Directions for Use of Liquid Pasture Supplements

Riverina Pasture Supplements are designed to be fed when there is an abundant supply of roughage available. They are concentrated products and rely on salt or “sour” technology to help restrict intake.

Ideal Pasture

For greatest benefit, the best pasture conditions are green and starting to go to head, until dry but still with plenty of leaf (not stalk). In these situations, pastures are usually lacking protein and many trace minerals. Pasture supplements will work well in these situations to keep cattle gaining or maintaining weight, especially when supplementation starts before pasture dieback. Green pasture is often limited in minerals, and pasture supplementation may help improve weight gains by correcting these mineral imbalances.

When pastures become stalky or in short supply DISCONTINUE feeding. It is recommended that cattle should receive at least 2.5% of body weight/day as dry pasture.

Recommended Feeding Practices 

• Closely monitor intakes when cattle start on the supplement.

• All products have maximum feeding rates. If these rates are exceeded discontinue feeding and contact your Riverina representative or stockist.

• Store bulk deliveries in tanks suitable for recirculation. Recirculate regularly.

• Place troughs at least 200m away from water to encourage even grazing of paddocks.

• Allow adequate trough/tub space and place troughs 10-12 metres apart.

• All stock must have a 5 in 1 or 7 in 1 vaccination for clostridial diseases.

• If you are in a mineral deficient area feed a salt/dicalcium phosphate mix or Riverina PASTUREPRO® Calphos for 2 weeks prior to starting a liquid supplement.

• After rain remove water from top of tubs and discard. Then stir the remainder of tub.

• Supplements should be available at all times. Do not let tubs/troughs empty before refilling.

• DO NOT feed cattle products to sheep. Cattle products have high copper levels which can kill sheep.

• Contact your local stockist or Riverina representative when starting cattle.

Drought 

When pasture is in short supply do NOT feed a liquid supplement. Cattle or sheep that are starving or have a short supply of poor quality feed will over consume their supplements. This occurs because animals are:

• Mineral deficient, typically salt or phosphorus.

• Short of food/roughage in general.

• Short of water.

Over consumption in drought situations is heightened when animals have prior experience with eating supplements or have high nutrient demands eg: animals in the last third of pregnancy or lactating animals.Contact your Riverina representative if you need further information.

When over consumption occurs deaths are commonly due to:

• Overeating Disease - This occurs when cattle have not been vaccinated for clostridial diseases. These “bugs” are always present in the rumen and when cattle overeat they can rapidly proliferate and the toxins produced will kill cattle or sheep very quickly.

• Urea Toxicity - Not as common but again, overconsumption leads to the animals eating too much urea/ammonia, leading to sudden deaths.

Pasturefed Cattle Assurance Systems (PCAS) Drought 

Our liquid pasture supplement range can be manufactured without RUMENSIN®, FLAVO® or FLAVECO™ and will then meet the PCAS requirements.

If you are interested in our range of PCAS approved supplements please refer to our separate index.

Warnings 

• Urea can be toxic to stock. Do not feed with other prepared feeds, supplement or licks.

• Do NOT feed to starving, thirsty, salt or mineral deficient stock.

• Adequate roughage needs to be available at all times (2.5% bodyweight).

• Do NOT feed cattle products to sheep.

• Supplements should be available at all times.

• Clean fresh water should be available at all times.

• If the product contains RUMENSIN®, DO NOT feed to dogs, horses or other equines as it can be fatal.