As springtime comes around, it is essential for farmers to ensure the health of their cattle and sheep. The lush growth of grass during this season can cause a severe issue known as grass staggers, which can be prevented with the use of magnesium buckets. This blog post will explain why these buckets are an absolute necessity for livestock during this time of year and provide an overview of some popular brands available.

What is Grass Staggers?

Grass staggers is a neurological disorder that commonly affects livestock during springtime due to the high levels of fructans in new grass growth. Fructans are carbohydrates found in plants that animals cannot digest properly, resulting in a magnesium deficiency. This can cause various symptoms such as muscle tremors, staggering movements, nervousness, and difficulty breathing, which may lead to death if left untreated.

How Do Magnesium Buckets Help?

Magnesium buckets are an easy solution to prevent grass staggers from occurring in your livestock. They contain high levels of magnesium that counteract the effects of fructans on animals’ bodies so they can digest them more easily and reduce the chances of developing a deficiency. Depending on the size of your herd or flock, you may need different sized buckets – typically 5-10kg capacities or larger ones up to 80kg capacities – but all should be tailored to meet the needs of your animals.

The Best Products for the Job

There are several popular brands available for farmers looking to purchase magnesium buckets for their herds and flocks this springtime.

•  Crystalyx Cattle High Mag bucket helps support production from early lactation cows through peak lactation with its higher levels of magnesium oxide and energy sources like molasses. 
• Downland Opti-Lix Mag contains high levels of copper and cobalt alongside magnesium oxide, making it suitable for weaned calves right through to adult stock.
• Beetlic Mag Booster is ideal for early lactation cows as it contains additional phosphorus and sodium chloride alongside magnesium oxide
• Owens SweetMag provides extra calcium carbonate alongside its other minerals making it suitable for pregnant ewes right up until lambing time. 
• Downland Mag Extra also contains added sodium chloride along with added zinc so it supports all classes of cattle including young calves, beef cattle, dairy cows and sheep throughout their life stages.

Springtime means lush grass growth but also brings the risk of your livestock developing grass staggers if they don’t have enough access to minerals like magnesium oxide in their diets - thankfully there are many solutions available such as mineral buckets! By using these products regularly throughout springtime in combination with other measures such as monitoring pasture intake rates carefully you can help keep your herd or flock healthy and happy all season long!