Backyard Boost for a Flourishing Flock

The popularity of backyard chickens has been growing since the early 2000s; however, during the COVID-19 pandemic that status reached a record level with more people being confined at home, schools closing down, people looking for new hobbies and a genuine concern about their food supply decreasing. With the increased demand for backyard birds, BioZyme ® Inc. knew it was important to create products for these animals with the Amaferm ® advantage to demonstrate “care that comes full circle.”

Backyard Boost® is a line of natural products that are crafted to support the health, wellbeing and productivity of poultry. Backyard Boost uses only the highest quality components and proprietary ingredients proven to support a flourishing flock. Initially, BioZyme is launching two products to help backyard poultry producers produce healthy, happy birds.

BACKYARD BOOST DAILY ESSENTIALS
Backyard Boost Daily Essentials is a pelleted, natural protein supplement fully fortified with the precision prebiotic Amaferm® , vitamins, minerals and organic trace minerals to maximize growth and egg production and support overall flock health. Amaferm is research-proven to increase digestion and absorption of nutrients to help maximize egg production and quality. In addition, Daily Essentials contains additional protein to support growth, feather quality and egg production and calcium and other nutrients for natural improvement of eggshell and yolk quality.

  • 2.5 lb. or 10 lb. resealable bag.
  • Fed at a rate of 0.5 oz/chick/day.
  • For a 6-bird flock, 2.5 lbs. will last 2 weeks, and 10 lbs. will last 8 weeks.

BACKYARD BOOST DEFENSE
Backyard Boost Defense is a liquid supplement that promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery to help support digestive health and a healthy inflammatory response. With natural products like the precision-prebiotics Amaferm® that helps combat the negative effects of stress and gets your hens back to producing eggs faster, and MOS to trap and expel unwanted disease-causing pathogens, limiting their ability to do harm, Defense promotes feed and water intake. It also contains electrolytes to support proper hydration and works with antibiotics to improve health and recovery.

  • 16 oz twin neck bottle with dosing chamber.
  • Added to water at the rate of 1 oz per gallon.
  • Mix daily to best freshness.
  • Designed for intermittent feeding during stress/recovery; can be fed at same time as Daily Essentials.

SHARE THESE BENEFITS WITH YOUR CUSTOMERS!

DAILY ESSENTIALS:

  • Improved health & performance
  • Supplementing calcium improves eggshell & yolk quality
  • Supplementing protein supports growth, feather quality
  • Increase egg production
  • Amaferm ensures that you’re getting the most nutritional value from your feed through increased digestion & absorption
  • Healthier chickens

DEFENSE:

  • Recover from stress & sickness
  • Increase appetite
  • Decrease diarrhea incidences
  • Reduces peculiar behaviors like feather picking, egg eating, comb or vent pecking
  • Decreases panting and excessive tiredness
  • Supports the birds’ immune systems

BE SURE YOUR CUSTOMERS KNOW WHEN AND HOW TO USE THESE NEW PRODUCTS:

DAILY ESSENTIALS:

  • Feed daily – either in the feeder or scattered around the pen
  • Intended as a supplement, not as a complete feed

DEFENSE:

  • Designed for intermittent feeding during times of stress, sickness and recovery
  • Mix in fresh water daily for best results
  • Maximizes the effectiveness of antibiotics

Dealer Spotlight: Weiss Milling

You wouldn’t feed your friends and neighbors something you had never tried before, would you? That was the sentiment that long-time family-owned-and-operated feed mill shared when approached about selling Amaferm® and the BioZyme® product lines several years ago. However, they decided to give Amaferm a try on their own livestock and soon after became BioZyme dealers. That’s been four years ago, and they are pleased with their decision.

“We had been hearing a lot of good things about Amaferm for a long time in the industry and it was presented to us as an option. So, we tried it out for ourselves, and it is one of those products where we actually saw results. A lot of the products we try promise good results, but you don’t actually notice it; that’s one of the things we noticed and liked about Amaferm is that you see results,” said Abby Shoen, who works with her dad, Dean Weiss, and also raises cattle and goats.

Dean and Kathy Weiss purchased the local feed mill in 1987. Today, Dean runs the business with his daughter Abby and son-in-law Jake Shoen. Weiss Milling provides animal feed and nutrition to all species from cattle and goats, sheep, hogs, horses and poultry, with an emphasis on providing high-quality products and high-quality customer service.

