16/01/2026
Sudden drop in milk, and a few cows doing weird stuff (head up, staggering, tremors)? Don’t shrug it off!
We've been seeing a lot of vitamin B1 (thiamine) deficiency this summer, which happens when the rumen gets knocked around by heat or feed stress 🐄☀️
What to watch for 👀
◾Milk drops fast, before anything else looks obvious
◾“Stargazing” (head held high), staggering/drifting, tremors, dull cows, slower to the shed, not grazing down
◾Common triggers include hot humid days, sudden feed changes, poor water access, and high sulphur in feed/water/supplements
What to do ✅
◾If you’re seeing nervous signs, treat it as urgent and call your vet. Early treatment usually goes well
◾Check sulphur risk. Problems are more likely when total sulphur is above 0.5% of the total diet
◾Don’t try to “fix” it by adding B1 to troughs. It breaks down fast in water and sunlight
Want the full rundown (signs, risk factors, prevention steps)? Read the article here: https://agvance.co.nz/are-your-cows-experiencing-b1-deficiency/
