Earlier this year, our vets in the Clutha area tested liver vitamin B12 levels in lambs, prompted by farmers’ concerns about poor growth rates.
On all farms tested, at least some lambs had liver B12 levels in the deficiency range. On a couple of farms, all lambs tested were low.
To dig deeper, we requested results from the lab for the whole of the Southland and the Clutha regions. They reported 103 sets of tests (likely to be from 103 different farms) and 52% of these test sets showed one or more animals as deficient. Additionally, 74% had at least one animal in the marginal range.
This indicates there is a huge opportunity in the South for increased production by getting this corrected.
Vitamin B12 is essential for growth in young stock, and our area is one of the most deficient places in New Zealand. Lambs are at the greatest risk of deficiency, followed by mature sheep and calves aged 6-18 months. B12 plays a key role in converting food into energy, which is why deficiencies often result in poor growth rates.
We are now recommending increased testing to see if your farm has any B12 issues.
There are a range of testing options available:
Live liver samples – Liver samples are the best option for testing and allow us to assess the animal’s reserves. These can be taken from live lambs from December onwards.
Works liver samples – We can provide you with a form to send along with lambs going to the works, so liver samples can be collected there.
Dead lamb liver samples – You can also take a small liver sample from deceased lambs. Simply place the sample in a zip lock bag and store it in a freezer. Once you have four samples collected, we can send them to the lab for you.
Blood tests – These show more about what the diet contains. However, blood tests can also show artificially raised levels when animals have been yarded or are under stress.
Among our clients, supplementation programmes vary widely – from no supplementation at all, to prill applications, to both short and long-acting B12 products. Keep an eye out for a future article where we’ll explore the pros and cons of each option.
In the meantime, we recommend chatting with your KeyVet about the best time to test your stock this season.
