The Rural Voice, 1993-08, Page 49Take care of cattle's
special needs
With cattle on pasture, special care
must be taken to give them what they
can't get from grass.
Check to make sure your cattle are
getting enough of the following:
Salt: Salt (sodium chloride) is
required for the proper maintenance
of many body systems. Although it is
technically a mineral, it is usually
considered apart from the other
minerals. Cattle should always have
free access to salt unless it is being
fed through a concentrate mix. In
general, cattle should be fed blue salt,
which contains added cobalt and
iodine. Red salt contains additional
trace minerals such as copper and
iron. It is more expensive but its use
may be justified in some situations.
If selenium deficiency is a problem,
trace mineralized salt with added
selenium may be appropriate.
Loose salt is preferable to blocks,
since cattle may not be able to
consume enough in the block form.
(Loose salt should be fed in a covered
feeder and replenished once a week
or it will become a block.)
Minerals: On pasture, a mineral mix
is required to supply calcium,
phosphorous, magnesium, and some
trace minerals. Calcium is required
for optimum growth and milk
production. Phosphorous deficiency
will show up as reduced growth rate
in young animals and poor
reproduction in breeding stock.
Magnesium is need for proper
functioning of the nervous system. A
lack of magnesium may cause "grass
tetany" also called "grass staggers",
especially when pasture growth is
lush.
Choosing a Mineral: On grass
pastures and mixed pastures with up
to 50 per cent legume, a 1:1 mineral
(equal parts of calcium and
phosphorous) should be fed. An
example would be a "14:14" mineral
(14 per cent calcium, 14 per cent
phosphorous). On legume pastures a
low calcium, high phosphorous
mineral is required. An example
would be a "0:20" mineral (0 per cent
calcium, 20 per cent phosphorous).
High phosphorous minerals are not
very palatable. Mix them 50/50 with
Advice
blue salt and feed free choice.
Remove other sources of salt.
Magnesium content of pasture
minerals should be at least four per
cent. In some situations a higher
level may be needed. Read the tag on
the mineral to know what you are
buying.0
Tom Hamilton
OMAF Beef Cattle Specialist
Worker's
Compensation
Are you an employer of regular,
seasonal, or casual labour? Do you
hire contractors and/or custom
workers to do work on your farming
operation? If you answered "yes" to
either question, then you should be
aware of how Worker's
Compensation affects you.
Anyone who works on a farm and
receives wages is covered under the
Worker's Compensation Act for work
related accidents or diseases. A
worker includes all hired help, any
family member including spouse and
children, provided they receive a
wage. Therefore, you are responsible
for paying Worker's Compensation
on these workers.
In the event that an employee is
hurt, Worker's Compensation may
cover the health care expenses,
payment of 90 per cent of the injured
worker's net average earnings from
that employer, payment of permanent
disability and benefits and provision
of vocational rehabilitation
assistance. Worker's Compensation
benefits replace a worker's right to
sue an employee for damages. The
minimum annual assessment charge
for Worker's Compensation is $100.
The average rate that applies to most
farm operations is $4.89 per $100 of
payroll. Therefore, the minimum
charge covers up to $2,050 of wages.
Although $100 may seem like a big
increase from the previous $25 you
may have paid in the past, it is the
fust increase in rates since 1974.
Another issue to be aware of is
with respect to contract workers.
Any contractors or people who
perform custom work are considered
proprietors of their own business and
are responsible for obtaining
Worker's Compensation on their
workers and may if they desire apply
for personal coverage under Worker's
Compensation. Contract workers are
not employees of you the farmer,
however, you should ensure that the
operator is carrying Worker's
Compensation on an employee sent
to perform work on your property.
Why? Because under the act you
may have to make good for cost of a
claim if there is an accident. In other
words hirer beware! It is your
responsibility to ensure that
employees of others who are
performing work for you are covered.
You may wish to ask a contractor for
a tender clearance certificate from the
Worker's Compensation Board that
verified that Worker's Compensation
is being carried.
The other issue that farmers may
want to pay attention to is when you
go and help a neighbour without any
remuneration. In this case you are
not covered under Worker's
Compensation unless you carry
personal coverage. If you are paid by
your neighbour then you would be
covered under the neighbour's
coverage. If you sent one of your
own employees to help a neighbour,
then that employee is covered by you.
If the neighbour is paying your
employee for the day coverage would
fall under the neighbour's
responsibility.
Farmers should give considerable
thought to maintaining coverage to
cover "spur of the moment" seasonal
hiring of employees. Goodwill that is
extended by neighbours, friends and
relatives may be worth paying for,
rather than face the guilt of someone
being hurt and not being covered by
Worker's Compensation.
With regards to premiums, you
have the option of registering for
Worker's Compensation within 30
days of hiring someone. Personal
coverage can be obtained at the same
time as an employee. If your
seasonal hiring changes substantially
you may revise your estimated
payroll up to five times per year to
avoid any assessment penalties.
Ignorance of rules and regulations
is a big price to pay in the event that
someone is hurt on your farming
operation.0
AUGUST 1993 45