“What is important to us is dealing with a very competitive market, and people come to us for the highest quality products and knowledge, and that is what we provide,” Abby said. “What VitaFerm has helped us provide is the highest quality products and the best knowledge as far as the industry and animal health.”

One unique service that Weiss Milling provides its customers is ordering chicks during the spring, a service Dean has offered for 34 years. Abby said she coordinates the customers’ orders in May, so the chicks are delivered to the mill for pick up, but they don’t actually stay there for any length of time. Then, the customers can also purchase any feed and supplies they will need such as feeders or waterers for their chicks, making Weiss Milling a one-stop shop. Since COVID-19, she has seen a significant increase in the demand for chicks.

“Especially after last year there is an increase in interest for people raising their own food as well as having projects for their kids to get involved in. It was extremely hard to order chickens this last summer, especially with the pandemic,” she said.

With the number of backyard poultry producers on the rise, and a larger percentage of them in urban areas, Abby said many of them are focused on providing their chickens optimum health and nutrition, not just a generic product. A product like Backyard Boost®, with the Amaferm advantage should help these new-age protein producers reach their goals.

“This new generation is really looking at what is going into their feed products and how they can care for the health of their animals. They are looking into how to increase production by giving them the healthiest products. They are looking into mineral programs. It’s not so much price anymore; they want the healthiest animal they can get,” Abby said.

That’s good news for BioZyme and its newest line of poultry supplements. And it’s good news for progressive dealers like Weiss Milling who has its customers’ best interest at heart and is always looking for a way to keep their customers’ animals productive and healthy. Thanks for showing that care comes full circle!

Help Us Share the News About Backyard Boost®

A new challenge is always full of emotions: fun, excitement and exhilaration! Sometimes new things can be a little intimidating. But there is safety in numbers. That’s why we are confident as a company and specifically as a sales and marketing team that Backyard Boost is going to be a smashing success with those who raise backyard poultry. Figures in 2019 show that more than 13 million households have taken to raising these feathery friends. That was before COVID-19 had everyone staying home last year and spiked interest in raising in raising backyard poultry.

In an effort to share our products with you and the end-users, we will have three platforms where we can share information: a website, Facebook and Instagram. Initially, we will rely heavily on you, our dealers, to help us generate customer testimonials and feedback from the end-users to add to these sites.

www.backyardboost.co

This website will be the portal for all educational and product information as it becomes available. As with all of our product lines, we want to become a place where our users and dealers can come for premium products and for education. We plan to include education about feeding and nutrition, flock health and stress, coops and housing, egg production and more. In addition, we look forward to posting customer testimonials here once backyard poultry enthusiasts start using the products.

BioZyme uses social media like Facebook and Instagram to keep our dealers and end-users updated regularly with the latest and greatest product information, education and testimonials. These platforms will be where we really need you to speak up and share your end-user results or encourage your customers to do so.

We also use social media to engage with our customers for promotions, contests, to find out what they like, what they would like to see more of in the future. Social media is a great way for us to interact with customers of all levels in all corners (and backyards) of the country.

Every challenge is exciting! And this one is no different. We are excited to launch Backyard Boost this month, and we’re excited to launch three new communication platforms where we can engage with customers. We hope you’ll come along with us on this journey!

How to Reach New Markets During Chick Days

Chick Days will be here before we know it. For many farm and home and feed stores, chick days turns into chick weeks or even months, as the stores order chicks in advance and carry inventory from March through May, or even longer. Some might have chicks in-stock while initial supplies last, and others, like Weiss Milling (see Dealer Spotlight), might custom order chicks. You can make chick days a way to reach new markets that you might not think of during other times of the year.

Be a one-stop Shop

You’ve got the chicks. Make sure you’re stocked with all the necessary items that a first-time or even a repeat chick-buyer is going to need. Do you have the bedding? Feeders and waterers? Feed and health supplements? Coops and fencing? By making it convenient for the buyer, that shows you’re there to provide service, which could lead to a repeat customer for other products, even those not chick-related, in the future.

Provide Education

Consumers are hungry for education. They want to know the best way to care for their chicks to the best of their ability, and they want information in an easy-to-read format. They want to know about feed, water, housing, egg laying and general flock health. Since chicks don’t come with a label that contains all this information it is your job to provide the label information. Create a handy FAQ Sheet that is easy to follow, has all the information you would want to know about raising backyard birds and your business contact information. You might even provide a website with further flock information like www. backyardboost.co.

