Sixth & Final in a Series based on 1980s Ads Featuring BioZyme® Founder
Wouldn’t it be nice if livestock could tell you what they need and when they need it? For instance, when the grass is greening up and cows are being turned out to pasture, if cow number 782 could say, “Mr. Producer, I am going to need some extra magnesium, so I don’t get grass tetany,” that would be ideal. Or, as we are approaching breeding season, cows could simply request, “Excuse me. We’d like some of that VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S with AO-Biotics® Amaferm® and extra vitamin E so we can better digest our feed and hay and optimize our fertility.”
That would be ideal, but perhaps we don’t want to hear everything those cows have to say to us. In the 1980s VitaFerm ad series that featured BioZyme® founder Larry Ehlert, he challenged in the headline, “I can’t tell the cattle what they need. I’d rather have them tell me.” Sometimes we can “listen” to what they have to say using senses other than our hearing.
The ad copy continues.
“Cattle respond to proper handling. They produce more efficiently when they get what they need. And they’ll tell you what they need. Their eyes will tell you. Their coat will tell you. Their overall performance will tell you. Even their disposition will tell you. Cattle need good nutrition.”
Good nutrition starts with the basics like water and a quality vitamin and mineral program. Since water is the most important nutrient for any species, it is vital to ensure your cattle have ample fresh water, year-round. In the summer, it is even more important to make sure that water is clean and cool, for temperature regulation, proper hydration and feed intake.
When it comes to a quality nutrition program, that’s where the BioZyme family of products like VitaFerm and Gain Smart® come into work for the cattle. VitaFerm is a line of nutritional supplements for beef cattle that maximize energy and forage utilization to support successful production. Gain Smart is a line of vitamin and mineral supplements for stocker cattle that promotes healthy, economical pounds by maximizing the energy and protein available in the diet. Both VitaFerm and Gain Smart contain AO-Biotics® Amaferm®, a research-proven prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility.
“Producers and stockers alike have made a significant investment in their genetics. Once that foundation is set, we want them to get the highest return possible. To maximize their genetic potential, they need to have a quality nutrition program that will allow them to perform to their capabilities. With a prebiotic like Amaferm in every product we make, your cattle will be glad you are feeding one of our products. Pay attention to what they have to say. See the changes in their performance, reproduction and gain, and you’ll be glad you are using a product from BioZyme with Amaferm in it,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., BioZyme Beef Technical Sales Manager.
Both the VitaFerm and Gain Smart include formulas to meet the needs of various management scenarios. VitaFerm is designed for cow-calf producers. It includes the Concept•Aid® line that promotes effective, easy breeding when fed 60 days pre-calving through 60 days post-breeding, VitaFerm Cattlemen’s Blend, an all-purpose free-choice vitamin and mineral supplement for beef cattle on pasture that supports nutritional health, and VitaFerm Conserve® is specially formulated to support herd health and performance while conserving cost.
Gain Smart is available in four free-choice formulas, including one with the HEAT® technology, a combination of essential oils and garlic, to support animals when heat and insects are a challenge. Several of the VitaFerm formulas also contain HEAT.
Look closely. Your herd is probably telling you they want some quality nutrition from the BioZyme products that contain Amaferm. Like that black-and-white ad said nearly 40 years ago, “Eyeball your cattle. Listen to their needs. We’ll be glad to help.”
To learn more about the VitaFerm or Gain Smart products or to locate your nearest dealer, visit www.biozymeinc.com.
