Meet the Anderson family – father Bertie and brothers’ Mark and Philip. They farm in Richhill, County Armagh in Northern Ireland. There is a 350 dairy cow herd on the farm, with Holstein cows that provide an annual milk yield of 8,500kg per cow. The farm supplies Dale Farm Dairies so the herd needs to be in peak condition to fulfil this demand.

The Anderson brothers spoke to us about their herd and CoseIcure boluses.

Click here to learn what they had to say.

Whether your main enterprise is beef or dairy, it is a well-documented fact that ensuring the optimum trace element status in your herd is critical to optimise productivity and to promote fertility. While the importance of ensuring optimum trace element levels is widely understood, many farmers are unaware that peaks and troughs of supplementation can have a negative impact on fertility.

One such farmer was Richard Long. Richard kindly spoke to us about his experience with Trace Element supplementation and the CoseIcure range.

Click here to learn more.

The CoseIcure soluble glass boluses supply the same levels of ionic Copper, Cobalt, Selenium and Iodine every single day for up to six months. These trace elements can play a vital role in fertility and health. Also in the range is the Cosecure Cattle bolus, which is the only registered LM bolus in Ireland, and which provides Copper, Cobalt and Selenium. The CoseIcure and Cosecure range is enjoying rapid growth in Ireland. It is being increasingly specified by beef and dairy farmers, as well as vets, who are looking for a high quality bolus that provides a solid return on investment.

One such farmer is Paul McCullagh, who farms in Drumcondrath, Navan, Co. Meath. He has a 280 dairy cow herd that consists of 70% Holstein and 30% Jersey crosses. He supplies milk to Glanbia and Lakeland Dairies so his dairy cows need to be in peak condition to fulfil this demand.

We spoke to Paul to find out what difference the boluses made to his animals.

Click here to learn more.

The importance of overall herd health cannot be overstated. Health impacts on a great many aspects of the dairy cow, from fertility to food absorption to milk quality. There are so many factors that can influence the health of a dairy cow, one of these being trace elements. The most important trace elements are Copper, Cobalt, Selenium and Iodine. Each of these plays a vital role in helping the dairy cow maintain a healthy and fertile profile. A deficiency in any of the aforementioned elements can lead to problems with immunity, fertility, food absorption to name a few. Thus investigating whether a trace element deficiency exists in your herd is worth undertaking.

Click here to learn more.

Ruminants can suffer from a wide array of trace element deficiencies. However the most common are related to copper, cobalt, iodine and selenium. Sheep that are lacking in these essential trace elements can fail to thrive, have poor overall health and encounter fertility problems. However, once these deficiencies have been diagnosed, correct supplementation is necessary for the flock.

Click here to learn more.

There are many factors that contribute to ewe performance. One of these factors can present itself in the form of a trace element deficiency. This type of deficiency can have a serious impact on ewe fertility and overall health. One farmer that found herself with the dilemma was Jemma McHugh.

Click here to learn more.

Malcom and Andrew McLean operate Relough Holsteins – a top pedigree herd in Northern Ireland. They have 290 cows in their award-winning herd with a milk yield of 10,000. Annually, they sell their prize-winning bulls and heifers.

Click here to learn more about this herd’s experience with CoseIcure

“Last winter, I found my dairy cows were having calving problems. These problems presented themselves in the form of retained placentas and dystocia. I was at a loss as to why my cows were having so much trouble calving down.“

“It was suggested to me that such problems may be linked to trace element deficiency. My vet investigated this further and found that the cows were lacking the essential trace elements of Copper, Cobalt, Selenium and Iodine. A continuous supply of these elements is vital for the health and fertility for the dairy cow. I was recommended CoseIcure boluses as they continuously supply exactly the same level of the trace elements for up to six months. So I did not have to worry about peaks and toughs in supplementation.”

Click here to learn more about Eamon Rice’s experience

Multiple complex factors can contribute to the health and fertility of sheep and one of these factors can be the animal’s trace element levels. Too much of certain trace elements can prove toxic, while too little can lead to issues such as impaired reproductive health, poor growth rates and poor general health. The latter was a problem for Mr Gordon Crawford; a farmer from Ballymena, County Antrim. Along with his sons, Ben and Jack, Mr Crawford breeds pedigree Scottish Lanark Blackface sheep. Their flock consists of 95 ewes plus replacements. As a pedigree flock, about 30 sheep are artificially inseminated each year.

Click here to read more about Gordon Crawford’s experience

At this time of year it’s usual for farmers to start thinking about the measures they have in place to support the ongoing health and productivity of animals, and an assessment of your herds’ nutritional status is an important activity to undertake. Where a need for trace element supplementation is identified by your veterinarian, animal health advisor or nutritionist, they will be able to recommend the best course of action for your farm’s needs.

In the case of farmer Frankie Owens, a farmer from Brackey, Sixmilecross in County Tyrone, his veterinarian advised that he use CoseIcure Cattle boluses and he has been extremely pleased with the results.

Click here to read more about Frankie Owens’ experience