“It’s vital farmers understand what’s happening within the herd so that any nutritional gaps can be addressed before they impact calf health" - Nia Williams.

SRUC review also found a quarter of calves had respiratory disease.  

Suckler cow producers are being urged to reassess their supplementation programmes following a review that found widespread mineral deficiencies in suckled calves.

The call from animal health firm Nettex comes as the company highlights findings from 1,662 post-mortems on calves under six months old. 

Conducted by SRUC Veterinary Services, the survey revealed over half of the calves had vitamin E and selenium deficiencies, both of which are essential for immunity and disease resistance.

The review also identified that over a quarter of calves showed evidence of respiratory disease. 

Nettex argues that such deficiencies significantly increase disease risk – particularly in young or fast-growing calves. Nia Williams, Technical Manager with Nettex, said: 

“Both elements have antioxidant properties, are important in immune function, and help protect cell membranes, especially in muscle cells. Deficiency is more common in beef animals fed home-grown forages from selenium-deficient pastures without access to suitable mineral supplementation.”

She adds that ensuring cows are adequately supplemented throughout pregnancy is key to supporting calf health.

“It’s vital farmers understand what’s happening within the herd so that any nutritional gaps can be addressed before they impact calf health.

“As the SRUC data highlights, nearly a quarter of calves examined at post-mortem had respiratory disease. Illness is often multi-factorial, but ensuring adequate trace element status is a key part of maintaining healthy, resilient animals.”

Image (C) Shutterstock/Gottfried Carls.