The Power Of Protein

Protein is a powerful nutrient for your animal’s digestive system and rumen to function properly. However, spending money on protein supplementation may not always be the best investment for a producer to make. They need to know when to supplement protein and how much to provide to make it a wise investment in their operation.

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 protein deficiency can limit microbial activity, microbial protein synthesis and rate of digestion. In turn, these can impact feed and energy intake. Furthermore, if an animal receives insufficient amounts of protein, meat and milk production can be dramatically reduced.

Follow these three helpful tips to ensure proper protein supplementation.

  1. Identify Protein Needs.

Requirements for protein vary throughout the year and depend on the animal’s stage of production. A cow’s protein requirements will vary from about 9% to 12%, while a ewe’s protein requirements range from 7% to 15%, depending on where she is in the production cycle. Requirements are lowest post-weaning to late gestation and continue to increase as the female gets closer to parturition and lactation. Protein requirements are highest immediately post-calving and post-lambing due to the increase in protein demanded for lactation.

  1. Identify What is in Your Customers’ Feed.

You know the stages of production when additional protein is required, but do you know how much protein to supplement with? Before your customers start a supplementation program, they need to know exactly what their animals are already consuming. Protein can come from pasture, stored forages and grain. By understanding the nutrient profile of the available feedstuffs, they can better identify what supplements they need in their feeding program to meet nutrient requirements and optimize animal performance. BioZyme® Inc. offers forage testing and ration balancing, free to its customers, to help them gain a better understanding of what they are missing in their livestock diets. If you are interested in participating, please contact your Area Sales Manager.

  1. Identify the Protein Supplement that Best Fits their Scenario.

Producers have options when it comes to choosing the protein that will work best with their management practices. BioZyme offers its protein supplements in a tub or meal form to cater to differing management scenarios, allowing for maximum convenience along with improved animal performance. In addition to the added protein, the Amaferm® found in BioZyme products increases the rate of digestion, allowing animals to meet their nutrient requirements faster and on less feed. Increased forage digestion provides for greater microbial growth and production of microbial protein to provide the animal with more protein for growth, lactation and reproduction. Furthermore, with Amaferm in the diet, they will effectively reduce the need to supplement large amounts of protein because they are making more of the protein in the forage available to the animals.

AVAILABLE PROTEIN PRODUCTS:

Cattle Products:

  • VITAFERM® CONCEPT•AID® PROTEIN TUB, 200-lb. tub: A combination of Concept•Aid breeding mineral and 20% natural protein in a cooked tub. Specifically designed for reproductive success when fed 60 days pre-calving through 60 days post-breeding. Especially beneficial in A.I. and E.T. breeding programs. Includes natural protein for when forage quality is low.
  • VITAFERM® CONCEPT•AID® PROTEIN MEAL, 50-lb. bag: A combination of Concept•Aid breeding mineral and 20% natural protein in loose form. Specifically designed for reproductive success when fed 60 days pre-calving through 60 days post-breeding. Especially beneficial in A.I. and E.T. breeding programs. Includes natural protein for when forage quality is low.
  • VITAFERM® 30-13% PROTEIN TUB™, 200-lb. tub: A 30% protein cooked tub for beef cattle on forage. Includes no more than 13% equivalent crude protein from non-protein nitrogen allowing for a higher protein level in a low feeding rate. Contains organic copper for maximum bioavailability to support the animal’s immunity.
  • VITAFERM® CONSERVE™ PROTEIN TUB, 200-lb. tub: An economical vitamin and mineral supplement that supports the health and condition of the whole herd. Includes the Amaferm advantage to optimize nutrient digestion and absorption while the vitamin and mineral pack preserves cattle performance and contains protein for when forage quality is low.

Sheep Products:

  • DURAFERM® CONCEPT•AID® SHEEP PROTEIN TUB, 125-lb. tub: A breeding mineral with 16% natural protein in a cooked tub for sheep specifically designed to target cycling, embryo production and conception when fed 30 days prior to lambing through breeding. Especially beneficial in A.I. and E.T. breeding programs.

Horse Products:

  • VITALIZE® EQUINE PROTEIN PELLET – 40 LB. BAGA pelleted, natural protein supplement fully fortified with vitamins, minerals, organic trace minerals for horses who are not receiving additional grain or are receiving very low quality forage.

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