Category: Nutrition

Don’s Skimp on Winter Supplementation

Even though the first few weeks of fall have just “officially” passed, it is never too early to begin thinking about winter. It seems like producers and meteorologists alike have been discussing that this winter could be bitterly cold and snow covered, and if you are one of the many people who refer to the Farmer’s Almanac, you are probably already planning ahead.

Hopefully those plans include a high-quality nutritional supplementation program for your cowherd. The winter is when your cows will perform some of their hardest work for you. They are in their last few months of gestation and getting ready to calve as breeding season approaches. And often do all this while Mother Nature is at her harshest with sub-freezing temperatures and extra moisture flying about. Although this is the time of year when producers will start looking for a way to cut some expenses, those costs shouldn’t be cut in the way of cow nutrition. According to Kansas State University research, mineral only accounts for less than 4% of the total cow cost per year, whereas roughage is nearly 13% of the total cow cost. When you consider the return on your investment for feeding a high-quality mineral like VitaFerm, that investment pays big dividends.

Proper nutrition of the cow, especially during the last trimester, plays a key role in the development of the calf and ensures its survival once it is on the ground. During the third trimester, the fetus is being prepared for its life outside of the womb – the most rapid growth of the calf occurs, and the lungs mature, getting it ready for delivery.

University of Nebraska research indicates that proper nutrition of the fetus during pregnancy can have a positive impact on the overall health and immunity of the calf, while also impacting growth and carcass merit. “Results indicate that late-gestation maternal protein supplementation may affect carcass quality by affecting calf health. Results also indicate that calves from dams receiving a protein supplement had improved carcass quality.” ¹

All nutrients play a pivotal role in fetal growth and development, but it’s a matter of providing enough of the “right” ones at the “right” time. Energy and protein are the most common considerations when assessing a nutrition program during gestation as they are usually the most limiting nutrients. However, don’t take a good vitamin and mineral program for granted.

Metabolism and many other fundamental bodily processes rely on adequate macro and trace mineral supplementation. These nutrients play an important role in bone formation, hormone development and secretion, enzyme function and more. Trace minerals known to have a significant impact on reproduction and subsequent calf health are zinc, chromium, selenium, iron and manganese. Sufficient trace mineral supplementation ensures proper growth of the fetus and plays a key role in colostrum quality and immunoglobulins produced.

A cow’s nutrient requirements in early gestation aren’t terribly different than her daily maintenance requirements, but as fetal growth increases so does the rest of her nutritional needs. During this time, you aren’t just feeding the cow, you are also feeding her growing and developing calf. Once a cow enters lactation, she will need a much higher level of protein and energy. If her feeding program isn’t meeting her needs she will begin to pull condition off her back to continue providing for her calf, and her performance will begin to lag. You will also need to feed a first-calf heifer or second-calf female much differently than a mature cow. A young pregnant female that is still growing needs more protein than a mature cow. If there aren’t enough nutrients for the heifer and her growing fetus, she will use what is available first to meet her own growth and maintenance needs.

To be sure that your cows are receiving adequate nutrition, provide them a high-quality supplement like VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® . The high vitamin and mineral fortification caters to the heightened nutrient requirements of the cow during the last trimester and early lactation. BioZyme ® utilizes proteinated chelated minerals, the highest quality and most stable bioavailable trace minerals on the market, and high levels of Vitamin E in all their Concept•Aid products. In addition to a suite of vitamins and minerals, Concept•Aid includes Amaferm® , a precision prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying the nutrient supply within for maximum performance. It is research-proven to increase the energy available to the animal resulting in more milk production as well as to the ability to initiate and maintain pregnancy and fertility.

Concept•Aid is available in different formulations to complement different forage types and qualities to maximize animal performance. BioZyme also offers Concept•Aid in a tub for added convenience, and multiple protein options to meet protein requirements during specific stages of production.

Final fetal development in the third trimester is important to getting a live, healthy calf on the ground. Make sure your cows are ready in that final trimester to deliver a healthy calf that will grow, gain and put profit in your pocket. Take the steps to provide the right nutrients at the right time and be sure to give your calves the nutritional advantage they deserve.

