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Bulletin

13/03/2026

Sponsored content

Bulletin

13/03/2026

Sponsored content

 

Give your calves the ‘essential edge’ for superior growth

 

Rearing heifers to their first calving is one of the most substantial investments on your farm. With costs rising, the pressure is on to ensure every animal hits growth targets and stays disease-free.
While good colostrum management, nutrition and the environment are your foundation, recent data highlights an important tool for the high-risk early life period: Injectable Trace Minerals (ITMs).

 

🛡️ Reducing Disease Rates: The Pre-Weaning Battle

 

Scours and respiratory diseases are key barriers to growth. Supplementing with Multimin™ (a prescription-only combination of Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and Selenium) is proving to be a game-changer:

  • Half the Risk: A New Zealand study showed that calves receiving ITMs in the first 24 hours had 50% lower mortality and morbidity rates compared to control groups, in the first 35 days of life1.

Give your calves the ‘essential edge’ for superior growth

 

Rearing heifers to their first calving is one of the most substantial investments on your farm. With costs rising, the pressure is on to ensure every animal hits growth targets and stays disease-free.
While good colostrum management, nutrition and the environment are your foundation, recent data highlights an important tool for the high-risk early life period: Injectable Trace Minerals (ITMs).

 

🛡️ Reducing Disease Rates: The Pre-Weaning Battle

 

Scours and respiratory diseases are key barriers to growth. Supplementing with Multimin™ (a prescription-only combination of Zinc, Copper, Manganese, and Selenium) is proving to be a game-changer:

  • Half the Risk: A New Zealand study showed that calves receiving ITMs in the first 24 hours had 50% lower mortality and morbidity rates compared to control groups, in the first 35 days of life1.

 
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Fig 1: Morbidity and mortality from natural challenge were recorded in 971 dairy calves for 140 days. Morbidity and mortality rates in the treatment group were half that of the control group.1

  • Fewer Cases: Calves treated at 3 and 30 days old saw 8% less diarrhoea and 7.5% fewer cases of pneumonia2.
  • Better Recovery: If disease does strike the herd, boosting mineral levels can still offer significant support. When used alongside antibiotics for BRD, ITMs help the immune system fight back more effectively, leading to better clinical outcomes than those receiving treatment alone3.

Fig 1: Morbidity and mortality from natural challenge were recorded in 971 dairy calves for 140 days. Morbidity and mortality rates in the treatment group were half that of the control group.1

  • Fewer Cases: Calves treated at 3 and 30 days old saw 8% less diarrhoea and 7.5% fewer cases of pneumonia2.
  • Better Recovery: If disease does strike the herd, boosting mineral levels can still offer significant support. When used alongside antibiotics for BRD, ITMs help the immune system fight back more effectively, leading to better clinical outcomes than those receiving treatment alone3.

 
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Fig 2: In calves treated for BRD, animals that received MultiminTM alongside, or prior to antibiotic treatment had better clinical outcomes than those who received treatment alone.3

 

💉 Supercharge Your Vaccine Investment

 

A vaccine is only as good as the immune system’s ability to respond. Research shows that calves given ITMs alongside vaccinations:

  1. Produced antibodies at a faster rate4.
  2. Maintained higher antibody levels following vaccination5.

Fig 2: In calves treated for BRD, animals that received MultiminTM alongside, or prior to antibiotic treatment had better clinical outcomes than those who received treatment alone.3

 

💉 Supercharge Your Vaccine Investment

 

A vaccine is only as good as the immune system’s ability to respond. Research shows that calves given ITMs alongside vaccinations:

  1. Produced antibodies at a faster rate4.
  2. Maintained higher antibody levels following vaccination5.

 
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Fig 3: A greater proportion of the MultiminTM group had seroconverted at day 14 than in the control group that received vaccine only4.

 

Ensure your calves are "vaccine ready" to make sure your financial and labour investments actually pay off.

 

📈 Driving Growth & Performance

 

The "trace mineral gap" usually hits during stressful transitions like weaning or housing. Oral intake can drop just as the body’s demand spikes.