Educate your Employees

Part of providing customer education starts with educated employees. Before coming to work at BioZyme, I worked as a part-time farm store vendor and set up chick drinkers and feeders in chick days displays in the Chicago suburbs. I remember two college-aged girls oohing and aahhing over some baby chicks, who asked one of the farm store employees if she thought the chicks would be ok in the apartment as they got older. The employee replied “definitely.” I don’t know that I’d want five or six grown chickens in my apartment or if they would actually thrive without fresh air and sunlight, let alone what the landlord would think! Be sure you and your employees know the city ordinances for surrounding towns – do they allow chickens in backyards or not? Know how much space an adult bird needs, know about waste management protocols and provide good, sound advice.

Use Social Media

Social media is a great way to create excitement about your chick days event, especially if you have dedicated an opening weekend or first few days to launch your event. Use your various social media platforms to get the word out that you have chicks or announce their arrival dates. Photos and videos of baby animals are great attention grabbers and will catch the eyes of those scrolling through their news feed. Use a Facebook Live for in-store promotions or even for educational snippets during and after chick days to keep in front of your customers. Keep the excitement of backyard birds going long after chick days through social media with user engagement: have your customers post photos of their grown chickens, share their success stories or other funny stories of raising chickens.

Chick days are almost here. With people still staying home and looking for hobbies and ways to feed their families, you can use chick days to gain traction in your business, provide another service to your community and market your business to an audience that you might not traditionally reach. Once you reach this chick day audience, remember to ask if they have other animals that you might be able to help them with like dogs, cats or horses. Animals lovers regardless of species will appreciate doing business with a company that shows care that comes full circle and can supply them products for all their animals’ needs.

Upselling, Cross-selling Adds Value to your Business and Customer

Upselling and cross-selling are two terms you likely have heard before. They are often confused or used interchangeably; however, they are two distinct ways of marketing products that not only will help your business see more growth but will help your customers achieve more long-term success.

Upselling is the practice of encouraging customers to purchase a comparable higher-end product than the one they might be originally considering. Cross-selling urges customers to buy related or complementary items. These two practices are most effective when they are used synergistically, and the end result for you, the dealer, is increased sales and hopefully a customer who sees better results.

Cross-selling is a practice that should be used in business nearly every time you make a sale. Products in the new Backyard Boost® line like Backyard Boost Daily Essentials and Backyard Boost Defense were created for cross-selling opportunities. Most people won’t immediately think of nutritional supplements for their backyard birds. However, they will think of other essentials like coops, heat lamps, bedding and feed. When they go pick out their feed or have questions about bird health, these are some ideal times for some cross-selling statements:

  • Have you thought about how you’re going to keep your chicks healthy?
  • Would you like to add a supplement to your chick feed to keep them feeling healthy and keep them happy?
  • Did you know that a product like Daily Essentials will help your chickens get the most nutrient supply from their feed?
  • How are you going to treat your chicks when they stress out and get sick? Have you thought about Defense?

Cross-selling allows you to add on an essential product that will benefit the customer in his or her endeavor. Often times when you cross-sell, the customer hasn’t thought about that additional need yet, but when you mention it, it becomes an “ah-ha” moment for them, and a cross-sell suggestion often saves the customer a trip back to the store in the future, while helping you create a sale.

Upselling is a tool that should be used anytime you have a product that contains Amaferm®. With a precision prebiotic like Amaferm, products like Backyard Boost Daily Essentials and Defenses are already more beneficial than other supplements that exist on the market. The Amaferm advantage and other natural ingredients in these supplements will:

  • Support performance and health of the birds by supporting the digestion and absorption of nutrients.
  • Reduce digestive upset, therefore improving the overall health and wellbeing of the birds.
  • Increase egg production, while improving eggshell and yolk quality.
  • Support growth and feather quality.
  • Boost immune response and combat negative effects of stress.

Upselling allows you to share experiences of a high-quality product with your customer and those benefits that a premium product will provide. Remember, a premium product doesn’t always have to be the one with the highest price tag; it is the one that is backed by research and has the most high-quality ingredients included in it.

Both upselling and cross-selling are marketing tools that will allow you to help your customer and yourself. They help your customers succeed in their feeding and production endeavors and they help you meet your sales goals. When you combine the two and work them together, your business will experience even more growth.

Take the time to practice upselling and cross-selling across all species and products. There is always a product that will add value to another product. Try these marketing techniques and watch your business grow!