 

*Research cited: ¹ https://digitalcommons.unl.edu/cgi/viewcontent.cgi?article=1021&context=westcentresext

Test Forages to Ensure Proper Supplementation

Some livestock producers will tell you they are forage producers and they simply raise cattle to have animals to consume the forage they produce. But it doesn’t matter if you raise hay for your cattle or cattle to eat hay, the most important thing to know is the nutrient content of the harvested forage you have on-hand before fall sets in and turns to winter.

Typically, by late August all the hay is put up, has had time for the moisture to level out, and it is an ideal time to start testing hay for nutritional content. Kevin Glaubius, Director of Nutrition for BioZyme® Inc., offers some key advice to identifying the forages you have on-hand and getting them tested.

First, Glaubius said it’s important to identify your hay by a lot number so you know which test results are from which lot. Glaubius said a lot is defined by the field and the cutting it is from. For instance, a lot from the second cutting from field one would be named Lot 1-2. A first-cutting sample from the third field would be 3-1. It is important to identify the lots when you haul them from the field and store them and continue to know where they are kept. A year of drought like this year, might result in only one cutting, therefore all lots would be dash one, or you could just name the lots by field name or number.

Once the lots are identified, it is time to collect samples. Hay testing and ration balancing are complimentary services provided by BioZyme. Contact your Area Sales Manager or local BioZyme dealer for assistance in collecting the sample. Having an accurate sample is the key to a successful sample. Glaubius recommends taking 10 sub-samples from each lot and mixing them together to get one sample to submit.

“Where it is a real struggle for the nutritionist to work with the producer is when the producer doesn’t keep those lots separate. They bring all their hay from all fields and all cuttings and they are not identified,” Glaubius said. “This makes it really hard when they do that to help them to put them put together an efficient program and tell them to feed this hay first, this hay second, this hay third. If they can put them in rows so they are accessible to feed them from a nutrition standpoint, and not so they are just accessible with their loader, it helps. Some customers will spray paint a lot number on their bales to make their mix the most efficient.”

Once the Area Sales Manager or dealer submits the forage for testing, the results are typically generated within a week, indicating any deficiencies in energy or protein. In addition to knowing the nutrient content of your forages, it is also important to know the amount of each lot of hay you have when working with the BioZyme Nutrition Team to plan your next steps.

“We need to know the number of bales you have in each lot, so we can help you plan. We look at number of cows you have compared to the amount of forage available, and plan for estimated intake. We want to ensure you are using the right product, a protein mix to supplement, either from BioZyme or from your local grain elevator. That way, you don’t have to guess if it is time to start feeding protein or extra energy,” Glaubius said.

After the tests are analyzed and interpreted and the protein and energy needs are determined, there are four key ways to supplement proteins using the Amaferm® advantage. Amaferm is a precision prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying the nutrient supply within for maximum performance.

Feed mineral with Amaferm. Get the most out of what your cows are consuming by increasing intake and digestibility. This is the least expensive option at approximately 5 cents per cow per day.

Feed VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® Protein Meal. This is a granular, free-choice mineral. In addition to the mineral, supplemental protein is provided.

Feed VitaFerm Concept•Aid Protein Tub. The tub provides the same nutrition as the protein meal but adds the convenience of the tub form.

Feed VitaFerm 30-13% Protein Tub. This VitaFerm product offers the highest level of protein, but vitamin and mineral levels for maintenance during times of year when nutrient requirements are not as high.

Forage testing is a management practice that helps you plan ahead to make the best nutritional decisions for your herd. Testing now will help you know which forages you need to feed during which stages of production and the proper amounts of protein and energy you need to supplement during those times. The more you know, the more money you could save your operation.

Tips for Reduced Stress at Weaning

If you’ve ever had a young child, think back to his or her first days of school. The word that might come to mind is chaos. Learning a new bus or drop-off routine. Do you pack a lunch or eat the school’s hot lunch? Does your sweetie have a book bag? Item for show-and-tell? The required school supplies? It might sound a little chaotic, and for a cattle producer, that chaos might resemble weaning time.