Multimin™ bridges this gap by bypassing the rumen:

  • Rapid Absorption: Blood levels peak within 8–10 hours6.
  • Liver Storage: Minerals are stored within 24 hours6.
  • Weight Targets: Improved Average Daily Gain (ADG)7 helps you hit that critical 24-month calving goal.

📍 Strategic Timing: When to Act

 

To maximize the "Essential Edge," integrate ITMs at these three critical "pinch points":

Fig 3: A greater proportion of the MultiminTM group had seroconverted at day 14 than in the control group that received vaccine only4.

 

Ensure your calves are "vaccine ready" to make sure your financial and labour investments actually pay off.

 

📈 Driving Growth & Performance

 

The "trace mineral gap" usually hits during stressful transitions like weaning or housing. Oral intake can drop just as the body’s demand spikes.

Multimin™ bridges this gap by bypassing the rumen:

  • Rapid Absorption: Blood levels peak within 8–10 hours6.
  • Liver Storage: Minerals are stored within 24 hours6.
  • Weight Targets: Improved Average Daily Gain (ADG)7 helps you hit that critical 24-month calving goal.

📍 Strategic Timing: When to Act

 

To maximize the "Essential Edge," integrate ITMs at these three critical "pinch points":

 
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Reducing disease by even a few percentage points leads to significant marginal gains. Talk to your veterinary surgeon today about fitting an injectable trace mineral protocol into your youngstock rearing plan.

 

References

  1. Bates et al. Vet Rec.2019;184(22):680.
  2. Teixeira et al. J Dairy Sci.2014; 97:4216–4226
  3. Hong et al. Bio Trace Element Res 2024
  4. Roberts et al. Prof Anim Sci.2016;32(6):842-848
  5. Arthrington and Havenga. J Anim Sci.2012; 90:1966-1971
  6. Pogge et al. J. Anim. Sci.2012;90:2692–2698
  7. Bittar et al. Prof Anim Sci. 2018;34(1):59-66

 

MultiminTM solution for injection contains 60mg Zinc; 10mg Manganese;15mg Copper and 5mg Selenium per ml POM-V

 

Prescription decisions are for the person issuing the prescription alone.
Advice on the use of this medicine should be sought from your veterinary surgeon.

 

This promotion is only intended for farmers in England, Scotland and Wales.

 

Further information is available from the product SPC or from:
Virbac Ltd, Woolpit Business Park, Windmill Avenue, Woolpit, Bury St, Edmunds, Suffolk. IP30 9UP.

 

T: +44(0)1359 243243 E: enquiries@virbac.co.uk W: www.virbac.com

 

Reducing disease by even a few percentage points leads to significant marginal gains. Talk to your veterinary surgeon today about fitting an injectable trace mineral protocol into your youngstock rearing plan.

 

References

  1. Bates et al. Vet Rec.2019;184(22):680.
  2. Teixeira et al. J Dairy Sci.2014; 97:4216–4226
  3. Hong et al. Bio Trace Element Res 2024
  4. Roberts et al. Prof Anim Sci.2016;32(6):842-848
  5. Arthrington and Havenga. J Anim Sci.2012; 90:1966-1971
  6. Pogge et al. J. Anim. Sci.2012;90:2692–2698
  7. Bittar et al. Prof Anim Sci. 2018;34(1):59-66

 

MultiminTM solution for injection contains 60mg Zinc; 10mg Manganese;15mg Copper and 5mg Selenium per ml POM-V

 

Prescription decisions are for the person issuing the prescription alone.
Advice on the use of this medicine should be sought from your veterinary surgeon.

 

This promotion is only intended for farmers in England, Scotland and Wales.

 

Further information is available from the product SPC or from:
Virbac Ltd, Woolpit Business Park, Windmill Avenue, Woolpit, Bury St, Edmunds, Suffolk. IP30 9UP.

 

T: +44(0)1359 243243 E: enquiries@virbac.co.uk W: www.virbac.com

 

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Priory Cottage, Eastbourne Road Ridgewood East Sussex TN22 5ST
Grove House Media Ltd is registered in England and Wales, Registration No 16722598
 
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British Dairying, Grove House Media Ltd
Priory Cottage, Eastbourne Road Ridgewood East Sussex TN22 5ST
Grove House Media Ltd is registered in England and Wales, Registration No 16722598
 
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