Cattle Maintenance

We expect a lot from that mother cow. She harvests grass and converts it to energy. When the time is right, she gets bred; 283 days later, she births a calf. Then she turns into a milking machine and uses everything she has to grow that calf during lactation, only to prepare for breed back and get ready to do it all over again.

That is a LOT to ask from a mother cow. However, there is a window of time when she can take life a little easier. Yes, she’s still in gestation, and she is still growing a calf. However, her nutritional demands are not quite as great, and we are not counting on her quite so much.

From weaning until calving, that cow is coasting in what we like to refer to as cattle maintenance. It’s the one time during which her reproductive demands are not quite so high. She’s just weaned off one calf. Growing a calf in utero seems pretty simple. But just because that calf in her womb is out of sight and out of mind, don’t think you can skimp on her nutrition.

VitaFerm® Has You Covered

At BioZyme®, we make quality minerals for every stage of production, including cattle maintenance. VitaFerm® is a line of nutritional supplements for beef cattle that maximize energy and forage utilization for successful production.

To learn about VitaFerm® ONE, one solution for all seasons, or VitaFerm Conserve®, keep reading. Or locate a BioZyme Dealer near you.

Providing a Quality Cattle Maintenance Diet

A good maintenance diet is one that meets the nutritional requirements of cattle. It needs to support their overall health, well-being and productivity without promoting excessive weight gain or loss.

Let’s examine the key components of a quality diet for cattle maintenance.

Adequate Forage

Forage should form the foundation of the diet for cows in maintenance. High-quality pasture, hay or silage provides essential fiber, energy, protein, vitamins and minerals. Cattle should have continuous access to forage to support their digestive health and meet their nutritional needs.

Because you can’t tell the quality of your forage from just simply looking at it, we always recommend having your hay tested. BioZyme offers complimentary hay testing services to its customers. You will need to work with your dealer to learn more about these services.

Balanced Nutrition

The diet should be balanced to provide the right proportions of energy, protein, vitamins, and minerals to meet the specific requirements of the cattle. If the forage is deficient in certain nutrients, supplementing with mineral mixes or protein sources may be necessary.

Once you do receive your forage test results back, we recommend consulting with a cattle nutritionist. The nutritionist can formulate rations to ensure that your cattle diets are balanced according to the ingredients you have on hand.

Clean Water

Cattle require access to clean, fresh water at all times. Water is essential for digestion, nutrient absorption, temperature regulation and overall health. Ensure that water sources are clean, easily accessible and free from contaminants.

Protein Supplement

Depending on the quality of the forage, cows may require supplemental protein to meet their protein requirements. This is particularly important during periods of low-quality forage or when nutrient requirements are higher, such as during late gestation or lactation.

Mineral Supplementation

Providing a balanced mineral supplement is essential to prevent mineral deficiencies or imbalances that can affect cattle health and productivity. You should include minerals such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium, potassium, and trace minerals in that diet.

Energy Sources

While forage is the primary source of energy for cattle, you may need to incorporate supplemental energy sources, especially during periods of high energy demand. Cold weather, summer heat, when cows are nursing calves—these challenges require your cattle to expend more energy. Supplementing their energy intake can improve outcomes during these periods of stress.

Management of Pasture & Forage

Proper pasture and forage management practices can help optimize forage quality and availability, ensuring that cattle have access to nutritious feed year-round. Engage protocols like rotational grazing, pasture fertilization and weed control to help optimize your forage quality and quantity.

By providing a diet that meets these criteria, cattle can maintain their body condition, health and productivity, contributing to overall herd profitability and sustainability.

VitaFerm Offers Options

When it comes to providing cattle maintenance minerals that keep your herd healthy and performing, VitaFerm has options. We know that a healthy cow is one that has a healthy digestive system—70% of the immune response occurs in the gut. That is why our minerals are powered by the research-proven prebiotic AO-Biotics® Amaferm®. Amaferm is designed to enhance digestibility.

With two options of cattle maintenance supplements, VitaFerm offers options for all cattle producers looking for ways to keep their cattle healthy and performing.

VitaFerm ONE

VitaFerm ONE is a free choice vitamin and mineral supplement for beef cattle designed to promote cattle performance year-round. ONE contains AO-Biotics Amaferm, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility. It meets or exceeds nutrient requirements throughout the production cycle and is formulated with research-proven organic copper and zinc for enhanced bioavailability.

VitaFerm ONE comes in multiple formulas to meet multiple operation scenarios. Formulas include the following:

VitaFerm ONE Mineral Block – 35-pound pressed block
VitaFerm ONE HEAT® – Contains HEAT technology, a combination of essential oils and garlic, to support animals when heat and insects are a challenge.
VitaFerm ONE CTC 3G– Formulated with research-proven organic copper and zinc for enhanced bioavailability, as well as CTC to control anaplasmosis.
VitaFerm ONE HEAT® CTC 3G with ClariFly® – Contains CTC for control of anaplasmosis and ClariFly to stop horn, face, stable and house flies in their larval stage, as well as the HEAT technology, a combination of essential oils and garlic, to support animals when heat and insects are a challenge.

VitaFerm Conserve

We understand that input costs are climbing. That is why we created VitaFerm Conserve, specially formulated to support the health and performance of the whole herd while conserving supplementation cost.

VitaFerm Conserve is a cost conservative mineral that also contains Amaferm to enhance digestibility. It features a complete, but economical vitamin and mineral package. In addition to the original formula, Conserve comes in 7 other formulas, making one for nearly every operational scenario. All formulas include Amaferm and a complete, but economical vitamin and mineral package

VitaFerm Conserve® MOS – MOS helps normalize gut microflora and support the immune system.
VitaFerm Conserve® Protein Meal – Includes 20% natural protein.
VitaFerm Conserve® CTC 3G – Contains CTC for control of anaplasmosis.
VitaFerm Conserve® CTC 3G with ClariFly® – Contains CTC for control of anaplasmosis and ClariFly® to stop horn, face, stable and house flies in their larval stage.
VitaFerm Conserve^® Garlic – Contains garlic to deter insects.
VitaFerm Conserve^® Mag – Magnesium helps prevent grass tetany.
VitaFerm Conserve® Protein Tub – 200-pound tub includes 20% natural protein.