Yes, it is the most stressful time in your calf’s life. Until now, your calves have had it pretty good. Though the young calves were hopefully exposed to some type of mineral tub or loose supplement, mama cow was always right there with the next meal. And she has always been there to “wash” that tough-to-reach-spot behind the ears. Then one day, the producer gathers pairs and sorts the cows from the calves, and at just 6 or 7-months of age, the calves are weaned and have to learn survival on their own.

At weaning calves are faced with several immediate changes: environment, herd groups, nutritional intake and all while be separated from their mother. And while weaning can be very stressful to the calves, the same period can also be stressful on the producer who strives to keep the calves healthy, eating and growing all during this time of transition.

Kevin Evans, Thaler Land & Livestock at LaGrange, Wyo., offers some practical advice to reduce stress in calves at weaning time.

“It’s critical to get these calves off to a good start. Keeping them healthy at weaning not only helps in increased rate of gain, it helps keep our expenses down in vet bills and cost of labor to treat sick calves,” Evans said.

Choose a nice day. Evans said he picks a day when Mother Nature is on his side, and he pays attention to the long-range forecast as well. “We don’t wean right before a weather system moves in.”

Provide necessary vaccinations. Thaler Land & Livestock takes a proactive approach to animal health and provides needed vaccinations to their calves at weaning time to keep them healthy. This also helps ensure that they don’t have to treat sick calves in just a few weeks.

Provide high-quality supplements like Vita Charge®. Prior to incorporating Vita Charge into his weaning protocol about three years ago, Evans said he would treat up to 10 sick calves a day for the first 30 days of weaning. Now, sick calves aren’t an issue because the calves are eating, drinking and keeping their digestive system in check. “When we wean, we go right to Vita Charge Drench. Those calves seem to come out of the drench, hit the Vita Charge Stress Tubs, and go straight to the bunk. I’ve had no issues the last three years that we’ve used the products.”

The Vita Charge Drench and Stress Tubs contain Amaferm® organic zinc and essential vitamins to stimulate the immune system and to ensure that feed intake stays consistent. Added enzymes and B-vitamins work with Amaferm to generate a more rapid digestive response. Amaferm is a precision prebiotic designed to enhance digestibility by amplifying the nutrient supply within for maximum performance. They both also contain MOS that traps bad bacteria limiting their ability to do harm.

“I believe in Amaferm a lot, mostly because I’ve seen the difference in the cattle’s consumption,” Evans said. “And I firmly believe if you’ve got a healthy gut in your cattle, you have a healthy animal.”

Just like young children heading back to school, weaning can be a stressful, even chaotic time in the young calves’ lives. Even recovered cattle performance and ultimately carcass value are impacted by sickness and morbidity early in life. But with proper planning, a good health and vaccination program, the chaos and stress on the calves can be reduced. Now, if only buying school supplies was as simple.

How to Handle your Show Stock in Summer Heat

Summer heat can be tough on show livestock – or any livestock for that matter. Heat stress causes increased respiration rate, suppressed appetite, fatigue and dehydration, all signs of a lowered immune response. When we think about these traits and the way they impact production, it becomes very evident that the strenuous expectations we put on show livestock to perform at the highest level and look exceptional while doing so clearly becomes a challenge.

We typically think about heat stress in extreme temperatures; however, the reality is that anytime the temperature exceeds 70 degrees livestock are adversely affected. It is imperative to follow best practices and implement some simple, but important steps to ensure fewer setbacks due to heat stress and in turn, experience greater success with our show livestock projects.

Be proactive. Watch the weather and make wise decisions. It is a lot harder to bring down livestock’s body temperature once they are hot than it is to manage it before it rises.

Manage your facility to make sure it is comfortable for your animals. Be sure your animals can get to shade. Whether your facility at home has fans, misters, or even an elaborate cooler, controlling airflow is crucial. Keeping bedding wet down and misting water in the air will also help cool the air that fans push through your facility.

