News & Updates
4th September 2023
Australian sheep producers maximising growth rates and fertility can now optimise their flocks’ performance with trace minerals. And supplementing the diet of lambs, ewes and rams to capture the most benefit from genetics and management has never been easier, thanks to the new Marks-Min for Sheep injectable range. Marks-Min for Sheep contain trace minerals selenium, manganese, zinc, and B12 and is available with, or without, copper.
Developed by Boehringer Ingelheim, its Livestock Technical Services Manager Dr Gareth Kelly said the creation of this product was underpinned by the huge investments farmers have been making into uplevelling their sheep production systems. “We are seeing more and more sheep producers pushing their systems - improving pastures, accelerating growth rates to market and increasing reproduction outcomes- Marks-Min for Sheep supports this level of management and production,” he said. “The B12 in the Marks-Min is vital for this as it can improve vitamin B12 status to support the animal’s ability to maximise the utilisation of the trace minerals and assists them to maintain a positive energy balance in times of high energy demand, such as joining, lactation and high growth.”
The demand for trace minerals has increased in recent years as producers push pasture production - focusing on high fertiliser rates, annual varieties, monocultures, and high pasture growth rates. This can lead to trace mineral deficiencies.
It’s similar with demands on Australia’s “modern ewe”. She must be highly fertile and remain in a positive energy balance. Vitamin B12 supplementation can assist with this. “To see how far the sheep industry has come, with its concentration on productivity, all we need to do is look back at the average marking rate 20 years ago, it was 80 per cent,” Dr Kelly said. “Improvements in management and genetics have lifted this rate by 1 to 2 per cent a year; however, the nutritional requirements of these high performing animals are different to those that we farmed decades ago. We can’t treat a Ferrari like it’s an old Commodore.”
Australian dairy and beef cattle producers have been using Marks-Min products as a nutrient supplement for years. It has provided a much-needed top up to improve trace mineral and B12 status in livestock at times of high trace mineral and energy demand, to optimise growth, reproduction, and immunity. Dr Kelly said supplementing cattle with trace minerals and B12 at critical times can deliver productivity and profitability benefits - specifically heavier weaning weights, more fertile animals - leading to tighter calving and less disease. But unlike cattle, sheep are more susceptible to copper toxicity. Many don’t require copper supplementation - and for those that do – they don’t need as much as cattle. That’s why Marks-Min for Sheep includes a “Copper Free” and “Low Copper” option. Dr Kelly said copper is an essential trace mineral - and more of it is required by sheep at times of high growth, lambing and lactation - but too much can be toxic. “We suggest the best way to know
which Marks-Min for Sheep product your business requires is to consult your animal health advisor and to begin with pasture testing,” he said. “This will tell you your copper concentration and whether it’s available or locked up by other minerals present in the pasture. If sheep will be responsive to supplementation, Marks-Min for Sheep Low Copper provides an appropriate dose designed specifically for sheep.”
To get the most from Marks-Min for Sheep, lambs can be treated once they reach 15 kilograms liveweight, while the best time to inject ewes is four weeks pre-joining and four weeks pre-lambing. The optimum time to treat rams is 12-weeks pre-joining. Dr Kelly said treatments can be timed with essential jobs such as pre-lambing crutching or pre-joining ram inspections for time efficiency. Marks-Min for Sheep products have a Nil Export Slaughter Interval (ESI), meat and milk withhold.
The information provided in this article is intended as a guide only. Information contained in this article has been provided by the manufacturer and although Nutrien Ag Solutions has taken all due care to provide accurate information in this article, there can be no guarantee that such information is accurate as of the date you read it, or that it will continue to be accurate in the future. You should not rely on the information in this article, and it should not be considered advice. You should seek professional advice regarding relevant factors specific to your situation, such as planting times and environmental conditions. This article does not take into account variable conditions such as climactic conditions, soil type and individual circumstances that may impact performance. To the maximum extent permitted by law, Nutrien Ag Solutions Limited and its related associated entities will not be liable for any loss or damage suffered by any person arising out of any reliance on any information contained in this article.