With the hot days of summer nearly here, Novus International has developed a complete nutrition program to help dairy cows deal with heat stress while improving milk production, overall cow performance and profitability.
It’s all about keeping oxidative balance and avoiding oxidative stress due to heat.
Oxidative balance describes the normal amount of free radicals and levels of oxidation in an animal’s system. Free radicals are compounds in the body that alter cells and cause oxidation, a part of a cow’s life. When an animal is under stress, free radicals accumulate beyond the normal level, damage cells and cause inefficiencies.
Stephanie Gable, Ruminant Global Marketing Manager, explains why Novus pays attention to oxidative balance: “Oxidative stress is displayed through a number of clinical signs that reduce profitability, from mastitis to reproductive inefficiency. Dealing with that stress requires energy that cows could use for milk production, growth, reproduction and overall productivity. A good nutrition program with an antioxidant can reduce stress, maintain oxidative balance, and improve milk production and milk fat levels.”
Geoff Zanton, Novus Ruminant Nutrition Manager, compares the oxidative balance of a cow to the building blocks of a house. “Not everything will manifest itself in production loss because a cow can deal with a certain amount of stress, or a few blocks taken away. But heat stress is a major challenge, and milk production can tumble, unless we reinforce other parts of the house.”
To maintain oxidative balance, the Novus program includes a regimen of supplements with highly bioavailable chelated trace minerals, methionine and antioxidants.
This program was introduced to a large dairy herd in Washington state when the daily temperatures reached as high as 110 degrees. Because of the extreme heat, milk production collapsed. When the cows were supplemented with MINTREX, MFP and AGRADO Plus—each part of the Novus Oxidative Balance Program—their milk production recovered, even when temperatures climbed higher.
“Managing oxidative stress when a cow is under heat stress is challenging and needs to start before the temperature climbs,” explains Zanton. “The antioxidants, trace minerals and amino acids that she needs take time to take effect and prepare the cow to deal with additional stress.”
To start your own nutrition program before your herd’s milk production suffers from heat stress, talk to your nutritionist or contact a Novus representative. Learn more about oxidative balance in dairy cows by visiting www.dairybalance.com.