All farmers try to get ahead of animal health problems before they occur, whatever the season.
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Grass tetany is potentially a major problem in cattle in this part of Australia at this time of year.
Since cattle with grass tetany often die suddenly, the first sign of grass tetany on your property may be a dead cow.
To establish the likelihood of grass tetany occurring on your property, it is worth considering some of the risk factors involved.
Some factors associated with grass tetany include:
- Grazing on immature, rapidly growing, grass dominant pastures.
- Soils high in potassium, or with the heavy use of nitrogen or potash fertilisers.
- Older, fatter cows - soon after calving are most likely to be affected.
- And, interestingly, most likely to occur during cool and cloudy weather.
It is advised you do an assessment on your risk factors and make a plan on how you can prevent, and if required, treat an outbreak of grass tetany on your property.
Grass tetany occurs when blood magnesium levels are low. Hence the condition's other name - hypomagnesaemia.
Cattle's bodies are unable to store magnesium.
Therefore, to prevent grass tetany, magnesium supplementation needs to be given daily to cattle at highest risk during periods of greatest threat.
Have you considered how you could supplement your herd?
Whether it is by giving Causmag treated hay, mineral licks, magnesium capsules or by some other means?
Since cattle with grass tetany often die suddenly, the first sign of grass tetany on your property may be a dead cow.
When cattle are affected clinically with grass tetany, they display initial excitement, bellowing, muscle spasms, tetany and finally convulsions before dying.
Since grass tetany leads to the rapid death of cattle, the treatment of clinical cases is an emergency and veterinary assistance should be sought immediately.
A veterinarian will give a calcium and magnesium solution intravenously.
If a veterinarian is not available, the calcium and magnesium solution should at least be given under the skin.
However, clinical cases of grass tetany and cattle lost to the condition are best prevented with some forward planning and action.
For further advice, please contact your local veterinarian or Agriculture Victoria veterinary or animal health officer, or in NSW your Local Land Services.
