| Frequently Asked Questions |
Q: I’ve got suckler cows with calves at foot on Spring grass, what’s the most effective form of supplementing magnesium? A: Our Megamag 50 Tub is a convenient and effective way to provide magnesium through the grass staggers risk period Q: Last year on turnout of Ewes and Lambs coccidiosis was an issue, is there any way to prevent this happening again? A: Scotmin can speak to your vet and they will issue us with a prescription and we can then manufacture a suitable mineral bucket containing a coccidiostat (Deccox), which can be used in the prevention and treatment of coccidiosis Q: I am trying to shorten my calving period, are there any products that can help? A: High phos minerals can help to improve fertility. Used 6 weeks prior to bulling may improve conception rates and therefore reduce the length of the calving period. Also try Omegamax Q: What are the benefits of using a liquid vitamin & mineral drench as opposed to a conventional mineral supplement? A: By using a liquid drench you can guarantee that every animal has received the appropriate dose of vitamins and minerals to optimise health & performance. A liquid drench can also be used as a booster for periods of stress such as pre-lambing, pre-calving, pre-bulling etc Q: Using a yeast supplement seems to be an upcoming trend reported in many of the industry newspages, is there an economic advantage of using such a product? A: Yes, research carried out using our Biosprint Live Yeast has shown improvements in both liveweight gain in beef cattle and milk yield in dairy cows. By reducing the time taken to reach target weight for slaughter, this reduces labour and feed costs. Generally we would expect both diary and beef farmers to gain 5:1 on their investment by using Biosprint Q: I fatten beef stores to sell through the market ring and feed them home-grown barley & silage. With the ever-increasing feed costs, can I substitute compound cake for another more effective protein source? A: Superfeed & SuperCOD – to be explained Q: I am trying to source approved inputs for my organic farm, is this something that Scotmin supply? A: Scotmin have a range of fully approved organic minerals in both loose powder and molassed bucket form. These are approved to EC Regulation (2092/91 EEC) with Organic Certification UK2. These are therefore suitable for all UK Organic Farms. Q: I have been using salt licks as a buffer in my dairy herd for several years, are there any other ruminant buffer products available? A: As well as our selection of salt licks, we also have a Rumen Buffer product, which can be used in feed. In addition you could also try lump rock salt or Sodium Bicarbonate, all of which are sold by Scotmin. Q: Having recently purchased a farm, how can I ensure that the forage grown on the farm is suitable to achieve my desired productivity? A: Scotmin can provide pre-cut or pasture grass testing, forage analysis and water sampling, all of which would provide a good indication of the quality of the farm’s resources. We can also sample the milk, which may help indicate any excesses of deficiencies of the inputs. All of these services are provided free of charge to Scotmin customers. |
