A team of scientists, vets, and farmers at ANIMAX have developed a new bolus
to supply cattle weighing over half a tonne with enough essential trace
elements for six months in one single application.
Forage is a highly valuable but highly variable nutrition source. In most cases,
forage alone doesn’t offer enough essential trace elements for productive
livestock. When adding feed and feed supplements, we still can’t be sure every
animal is getting enough all the time for optimal performance.
Conversely, supplying more than enough will either by-pass what an animal can
physically absorb or cause toxicity. Either way, it is a waste of money.
ANIMAX have been working hard to innovate the answer.
Complimentary to any type of farming operation and feeding system, Tracesure
Cattle XL now enables farmers to supply cattle over 500kg with enough
essential trace elements for six months in just one bolus and in one single
application, rather than two to four applications needed previously.
The single application is as result of the new waxed-groove diffusion technology
which regulates the rate of release, meaning the bolus increases in surface area
over time for a safe long-lasting release. This has allowed higher levels of trace
element inclusion in a single bolus.
Unlike other dissolving or disintegrating boluses on the market, the wax stays in
the grooves, with the total surface area gradually increasing as the essential
trace elements diffuse into the rumen. Tracesure Cattle XL stays the same size as
time passes, reducing the risk of regurgitation or passing in the faeces.
Tracesure Cattle XL builds on the existing Tracesure range already proven to
promote digestion and feed conversion, support animal health and
performance, and optimise time and labour efficiency.
The bolus offers assurance that cattle have a continual and consistent supply of
high quality trace elements – namely selenium, iodine, and cobalt – selected to
work with and support the natural mechanisms of the animal. The bolus is
available with or without copper.
According to Nigel Hemphill, Commercial Director at ANIMAX, the bolus
observes the golden rule for high livestock productivity.
“One of the most crucial factors in bolusing safely and cost-effectively is utilising
the right sized bolus for the right sized animal to supply enough trace elements.
That is, not too much and not too little. This has never been more relevant than
today, when livestock farmers are coping with all-time high input prices and
margin pressures,” says Hemphill.
“By proactively bolusing, we can reduce the risk of reactive measures caused by
the deficiencies we commonly find in forage. The bolus enables farmers to
supply the essential trace elements proven to promote digestion, support animal
health and optimise time efficiency on farm.
“One Tracesure Cattle XL bolus is equivalent to the application of four of the
alternative non-Tracesure boluses in the market, and there is double the volume
of essential trace elements. The new diffusion technology gives us the assurance
we need for consistent and continual supplementation for the 6 month period,”
concludes Hemphill.
Work at Ohio Satte University has shown that Angus beef cattle given essential
trace elements through a Tracesure bolus consumed a higher amount of dry
matter and grew faster than animals not supplemented with a bolus. In the same
study, the cattle converted feed more efficiently than those given trace elements
in their feed.
Farmers can enjoy the benefits of the new ergonomically designed bolus
applicator FREE with every eight boxes of ten bolus ordered between March
and June 2023.
Click here for product information
