It’s weaning time. Whether you are retaining your own stocker calves or getting them in from other producers, it is important to have a plan to grow those calves in a healthy, efficient manner. The Gain Smart® Stocker Program is one such program dedicated to growing cattle in three easy steps. The Gain Smart Program […]
Partnerships that Pay Premiums
Cattle producers are continually looking for ways to add premiums to their calf crop and put some extra dollars of profit in the bank. A simple partnership created earlier this year between Superior Livestock Auction and BioZyme® Inc., creates added value for the producer when it’s time to market calves. The VitaFerm® Raised and Gain […]
A Little Investment for a Lot of Return
In south central Iowa, there is a cattle operation that covers all aspects of management. For Isaiah Shnurman, owner of SP Genetics and Shnurman Sire Services at Bevington, Iowa, managing his cattle and his client’s cattle starts with proper nutrition. “Managing nutrition is very important to our overall operation,” said Shnurman, who runs his own […]
Keep Calves Healthy During Weaning
Temperatures are cooling, mama cows and their calves are bawling for each other across the fence line. Weaning time is here, which adds stress to the calves and their immune system. You can keep them healthy by making sure their respiratory and digestive systems are not compromised during this stressful time in their lives. Ensuring […]
How to Achieve Gain on Declining Forage Quality
Grasses decrease in quality as they mature and the grazing season progresses. When the hottest days of summer arrive, cool-season grasses go into a dormant stage, and their quality declines tremendously. Forage availability is usually sufficient, but the nutritional value of the mature cool season grasses is lower. Warm season grasses will produce between 65 […]
3 Tips to Prepare for Calving Season
You’ve been waiting nine months to see if your cattle nutrition and breeding decisions were on track and D-day is almost here. Kevin Glaubius, Director of Nutrition and Regulatory Support at BioZyme® Inc., offers three tips to make sure you are prepared for this calving season. 1. Make Sure Your Calving Kit is Ready There […]
Health Tips for Calves This Fall
Experience tells us that fall can be a treacherous season for keeping calves healthy. Calves come into the season stout, thrifty and with the expectation of doing well. But changing weather conditions, management systems and nutritional programs can catch the calves off guard and send them into a tail spin of poor health and performance. Planning and implementing a complete program […]
The Power of Protein in Cattle Diets
Protein is essential within the diet of a ruminant to supply the ammonia needed for microbial growth and to provide the amino acids needed for absorption from the small intestine. A deficiency in protein can limit microbial activity, microbial protein synthesis and rate of digestion. All these can in turn impact feed and energy intake. […]
Forage Testing is the Key to Profitablity
Forages are not created equally, but fortunately for producers there are ways to analyze the make-up of the forages to see how to best utilize them for livestock in various stages of production. “Forage testing helps us meet the bottom line on profitability,” said Isaiah Shnurman, owner of SP Genetics & Shnurman Sire Services at […]
Is She Ready? Ideal Body Condition Prior to Calving
Regardless of the time of year when calves hit the ground, you want to make sure you and your cows are prepared. Now is the time to provide quality nutrition to bred heifers and cows. Producers should be focused on ensuring their body condition can support a healthy pregnancy both in young females and mature […]