Modify your feeding program to accommodate cooler periods. Just like humans, livestock don’t want to eat when it is extremely hot. Feed earlier in the mornings so they have a chance to eat and be moved into the barn before it gets hot. Also pay attention to the location of their water supply. Smaller troughs provide more water flow and result in cooler water. Make sure lines that serve as water sources are not exposed to sun and heat resulting in the water in the lines to get extremely hot.

Rinse animals with cool water to help drop their core temperature. When rinsing, focus on cooling their underline and head as it will help cool them faster. Don’t just get them wet but allow cool water to run over them a while to help drop their body temperature. In extreme heat, rinse multiple times daily.

Plan ahead. It doesn’t take long for livestock to feel the impact of heat stress when they are removed from the comforts of a temperature-controlled environment. It is essential to think about this prior to leaving for a show. For cattle that have been kept in a cooler it is very important to raise the temperature of the cooler a week to 10 days ahead, every day slowly increasing the thermostat to help them acclimate. Taking them straight from a cooler to a hot show will cause extreme stress which will ruin your opportunity for success.

Use Supplements. Sure Champ® has developed products to help your animals regulate their body temperatures, naturally. Sure Champ Extreme with Climate Control is a daily top-dress supplement that is formulated for cattle, hogs, sheep and goats and designed to help eliminate heat stress in the animals due to increased temperatures, high humidity or extreme shifts in temperatures or climate. In addition to Amaferm®, a natural prebiotic that helps maximize the nutritional value of feed, it contains plant extracts that support the animal’s ability to maintain normal body temperatures. Extreme also contains garlic, a natural insect repellent.

Vita Charge® Climate Control Gel helps all show livestock species handle heat stress by lowering the animal’s body temperature in a safe, fast and natural way. We suggest starting the gel a week to 10 days before a show and keeping livestock on the gel through the show to keep them more relaxed, cool and comfortable, resulting in better appetite and higher energy levels allowing them to look their best on show day.

Strategically plan when you haul to shows. Hauling at night is the most ideal to help reduce the time they will be exposed to the heat of a trailer. Make sure you have adjusted ventilation on trailer to allow for adequate air flow while traveling.

Once you arrive to the show it’s critical to maintain the same schedule of caring for your stock. Continue to feed early and maintain body temperature by keeping animals rinsed regularly and under fans. Heat stress can be a challenge at shows but can be turned into an advantage for those who prepare properly. Stay positive, stay cool and prep to win!

Keep Her Bred Through The Heat Of Summer

Cattle producers go to great lengths to do whatever it takes to get their cows bred. But what about after? Keeping a cow bred, especially during the summer months, can be equally as challenging.

Typically, if a fertile bull breeds cows at the correct time, fertilization rates should nearly reach 100%. However, normal single-service conception rates run anywhere from 60-80%. The 20-40% difference must come from embryonic or fetal loss. Loss of pregnancy can result in longer calving windows, lower weaning weights and less profitability for producers. Oklahoma State University conducted some of the first research on the implications of heat stress on pregnancy rates. Those studies found that when cattle were bred at cooler temperatures, but then exposed to moderate and severely hot temperatures, their pregnancy rates were decreased by as much as 50%. Furthermore, they found that the surviving fetuses were smaller in heat-stressed cows and were more likely to be lost later in pregnancy.

Cattle can experience heat stress once the ambient temperature outside reaches 70 degrees or higher. This means that their upper critical limit for temperature is lower than that of humans. Humidity also can accelerate the implications of heat stress because of their inability to dissipate heat effectively. Therefore, stress can increase pregnancy loss well into the second and third trimester. For spring calvers, calves are weaned and cows are worked in what is typically the hottest months of the year. In the case of fall calvers, these females may calve earlier than expected due to prolonged periods of heat and drought during the third trimester. Be sure to give special considerations to bulls as well during the summer months. Heat stress can affect spermatogenesis (sperm production) and won’t show up until 45 to 60 days post heat stress.