Letters From Lisa – February 2021

Importance of Emerging Markets

My start with BioZyme® really came from being Bob’s wife. Both of these were very good decisions for me. I traveled with him to shows, and as a true animal lover became totally engaged, but as a business visionary who never stops thinking, I saw lots of opportunity. One of my favorite stories on this front occurred at the National Western Stock Show (NWSS). I was “working” the booth when a very nice lady stopped by to tell me how the Amaferm® Pellet had made a significant difference to her rabbit breeding operation. She was passionate about it, and I was so excited to tell Bob the story. When I did the response back was, “so how many rabbits does she have?” I excitedly shared the answer, 800. He replied, “how many Amaferm Pellets does a rabbit eat?” I replied 1 pellet. You know what came next, a mental evaluation to see if I had lost my mind.

I share this story because I am sure your initial response to this Backyard Boost® idea could be the same. So please give me a minute to explain before you immediately send me to the insane asylum.

Backyard chickens are cropping up everywhere. Nearly 1% of all U.S. households surveyed by the U.S. Department of Agriculture reported owning backyard fowl in 2013, and 4% more planned to start in the next five years. That’s over 13 million Americans flocking to the backyard poultry scene. A 2015 review of 150 of the most-populated U.S. cities found that nearly all (93%) allowed backyard poultry flocks.

The coronavirus pandemic is heightening interest in raising young chickens for a reliable supply of eggs, with hatcheries saying they’re seeing a flood of new customers.

“We are swamped with orders,” says Nancy Smith, owner of the Cackle Hatchery in Lebanon, Missouri. “We can’t answer all the phone calls, and we are booked out several weeks on most breeds.”

“We’ve never seen anything like this, and I’ve been here since 1964,” Smith says, describing the spike in her business.

For families adapting to disruptions brought on by COVID-19, raising hens is seen as an answer to vexing questions about the availability of staple items at grocery stores. Starting a backyard flock could also be a rewarding project for Americans who now face the prospect of spending weeks or months at home with schools closed and workers laid off, furloughed or working remotely. Folks who are feeling cooped up, in other words, may want to start a coop of their own.

Where do I see this product line growing/going?
Through the roof.

Just one hatchery, Cackle Hatchery, supplies chicks to some 1,600 feed, farm and home stores across the country. Chickens are the hottest new backyard “pet”! It seems that every Tom, Dick and Susan wants to raise chickens in his or her backyard, whether that yard is one square foot or one hundred.

Maverick Squires Joins BioZyme® Sales Team

Maverick Squires, Dover, Oklahoma, is the new Area Sales Manager for BioZyme® Inc. As an ASM, Squires will work to develop new dealerships and build upon current dealer and customer relationships while promoting BioZyme’s numerous product lines in the state of Oklahoma. He replaces John Jeffrey, who has been promoted to Feedlot-Stocker Business Development Manager.

“I like the science behind the products. I started using them and saw how they work firsthand. The culture of the people who work at BioZyme really impressed me with their professionalism and talent. The company has good products and good people,” he said.

Squires brings a diversified background and multifaceted experiences to his new role. A graduate of Oklahoma State University, with a bachelor’s in Animal Science, he was a member of the livestock judging team. He also competed on the Butler Community College livestock judging team. He most recently worked for Animal Health International for five years, where he called on mixed-practice clinics and large-scale livestock producers. He has worked for a boar stud as well as gained other valuable experiences in the livestock industry.

“I am very excited to have Maverick join the BioZyme family! His background in the livestock industry should prove to be extremely beneficial to his own personal success as well as the success of the company. Maverick is a native Oklahoman who is a hard worker and will bring a wealth of knowledge to his customers,” said Jake Warntjes, National Sales Manager.

Squires plans to use his skills and experiences to continue to grow the business while helping customers and potential customers realize the value of the what the BioZyme products will bring to their operations, both from an economic standpoint and for their animals.

“I am really excited to work with everyone and appreciate the opportunity to be here,” he said.

He and his wife McKenzie have one son, Sterling, and will welcome a second child this spring. They raise show pigs and are anxious to become involved in his grandparents’ cow-calf operation. Squires also enjoys hunting and fishing when time allows.

For a list of BioZyme Area Sales Managers, visit https://biozymeinc.com/our-staff.

