Manage, Reduce Stress in Show Stock with Proper Nutrition

Stress is one of the biggest culprits our animals face. In typical production agriculture, we wean our livestock from their mamas and transition them to a feeding program. We poke and prod our animals as part of a vaccination program, and we sometimes totally change their environment while expecting them to gain weight and muscle or reproduce under those stressful situations.

Combine the above mentioned stressors with daily exercise and hair and skin conditioning while hauling animals to a weekly show, and all that stress is likely to equal an animal that goes off feed, looks and acts dehydrated and doesn’t always act or look show ring ready.

Nutritional capabilities play a huge role in keeping your animals healthy and reducing the stress in their lives. It is vital to not overlook your animals’ nutritional needs because a lot of their stress symptoms are triggered in their gut. A healthy gut will help your animal stay healthy and also plays a role in keeping their immune system strong and functioning.

Another challenge that show animals encounter is looking the part of a show animal once they hit the show ring. Since muscle is 70-percent water, and so many animals shrink up or lose their fill when they are hauled, it is so important to keep them hydrated when they go to the show. That is where Amaferm® plays a big role in boosting the animal’s appetite while increasing their desire to drink.

Blaine Rodgers, Show Livestock Business Development & Field Support, offers suggestions on reducing stress in show livestock while using BioZyme® products.

Sure Champ® and Sure Champ® Spark
These products are available for all species and should be included in the animal diet daily. They both will help boost appetite, making sure the animal is eating and gaining.

Vita Charge® Liquid Boost®
Rodgers suggests introducing this into your animals’ water 2-5 days prior to leaving for a show, and then continuing to include it in their water while at the show. Liquid Boost has a flavoring to it the animals like, and will often mask the chlorine taste of city water that is found at most fairgrounds. Rodgers also said it is a good way to teach your animals to drink out of a bucket before you go to a show since most animals are used to a water tank or trough, or pigs would be accustomed to a watering system. Introducing the water bucket to them at home is just one more way to reduce stress once you’ve arrived at the show.

Vita Charge Gel
Since it is so important for your animals to have a good show ring appearance, the Vita Charge Gel is another way to add Amaferm to their diets and help boost the animal’s desire to eat and drink. Rodgers said that the more water animals drink, the more their metabolism will increase, encouraging their appetites. The water also adds to their muscle shape and overall mass, giving the appearance exhibitors are looking for in the show ring.

Vita Charge Climate Control Gel
This Gel contains Capsaicin, which naturally lowers body heat. This product will be extra helpful for those animals used to a climate-controlled barn that might have to haul a long distance or that will be housed in a non-climate controlled facility for a week, like at a junior nationals. Rodgers suggests giving this daily just prior to and while at a show.

Getting the Word Out
As the summer show season approaches, it is good for dealers and their staff to brush up on the information about the products designed specifically for show animals. Make a display of the products close to the cash register to help strike up a conversation and help make a sale.

It is important to remind your customers how each of the products work together, and that some products are designed for daily use while others are used to combat extra stress at the shows. Perhaps you want to offer a promotion where you couple the products; buy so much Sure Champ and get a discount on a tube of Climate Control or Vita Charge Gel.

Finally, if your younger customers show primarily at the local shows, you might want to work with the BioZyme Marketing Team to create a post card to send to your customers promoting that our products are the safe way to increase appetites and maximize gains.

From the time your animals hit the ground from their mothers’ womb, they start experiencing stress. But as a show animal, you can help alleviate some of that unnecessary stress by making sure their nutritional needs are met. The Amaferm advantage is a great way to maximize the nutritional value of their feed, while keeping them healthy.

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