Nutrition Program Adds Value when Marketing Calves
Producers have many options when marketing their calves. And premiums are available for those who want to put forth the effort. In 2017, Superior Livestock Auction entered an agreement with BioZyme® Inc., to offer the first-ever, exclusive nutrition value-added program to its offering of value-added marketing programs. Two programs, VitaFerm® Raised and VitaFerm® Gain Smart® were offered to producers last year, and the success was so great, Superior Livestock is once again offering the nutrition value-added programs in 2018.
Calves marketed through the VitaFerm® Raised or VitaFerm® Gain Smart® Programs received significant premiums when compared to cattle of similar weights. Heifers, ranging between an average of 550-750 pounds, sold in the VitaFerm Raised program earned an average of $11.09 cwt premium. Similar weight heifers in the VitaFerm Gain Smart program saw an average of $9.88 cwt more than the national average.
Steers that weighed 650-850 pounds with the VitaFerm Raised emblem garnered a premium of $5.75 cwt; and same weight steers enrolled in VitaFerm Gain Smart earned $7.63 more cwt. All data was provided by Superior Livestock Auction, and the value-added data was compared to the national averages reported by CattleFax.
“Producers that marketed their calves through the VitaFerm Raised or VitaFerm Gain Smart programs in 2017 received significant premiums that more than paid for their mineral programs,” said Alan Lee, Director of National Sales – South for BioZyme. “Not only did they make more money through our value-added programs, but their calves stayed healthier and did not have to be treated with antibiotics which allowed those producers to earn further premiums from natural programs, nearly $3 more per hundred weight on top of what they already received. Plus, they saved money on antibiotic costs and treating sick calves.”
Cattle that were sold via the VitaFerm Raised of VitaFerm Gain Smart programs are more nutritionally sound and better prepared for their next stage of production. While the seller benefits from the financial premiums, the buyer knows that he or she has purchased healthier cattle that have benefitted from the Amaferm® advantage. Amaferm®️ is a prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying the nutrient supply for maximum performance. It is research-proven to increase intake, digestion and absorption.
“There are not a lot of nutrition companies trying to help their customers capture premiums on their cattle. When producers are making an extra $30 per head over 100 head, that extra $3 per bag of VitaFerm is a great investment,” Lee said.
There are two ways to become eligible for the VitaFerm Raised program. First, the calves must have been raised on a VitaFerm fed dam and/or fed a VitaFerm mineral themselves during pre-conditioning for a minimum of 45 days prior to sale through delivery. Or, the weaned cattle or older cattle must be fed VitaFerm mineral 45 days prior to sale through delivery. To qualify for VitaFerm Gain Smart, calves must have been backgrounded for a minimum of 45 days prior to sale through delivery on a VitaFerm Gain Smart mineral.
To learn more about how you can receive premiums for your nutrition program, contact a BioZyme Area Sales Manager near you at http://biozymeinc.com/our-staff or visit with your local Superior Livestock representative: http://www.superiorlivestock.com/find-a-representative.
