A pug, a rottweiler and a kelpie are responsible for Esther Luxford-Matthews finding three calf supplements that now form an integral part of the dairywoman’s daily routine.
Esther and her partner, Glen Pollock, milk 500 cows at Heyfield in Victoria's East Gippsland region.
When three of their dogs — Dragon, Cat and Nicky respectively — accidentally found and ate some leftover calf supplement, which included a product that is toxic for dogs, they were all admitted to the vets for three days in critical care.
Esther immediately re-assessed her program for the 700 calves she rears annually.
A visit from Daviesway DASCO’s Pete Parniak gave her the solution. He powered up her operation by bringing BioBoost, BioCalf and Electro-G into the conversation.
BioBoost is a high-strength, oral probiotic paste getting rave reviews in the field.
The lower gastrointestinal (GI) tract drives 70 to 80 per cent of a mammal’s immunity, and its micro-encapsulated coating allows probiotics to be delivered to the rumen and come to life in the lower GI tract, where they can outcompete pathogenic bacteria and do their best work.
It also includes yeast — which stabilises the rumen at an ideal 6.7 — and vitamin E for energy. It is ideal for new or ‘flat’ calves.
BioCalf is BioBoost’s sister product. It’s a double-strength daily probiotic milk-additive powder for calves, which is added to the milk every day at one gram per calf.
BioCalf also includes Australia’s only all-natural coccidiostat — Yucca schidigera — which has been used in the United States for the past three decades. BioCalf maintains a strong baseline for a calf’s immunity. Both products are appropriate for organic operations.
Esther has also included a new electrolyte to the market, called Electro G.
A high-performance electrolyte, it can be safely fed immediately before or after feeding milk because it doesn’t contain sodium bicarbonate as its alkalising agent (it should always be offered in a separate feed to milk).
“These autumn calves have been the best crop I’ve ever raised,” Esther said.
“The combination of those three products have made a really big difference to how my calves are going.
“Across the board, they are the fattest and shiniest calves I’ve had. My Jerseys are hitting seven weeks old now, and I could probably start to wean the tops of them.
“Usually I’d leave them on milk until they’re 12 to 13 weeks of age. But they are so fat and healthy — they’re eating enough grain — and, I’m sure that as they come off milk, they’ll just keep going forwards.”
Protecting bought-in calves
Esther buys in calves at different times of the season and she says the BioBoost paste has been a game-changer for easing the stress from saleyards and travel.
“If I de-horn calves or travel them from the saleyards, I always give them a dose of BioBoost before we get on the road,” she said.
“It’s easy to give and whatever it does for them, they seem happy even at the end of the stressful stuff.
“I always offer electrolytes too if they are having a rough day. With the Electro-G I can now offer milk first and they can drink as much as they want ,and I then I can offer the electrolytes straight afterwards.
“Most of the time they will down the electrolytes too, even if they feel a bit sick. They seem to really like it.
“By keeping them hydrated, and using the BioBoost (when needed) and BioCalf (every day) they seem to be really ticking along really well.
“The calves look outstanding.”