CHANGES COMING IN FEBRUARY 2021

NEW PRODUCTS

  • On February 1, BioZyme will launch a new brand, Backyard Boost™. Backyard Boost is a line of natural products that are purposefully crafted to support the health, wellbeing and productivity of poultry. Backyard Boost uses only the highest quality components and proprietary ingredients proven to support a flourishing flock. Two products will be included in the initial launch:
    • Backyard Boost Daily Essentials is a pelleted, natural protein supplement fully fortified with a prebiotic, vitamins, minerals and organic trace minerals to maximize growth and egg production and support overall flock health. Available in 2.5# and 10#.
    • Backyard Boost Defense is a liquid supplement that promotes feed and water intake during times of stress and recovery to help support digestive health and a healthy inflammatory response. Available in 16 oz.
  • Vita Charge® HydraBoost™ RTU is now available as a ready to use formula in a 2.5-gallon jug.

PRODUCT UPDATES

  • In December, the sewn in tag was changed to a printed label for all non-pelleted products.
  • On January 1, 2021, we changed from Altosid (1-fly claim) to Clarify (4-fly claim) in all of our IGR products. The registration process of the new ingredient requires product name changes to several products as well as new product numbers:
    • VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S IGR will now be 85317 VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S with Clarifly®
    • VitaFerm® HEAT® IGR will now be 10991 VitaFerm® HEAT® with Clarifly®
    • VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S CTC 3G IGR will now be 85001 VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® 5/S CTC 3G with Clarifly®
    • We have received approval and can be begin selling these products in the following states: Alabama, Arkansas, Colorado, Florida, Georgia, Illinois, Iowa, Kentucky, Louisiana, Michigan, Missouri, Montana, Nebraska, New Mexico, North Carolina, North Dakota, Ohio, Oklahoma, South Carolina, Tennessee, West Virginia and Wisconsin. We will update the Product Center in the Online Dealer Center as we receive additional approvals.

ORDERING UPDATES

  • When submitting Customer Pickup orders, instead of defaulting to “I want it as soon as possible,” the order system now requires you to select a date that the order will be picked up. Any orders that are not picked up within 5 business days of the requested pick up date will incur additional storage fees of $10 per pallet, per day.

SHIPPING UPDATES

  • FREIGHT CLAIM REMINDER: Please remember that you MUST notate what was damaged and sign the DRIVER’S copy of the delivery receipt in order to submit a freight claim. The freight companies deny our claims when the delivery receipt is not signed, and we cannot provide a credit on denied claims.

DISCONTINUED PRODUCTS

  • On January 1, 2021, VitaFerm® Cattleman’s Blend™ CTC 3G and VitaFerm® Cattleman’s Blend™ CTC 3G IGR were discontinued due to declining sales.

NEW EMPLOYEES AND EMPLOYEE CHANGES

  • John Jeffrey has moved to our Business Development Team as the Feedlot-Stocker Business Development Manager. He has been an integral part of the Superior value-added programs over the past three years and will continue to focus primarily on the stocker cattle segment to allow for more growth of the Gain Smart® and Vita Charge® product lines.
  • Maverick Squire has joined BioZyme as the new Area Sales Manager for Oklahoma.
  • Dave Gallagher will once again resume covering all of Missouri as the Area Sales Manager.
  • Blaine Rodgers has transitioned from Business Development to Sales and Outreach and is now the Western USA ASM and Show Livestock Manager.
  • Chris Kyle now covers all of Louisiana and Arkansas as the Area Sales Manager.
  • Sam Silvers now covers South Texas, West Texas and New Mexico as the Area Sales Manager.
  • Sam Norton will be supporting inventory’s efforts to continue our high standard of implementing and monitoring procedures to ensure we retain proper inventory. 
  • Caity Norton will be our Senior Manager of Environmental Health, Sanitation & Safety and continue to oversee the Housekeeping department, while taking on efforts to continue BioZyme’s commitment to safety and health.  
  • Evelyn Wyble is transitioning into the Housekeeping Manager position. 



CHANGES COMING IN MARCH 2021

NEW PRODUCTS

  • In March, BioZyme® will launch a DuraFerm® Goat Concept•Aid® Protein Tub: A breeding mineral with 16% natural protein in a cooked tub for goats specifically designed to target cycling, embryo production and conception when fed 30 days prior to kidding through breeding. Especially beneficial in A.I. and E.T. breeding programs. Stay tuned for more details coming soon!

PRODUCT CHANGES

  • Vitalize® Equine Digest More® Plus will begin shipping in a slightly different bag in late February or early March once current bag inventory is depleted. This change is due to our current bag being discontinued by the supplier.