milk production
- Increased grazing time
- Improved condition score
- Improved heifer fertility
Eprinex has a nil milk and meat withhold including a nil bobby calf withholding. For best results the whole herd should be treated. Although the thinner, lower producers may look as though they are the only ones who need to be done, the fatter, higher producing cows gave the best increased milk returns from the trials.
Healthy adult cattle are able to control a worm challenge for themselves until they are put under stress in times such as calving and early lactation. A worm challenge triggers an immune response, which will take valuable energy resources away from milk production and body condition.
Trial work has shown that the benefits of drenching do not alter significantly with the timing of the treatment. Farmers who chose to treat the entire herd at once just prior to calving gained as much as those who treated cows individually as they left the colostrum herd.
In-calf and early lactating cows need all the energy they have to concentrate on taking care of themselves, their newly born calves and the production of quality milk.
So what does this mean for your business?
NZ Trials observed an increase of up to 0.03kg milk solids/cow/day over a 247 day lactation. That’s 7.41kg milk solids per cow. At the current projected pay-out of $7.00 that’s a possible increase of $51.87 per cow. Take off the cost of treatment, around $6.00, and your business could stand to make around $45 per cow.