Other factors such as fescue and fescue toxicosis can compound the effects of heat stress. The endophyte found in fescue, which can ultimately lead to fescue toxicosis if proper management isn’t implemented within an operation, limits a cow’s ability to dissipate heat because it reduces blood flow to the skin. If cows and heifers are exposed to diseases they don’t have the proper immune defenses against, the addition of stress from excessive heat can leave them virtually defenseless against sickness. Heat stress decreases grazing and feed intake and in drought situations, malnutrition and resulting dust will result in increased respiratory illnesses and potentially loss of pregnancy.

To help alleviate the implications of heat stress and help keep cows bred, producers can provide a multitude of management techniques to lessen the effects of heat stress.

  • Always provide enough cool, clean drinking water. High temps can double water intake. Increased urine output can deplete bodily mineral stores, so be sure to provide a high quality mineral source at all times.
  • Ample shade will provide relief from heat stress without too many animals gathering in a small area and compromising air flow.
  • Make sure all buildings have adequate ventilation, especially if cows are confined.
  • Wetting via sprinklers or hoses can effectively cool cattle. But pay attention to droplet size; misters just add more humidity to the air.
  • Good fly control can go a long way. To combat flies cattle will bunch and lower air circulation, resulting in elevated heat stress.
  • Avoid working cattle during the hottest hours of the day. The earlier in the day, the better.
  • Depending on the region of the country in which you reside, incorporating more heat tolerant genetics can improve the end product value or overall profitability.

Producers invest a lot of time and resources to get their cows ready for the breeding season. Significant heat stress can result in loss of pregnancy, and bottom line, open cows don’t result in profitable operations. Go the extra mile to lessen the negative impacts of heat stress and help keep your cows bred during the summer heat!

How to Prevent Grass Tetany

 

The snow might be flying throughout much of the country, but it won’t be long before cattle producers are thinking about turning pairs out to pasture. Although that lush green grass seems appealing, there are hidden concerns that producers need to remember when turning out their cows.

One of those concerns is grass tetany. Kevin Glaubius, Director of Nutrition at BioZyme® Inc., took time to answer a few questions about grass tetany to help producers prepare for spring and early summer grazing.

  1. What is grass tetany? How is it caused and what are the symptoms?

Grass tetany is also called grass staggers because when cattle become susceptible they start to stagger around and will go down on their side. One of the first symptoms is general lack of coordination.

Most producers think of tetany as a magnesium deficiency, because feed companies use magnesium to prevent occurrence, but really it is excessive intake of potassium. Potassium and magnesium compete for the same absorption pathway. Think of it like a funnel where three potassium marbles are trying to get through the funnel the same time as one magnesium marble. Since the percentage of potassium marbles is greater, that nutrient is more likely to go down the funnel and get absorbed before the magnesium does.

Tetany typically occurs in older animals rather than younger animals because of an inability to mobilize the magnesium from the bones. Mature cows will show signs long before a young calf.

 

  1. Is there a time of year it is most prevalent? Is grass tetany found in every region or does it confine itself to one geographic area?

Most of the time tetany will happen when cattle are on lush forages. While transitioning from winter to spring, nutrients, including potassium, are being pumped up from ground through the roots to support plant growth. When we have a few weeks of warm weather, those nutrients get pumped up to the plant that is above ground, actively growing. But if a cold snap or cool weather sets in, growth pauses but those nutrients remain in the plant. With those warm weather/cold weather cycles, the potassium levels can potentially become twice the amount they normally are, leading to tetany challenges when you turn your cows out around May 1.

Since tetany is a nutritional issue, it isn’t isolated to just the spring and summer when we turn cattle out to grass; It can also happen while feeding hay. In that case, we have what might be referred to as “winter tetany” or “wheat pasture poisoning” when cattle are fed harvested winter feeds that are high in potassium.

Most of the country doesn’t have problems with it in the fall. However, it can be an issue especially if producers fall fertilize.

