The leaves are turning. Seasons are changing. Just because your cows aren’t in the season of their peak nutritional needs doesn’t mean you should let their mineral program go by the wayside. There are numerous options that exist. If you’re a believer in a good herd nutrition program, but trying to cut costs, you’ll definitely like VitaFerm Conserve®.
VitaFerm Conserve is a complete vitamin and mineral supplement line that like all VitaFerm products, comes with the Amaferm® advantage to maximize nutrient digestion and absorption. Rather than formulating to optimum nutrient levels like the VitaFerm Concept•Aid® line, VitaFerm Conserve is formulated at sufficient nutrient levels to maintain performance. Conserve does not contain organic trace minerals, but it does contain Amaferm. Therefore, the savings can be passed on to the producer without sacrificing the health or performance of the cow herd.
“There are numerous reasons why fall mineral supplementation benefits producers. First and foremost, this time of year primarily coincides with a decline in overall pasture forage mineral content, and as forages continue to mature there is a decrease in digestibility, as such it’s important to maintain the mineral status of the cowherd,” said Jack Oattes, Regional Business Manager for BioZyme® Inc. “We are excited to offer VitaFerm Conserve to our customers who want to conserve costs without giving up the benefits of a balanced and fortified mineral package along with the Amaferm advantage, 365 days out of the year.”
Especially for spring-calving herds that are still in early to mid-gestation, Conserve is a cost-effective choice for producers who still desire to provide their herd with ample nutrition. Conserve contains a complete vitamin and mineral package to economically support nutritional needs of cattle grazing pasture and mature forages.
“Something often not considered is that cows are subjected to their share of stress during the fall months, from a spring calving cow that goes through the initial stress of weaning a calf, to more dramatic daily temperature swings. These stressors require an ample immune response to combat, which is highly dependent upon having appropriate mineral status,” Oattes said.
In addition to the VitaFerm Conserve, five additional formulas exist for specific scenarios. There is VitaFerm Conserve® MOS to trap and expel pathogens, limiting their ability to do harm; VitaFerm Conserve® Mag to mitigate the effects of grass tetany; VitaFerm Conserve® CTC 3G to assist those in areas prone to anaplasmosis; VitaFerm Conserve® Garlic, to deter insects; and the VitaFerm Conserve® Protein Tub, for convenience and added protein.
Although fall is a good time to feed Conserve to your cows, Oattes reminds producers that as they move into the last 60 days of gestation and hit lactation, their nutritional needs increase, and that is a good time to shift to VitaFerm Concept•Aid.
“When feeding Conserve, make the transition to Concept•Aid one to two months pre-calving in order to ensure cow mineral status is at an optimum level to prepare for calving and rebreeding. This can be done most efficiently by supplementing Concept•Aid, which contains an organic trace mineral pack along with the elevated levels of Vitamin E,” he said.
Saving money feels good. But so does investing in a good herd nutrition program. Cut costs without cutting corners with VitaFerm Conserve.
