Introducing the latest addition to the Chemuniqué range: X-Zelit® is a calcium binder designed to ease the transition period of dairy cows by reducing the negative effects of both clinical and subclinical hypocalcaemia.
X-Zelit® works differently to traditional DCAD methods in that no balancing of feed anions and cations is needed; all that is required is a standard dose of 400 g–500 g to be fed to the cows two weeks before calving. By binding calcium (Ca) and phosphorus (P) in the cow’s gastrointestinal tract, we limit the amount of calcium available to the cow’s system, naturally activating the parathyroid hormone to start mobilising calcium stores from the cow’s bones, intestines, and kidneys. The result is an almost constant supply of calcium to the cow when calving, reducing the negative effects of both clinical and subclinical hypocalcaemia we typically see in pre-partum cows.
Read more about the effects of sustained calcium levels on the cow’s immune system around calving in this article by Per Theilgaard, product manager at Vilofoss, Denmark. The article entitled: “X-Zelit improves the immune system” was first published in their newsletter on 22 June 2020.
Technical adviser: Ruminants