Every BioZyme® dealer is different. What one on-farm dealer in North Dakota makes a priority might be totally different than the storefront in Florida. However, you all share more in common than you might think. Every single dealer puts the customer first, and that is care that comes full circle. With fall around the corner, it is time to start thinking about getting high protein cattle feed in stock.
Be Prepared; Fall is Coming
You are probably selling products with the HEAT® technology and fly control faster than we can say AO-Biotics® Amaferm®. And that is a good thing, for now. However, time moves quickly, and before you know, fall will be here, as the temperature shifts, so will the needs of the beef cow herd.
We want you to be prepared so you can best serve your customers. If you have protein supplements on hand when your customers are ready, they won’t have to go to another product or another dealer. They will be pleased that you have thought ahead and put their concerns at the top of your mind.
So, start now to plan your fall protein orders and stock up on high protein cattle feed and supplements.
Why Worry about Protein in the Fall?
Your cattle customers, and more specifically their cattle, often need added protein in the fall for several reasons. Forage quality decreases, they are preparing for winter, and their nutritional needs increase. Let’s examine each of these a little more in-depth as you consider why you should stock high protein cattle feed and supplements.
Decline in Forage Quality
Unfortunately, all good things must come to an end, and that is true for summer. As the growing season ends, the nutritional quality of pasture forage typically declines. The protein content in grasses and other forages decreases, forcing supplemental protein to meet cattle’s dietary requirements.
Increased Nutritional Demands
During the fall, many cattle enter stages that significantly increase their nutritional needs, particularly for protein either late gestation or early lactation. Adequate protein is crucial for fetal development, milk production and overall health. It is vital to ensure your herd has high protein cattle feed or supplements during these phases.
Preparation for Winter
Providing additional protein helps cattle build and maintain body condition before the harsher winter months. Adequate body condition is essential for maintaining health and productivity during the winter, when nutritional challenges can be more severe.
Growing in Young Livestock
Young, growing cattle require higher protein levels to support their growth and development. Fall supplementation ensures they continue to grow efficiently and stay healthy as they transition to winter feeding programs.
The Importance of Protein Supplements for Cattle
Protein is essential for cattle for several key reasons.
Growth & Development
Proteins are fundamental building blocks for muscle, skin, hair and other tissues. They support the overall growth and development of young cattle, ensuring they reach their full size and potential. Because protein is vitally important to growth and development, it is important that calves in the growing phase receive adequate protein.
Milk Production
Protein is crucial for lactating cows producing high-quality milk. Adequate protein levels in the diet help maintain milk yield and composition, particularly the protein content of the milk itself. Supplementing with extra protein during lactation helps to ensure your cows produce an adequate milk supply. The calf also receives that extra protein through the milk supply.
Protein is important for reproductive health. Adequate protein levels improve fertility rates, support healthy pregnancies and contribute to the overall reproductive efficiency of the herd.
Immune Function
Protein plays a critical role in maintaining and boosting the immune system. Adequate protein intake helps cattle resist diseases and recover more quickly from illnesses.
Repair & Maintenance
Protein is necessary for the repair and maintenance of body tissues. Protein helps in the healing of wounds and the regeneration of damaged tissues, ensuring cattle remain healthy and productive.
Enzyme & Hormone Production
Many enzymes and hormones, which regulate various physiological processes, are proteins or are derived from amino acids, the building blocks of proteins. These are crucial for digestion, metabolism and overall bodily functions.
Energy Source
While carbohydrates and fats are the primary energy sources, proteins can also be used for energy, particularly in situations where other energy sources are inadequate.
Feed Efficiency
Proper protein nutrition improves feed efficiency, meaning cattle can convert feed into body mass or milk more effectively. This is economically beneficial for cattle producers.
VitaFerm Protein Options
In total, VitaFerm offers 5 options of protein supplements for cattle, between both the tubs and loose mineral forms. All contain Amaferm, the prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility.
Let’s learn more about their similarities and differences:
VitaFerm® Conserve® Protein Meal
VitaFerm® Conserve® Protein Meal
VitaFerm Conserve Protein Meal, a free-choice vitamin and mineral supplement with protein for beef cattle designed to support herd health and performance while conserving cost.
• Includes 20% natural protein.
• Features a complete, but economical vitamin and mineral package.
VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® Protein Tub
VitaFerm Concept•Aid® Protein Tub, a premium protein tub with vitamins and minerals for beef cattle on grass pasture designed to support reproductive success on low protein forage.
• Includes 20% natural protein along with organic copper, iodine and zinc for maximum bioavailability, innate immunity and hoof health.
• High levels of Vitamin E support reproductive tract repair and milk quality.
VitaFerm® 30-13% Protein Tub
VitaFerm 30-13% Protein Tub, a protein tub for beef cattle with urea and natural protein designed to support herd health and performance while conserving cost.
• Includes 30% urea protein with no more than 13% equivalent crude protein from non-protein nitrogen.
• Features a complete, but economical vitamin and mineral package.
VitaFerm® Conserve® Protein Tub
VitaFerm Conserve Protein Tub, a natural protein tub for beef cattle designed to support herd health and performance while conserving cost.
• Includes 20% natural protein.
• Features a complete, but economical vitamin and mineral package.
VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® Protein Meal
VitaFerm® Concept•Aid® Protein Meal, a premium free-choice 2% phosphorus vitamin and mineral supplement with protein for beef cattle on grass pasture designed to support reproductive success on low protein forage.
• Includes 20% natural protein and organic copper, iodine and zinc for maximum bioavailability, innate immunity and hoof health.
• High levels of vitamin E support reproductive tract repair and milk quality.
Regardless of the protein supplement you choose, it is just important to be sure that your herd receives the added protein it needs when it needs it most.
“Providing cattle with a proper supplement that contains adequate minerals is important, as it serves as an insurance policy for seasonal fluctuations in forage quality and can keep cattle from becoming deficient or imbalanced in energy, protein or mineral status,” said Chris Cassady, Ph.D., Director of Beef Technical Sales for BioZyme.
Save Dollars with Loose Mineral
BioZyme offers two loose supplements with a combination of essential minerals, Amaferm and natural protein in a granular form for beef cattle.
In a loose formulation, salt is added to control intake. Producers don’t sacrifice any nutrition if they do offer loose mineral instead of tubs. Many of the same high-quality ingredients are used along with less expensive protein sources in the loose mixes, but since molasses is not in the mix, there is added cost savings.
Another cost savings comes with the packaging. The bag that the loose mineral comes in costs less than 50 cents. A tub adds about $6-7 additional cost to the product; that is money spent that your cows are not consuming.
For every pallet of tubs purchased, you could purchase a new ground mineral feeder to feed the loose mineral.
BioZyme Products are Research Proven
Amaferm® is the key additive in all VitaFerm products. It has more than 111 published and/or presented research studies proving its increase in digestibility and, ultimately, its impact on the animal.
Providing a high-quality trace mineral and vitamin supplementation like VitaFerm Concept•Aid is research-proven to improve reproductive efficiency. For example, our reproductive success report shows that VitaFerm Concept•Aid has proven itself as an industry leader in fertility support. Its ability to improve pregnancy rates, calving percentages, and weaning weights is unmatched by other brand products.
“Research proves that cattle fed Amaferm synthesize 100 more grams of microbial protein each day. That’s enough protein equivalent to a pound of supplemented soybean meal available for the cow or heifer. This additional protein generated from Amaferm in a year-round supplemental program can help producers reduce their need for additional protein by up to 40% annually. That is a huge continuous savings on feed costs,” Cassady said.
Get Your High Protein Cattle Feed & Supplements Today
We hope we have convinced you that it is time to start thinking about stocking up on your high protein cattle feed and supplements. Be prepared so when fall comes, your customers are not waiting on you to get the products they need and want for their cattle.
In addition to the VitaFerm protein supplements, BioZyme also has some protein and VitaFerm mineral literature you might find helpful to have in stock to share with your customers. A protein product guide shows and describes all the products for cattle producers, their benefits and approximate cost per day.
The other handy resource for this time of year is a seasonal product guide. This one-sheet guide suggests which BioZyme products a producer should feed at which time of year.
You can request both of these guides and more through the SAMM Center by logging in through the Online Dealer Center.
Prepare for the fall nutritional needs of your customers now. Fall will be here before we know it — so don’t be left unprepared. Stock up now on high protein cattle feed and supplements. You’ll be glad you did!