Tetany is a global issue and impacts all ruminants who have an improper potassium:magnesium ratio.

 

  1. What are the best ways to prevent grass tetany?

There is no perfect mineral for preventing grass tetany. If you have extremely high potassium level, it is important to realize that a higher percentage of magnesium doesn’t always mean it is better. Magnesium isn’t palatable, and cows will likely walk away from straight magnesium or minerals with slightly higher levels of magnesium.

Start increasing magnesium levels about two weeks before turning out to pasture so you can gauge how much the cow might eat when she is turned out on grass. Remove all other sources of salt so that forces the cows to get salt from the mineral if the bitterness of higher magnesium restricts intake to less than the restricted amounts.

Feeding a high mag mineral during the high-risk periods such as spring and fall when the growing season can easily be disrupted will prevent the vast majority of issues.

  1. If an animal is diagnosed with grass tetany, how is it best treated?

Remember to check your cattle regularly when they are first turned out to new, green grass. Grass tetany is treatable if it is caught early enough. Call your veterinarian at the first signs of any tetany. The vet will typically provide an intravenous solution of calcium, magnesium and glucose to get the cow back on her feet. Timing is critical, though as cows will likely die if not treated within 4-8 hours after onset.

The key to preventing tetany is to provide the proper amounts of all nutrients, Glaubius said. If you can keep your magnesium to potassium ratio in check, your cows should enjoy grazing green grass and keep healthy. BioZyme offers several supplements in its VitaFerm® product line that are enhanced with magnesium to help prevent the onset of tetany including VitaFerm Concept•Aid® Mag/S. And VitaFerm Cow-Calf Mag Mineral. To learn more about these and other VitaFerm Products, visit: http://vitaferm.com/all-products.

 

Keep your Canine Companions Healthy: Give them the Amaferm® Advantage

Man’s best friend, the dog, has become a more integral part of most of our everyday lives. As veterinary care and technology evolves, dogs are living longer, healthier lives. As dog owners and lovers, we can help support this healthy lifestyle by providing adequate nutritional and digestive support.

Dogs are monogastrics, but unlike pigs and humans, are primarily carnivorous. In order to digest animal fats and proteins quickly and efficiently, dogs have short, acidic digestive tracts. Compared to other animals, dogs release a higher amount of hydrochloric acid, which aids in the breakdown of proteins and helps kill off any bacteria that could be found on raw meat. They also digest their food more quickly than animals that are herbivorous because plant material takes longer to break down. A longer digestive process is also associated with a longer digest tract. Therefore, dogs have a very short digestive tract compared to many other animals.

When your dog’s digestive system is functioning properly, the typical meal takes between 6 and 9 hours to pass through the digestive tract. In comparison, the entire digestive process in a cow generally takes more than 24 hours. During this time, the food is reduced into basic nutrients that the dog can absorb and utilize. Carbohydrates are broken down into simple sugars, fats into fatty acids, and proteins into amino acids, all which work to keep your dog looking and feeling healthy.

Common threats to healthy digestion in dogs include eating inappropriate foods or garbage, abrupt changes of diet, intestinal parasites, food allergies, infections, and viruses. When your dog’s digestive system is not functioning properly, the result may be gas, diarrhea or vomiting. For some dog owners, perhaps the most common cause of digestive upset is consumption of inappropriate items such as garbage, manure or hoof clippings.

Whatever the cause, Amaferm® helps smooth digestion by stimulating microbial enzyme production in the dog’s small intestine. These enzymes help break down food so it can be better utilized by the body. In addition to improving digestion, Amaferm also helps maximize the absorptive capacity of the gut. Several trials in conjunction with kennels, pet food manufacturers, and veterinarians have shown the benefit of Amaferm in increasing digestion and absorption of food and reducing nutrients left in fecal matter. Better digestion and absorption of food means healthier dogs with less digestive upset and less waste!

Why Appetite Is Important To Your Livestock

Management is key to your success with show animals. But management refers to more than just skin and hair care or having the latest and greatest in equipment and products. The heart of good management starts with a sound nutrition program and feeding your animals correctly to maximize their look.

