Grass tetany prevention
Protecting livestock when risk is highest. Grass tetany remains one of the most costly and sudden metabolic challenges in Australian livestock systems. It often strikes when feed looks at its best, lush, fast-growing pastures, yet animals can rapidly become magnesium deficient.
Prevention is critical because once clinical signs appear, outcomes can deteriorate quickly. Supporting magnesium levels before risk periods is the most reliable way to protect both production and animal welfare.
Rapid spring growth, cold wet conditions and sudden diet change can all reduce an animal’s ability to absorb magnesium from the rumen. At the same time, demand for magnesium increases.
Why grass tetany occurs
Demand for magnesium increases in:
Late pregnancy
Early lactation
Young fast-growing stock
Cold or wet weather
High nitrate or high potassium pastures
Magnesium, combined with key amino acids, is essential for all major muscles including the heart, rumen and uterus.
Northern and southern systems, different triggers, same risk
In both regions, the challenge is the same: animals cannot access enough magnesium quickly enough to meet metabolic demand.
Southern systems
Risk is commonly linked to:
- Lush autumn and spring pastures
- Cold snaps following warm growth
- Tight feed gaps then rapid green pick
- Lambing and calving on fresh feed
Northern systems
Risk often increases with:
- Sudden seasonal breaks
- Cereal or improved pastures
- Long walks to water
- Late pregnant or lactating breeders under heat pressure
MagBoost, targeted magnesium support
MagBoost is specifically formulated to help increase magnesium and amino acid levels.
It supports
- Prevention of grass tetany and milk fever
- Muscle and nerve function
- Hydration and appetite
- Performance of heavily pregnant females
- Survivability and strength of newborns
Key benefits
- Helps combat sudden drops in magnesium on fresh green feed
- Assists where high nitrate pastures are present
- Nutritional support pre-calving or pre-lambing
- Improved milk production and mothering ability
- Can be applied via water or onto hay
- Dosed every three weeks to maintain blood magnesium levels
High-risk windows to plan around
Use MagBoost proactively during:
Pre-calving and pre-lambing
Early lactation
Rapid green feed growth
Cold, wet weather
Known grass tetany districts
Systems with multiple births, sheep and goats
Prevention is better than needing a cure. Begin with a full dose, then continue every three weeks while seasonal risk remains.
Practical application
Less handling and stress on late-pregnant females.
- Deliver via the water trough using the ProDispenser over three days
- Can also be applied to hay when required
- Repeat every three weeks during risk periods
How MagBoost fits with your program
- Use ULTRANEX or MEGANEX as the base nutrition program
- Add MagBoost during grass tetany or milk fever risk windows
- Continue MagBoost every three weeks until seasonal pressure eases
What producers commonly notice
Improved nutrition for the mother means more milk and less weight loss, helping breeders return to pregnancy more successfully while offspring are stronger and not left behind in growth.
Better milk let-down and consistency
Stronger newborns, especially multiples
Improved appetite on lush feed
Reduced metabolic setbacks
Females holding condition longer
Relevant LivestockIQ solutions
Your LivestockIQ representative can help plan regional risk timing, pre-lambing and calving programs, and integration with existing cycles.