“If your animal’s appetite is out of whack, they won’t gain as efficiently as their genetics would lead you to believe they should,” said Britney Creamer, BioZyme® Inc., Area Sales Manager. “This will result in not only lower average daily gains than you desire, but a dull look to their hair and skin, dull look to their eyes and even a more lethargic acting animal.”

Appetite goes beyond your animal cleaning up at the feeder; it is the core to your animal’s success. At Sure Champ, BioZyme’s show livestock brand, we say this about show animals, “if they aren’t eating, you aren’t winning.” There is a lot of truth to that, as livestock, regardless of species, need to get a proper amount of feed and water to maximize performance – growth, soundness, muscling, and have the proper show ring “look.”

One of the best ways to keep your show animals eating and drinking is to start with a sound nutrition program that focuses on a fortified feed and keeps their gut health in check. Most nationally-branded show feed lines do a great job providing quality, fortified feed options. Additionally, there are many additives out there for every enhancement possible – muscle growth, soundness, hair quality, leanness, freshness – however, if their gut isn’t working properly and absorbing nutrients, and/or they aren’t eating, none of those other additives really matter. Another important part of their diet is to keep it consistent, and not change their feed or add something new to it each day.

“We need to focus on the fact that if an animal’s gut isn’t working properly feeding all the additional additives is just like rolling down the window on the interstate and throwing money out! In order for feed and additives to do as they are designed to do, the gut of your animal must have the ability to digest and absorb those products and feeds effectively. One way to insure this is happening is by adding Amaferm® through a product such as Sure Champ® Cattle or Sure Champ Spark®,” Creamer said.

Sure Champ Cattle includes Amaferm, a natural prebiotic designed to maximize the nutritional value of feed. It is research-proven to increase water and feed intake, both in grain and forage-based diets. In addition, research shows that Amaferm decreases body temperature in heat-stressed animals. Sure Champ Cattle is a pelleted, daily vitamin and mineral supplement that can be top-dressed or mixed into any feed ration.

Another product available and ideal for small species including sheep, goats and pigs is Sure Champ Spark. Spark is a pelleted, daily supplement that will enhance the nutritional value of your feed ration by increasing absorption and keeping the animal healthy. In addition to Amaferm, it includes MOS to trap bad bacteria, limiting their ability to do harm to digestive health and intake.

“These Sure Champ products work to keep your animal healthy, and a healthy animal is one that won’t shy away from the feed bunk, water trough or bucket,” Creamer said.

Amaferm Advantage Keeps Cattle Healthy and Mediates Antibiotic Use

Prevention is the key to good health in your cow herd. Your herd health protocol should include both a sound nutrition program and good vaccination program. A significant component to a good nutrition program is a quality mineral package that works to keep the digestive system in check.

Taking a proactive approach to your nutrition protocols starts with providing balanced nutrients that your cattle need. Offering a product like a Vita Charge® Stress Tub or another VitaFerm® mineral product with the Amaferm® advantage will help your cattle stay healthy, productive and performing. Amaferm is a natural prebiotic designed to maximize the nutritional value of feed, increasing the intake, absorption and digestibility of nutrients.

Even with a sound nutrition program and proper vaccinations, chances are you will have a few head that get sick and will need to be treated. When treating cattle with antibiotics it is more important than ever to make sure they have Amaferm in their diets. Amaferm works with the antibiotics and helps mediate their negative effects on the digestive system, making sure your cattle get healthy and keep eating.

One often forgotten side effect of antibiotic use is the potential negative effect on the beneficial microbial population residing in the digestive system. A common side effect of prolonged antibiotic treatment is a reduction or slowing of the growth rate of these important microbes. Amaferm is research-proven to combat stress by supporting the animal’s own immune system, significantly increasing intake and nutrient utilization. Research shows that Amaferm helps support increased numbers of rumen bacteria and helps maintain a diverse population in terms of species, which is fundamental to a healthy animal.

Kevin Glaubius, director of nutrition for BioZyme®, offers some key takeaways from a Kansas State University Amaferm and antibiotic trial. Although the effects of the Amaferm were dependent on the antibiotic used and the species of bacteria that were studied, Amaferm did have positive impact on the antibiotics commonly used to treat sickness. This occurred by allowing the growth rates of important species of rumen bacteria to more closely resemble the growth rates of bacteria in the non-antibiotic controls.

“Some of the antibiotics we looked at in the study stopped growth of some of the microorganisms that aid in digestion, which could have a negative effect in the overall performance of the animal,” Glaubius said.

If you do have to treat a sick animal with an antibiotic, consider giving it a dose of Vita Charge Gel or Vita Charge Drench in conjunction with treating it. The Amaferm in the Vita Charge will help alleviate stress and keep the animal eating while it heals.

Stress Relief Found in Small Packs

Every Animal is Bound to Have a Bad Day

Stress management is a crucial part of any productive operation. When your livestock are stressed, there can be profound negative consequences on overall herd health and efficiency. Without proper management, not only will the animal’s well-being be compromised, but also the producer’s bottom line. Therefore, swift and effective management decisions are crucial to keep long-term effects of stress at bay. BioZyme® is dedicated to offering a line of products that can help producers protect their livestock from stress or aid them in recovery from those stressors.

So what causes stress in livestock? Any internal or external environmental stimulus that is outside of an animal’s “normal” routine can trigger a stress response. Many common stressors in production agriculture and performance animals include: parturition, weaning, severe weather extremes, transporting, significant diet changes, sickness or spending time on the show road. These stressors can disrupt normal metabolic functions, inhibit normal hormone responses or even impact animal product quality and safety. Management of stress in livestock is achieved through the controlling of the cause of stress and management of the effects of stress. Both can involve nutrition.

Although many stressors, such as weaning, can’t be eliminated, BioZyme’s Vita Charge® brand and select Vitalize® products help producers become better equipped to handle stress through enhanced nutrition. These products have made such a large impact for the simple fact… THEY WORK! Here are the main reasons why you should incorporate Vita Charge and Vitalize products as an integral part of your business.


The Nutritional Value

BioZyme’s small pack products contain powerful doses of vitamins, trace minerals and the Amaferm® advantage. These nutrients are advantageous in stressful times when livestock need protection or assistance in recovery.  When an animal is stressed, trace mineral and vitamin requirements are elevated. When these requirements aren’t met, animals tend to show the effects of stress by going off feed, showing poor conversion or even falling ill. Vitamins, specifically B vitamins, found in the Vita Charge and Vitalize products encourage improved feed intake; while Amaferm® helps multiply good bacteria present in the digestive system. In addition to vitamins and Amaferm, Vita Charge Liquid Boost® and Stress Tubs contain MOS. MOS is a feed additive derived from a specific strain of yeast and promotes increased animal performance through improved gastrointestinal health and integrity. MOS binds to pathogens, such as E. coli and Salmonella (bacterial causes of scours), and keeps them from attaching to the animal’s digestive tract and causing sickness and decreased performance.

Rapid Response

Because of the synergistic relationship that exists between the vitamin and mineral fortification and Amaferm, customers see a very rapid response in terms of intake and recovery from stressful events. This is due in large to the fact that vitamin and trace minerals have a profound impact on immune function, and Amaferm improves digestibility and nutrient absorption. In other words, animals can absorb more of the nutrients they need most during stress. Up to 70% of an animal’s immunity lies within the digestive tract. Therefore, when an animal feels good on the inside, they look good on the outside!

Regardless of the size and scope of an operation,
there will always be a period of time where livestock (or even companion animals) will endure some sort of stress. But when you combine high quality nutritional products that are easy to use and have a rapid response rate; it’s a no brainer to recommend these products first to potential customers. These products are the quickest way to prove to someone the benefit of Amaferm and the importance of proper nutrition at the right time, as well as the easiest approach to insuring a long-term customer that will incorporate multiple BioZyme products into their feeding regimen.