BioZyme Holiday Hours

The BioZyme offices will be closed Friday & Monday, December 22-25 for the Christmas holiday. There will be customer pick-ups until noon, and no LTL/shipping, on Thursday, December 21. We will resume normal office hours on Tuesday, December 26.

We will also be closed on January 1, for New Year’s Day. There will be customer pick-ups until noon and no LTL/Shipping, on Friday, December 29. We will resume normal office hours Tuesday, January 2.

We wish each and every one of you a Merry Christmas and a Happy New Year.

Planning is Vital to Tracking Today’s Livestock Show Schedule

It’s the most wonderful time of the year. . .yes, people are gearing up for the holidays. But in the show livestock world, they are also preparing for livestock shows.

Yes, jackpots are now basically year-round, and the winter majors are happening soon. The livestock show schedule is a crazy, never-ending loop. So, how do breeders and exhibitors prepare? It all comes down to planning.

Regional Livestock Show Schedules

Livestock show schedules happen on a somewhat regional basis. In many parts of the U.S., including the Midwest, plains states and coasts, county and state fairs happen in the summer through the fall. This allows young people to take advantage of the summer months, when they are not in school, to work with their animals and attend weeklong county fairs and junior nationals.

However, in Texas, the leading state for livestock shows based on number of animals shown, the well-known “Texas Majors” happen in the winter through spring. The Southwestern Livestock Exposition, commonly known as Fort Worth kicks off this string of multi-species major livestock competitions in January.

Other southern states like Georgia, for example, start showing new projects just like they do in Texas in November and December. These first-time projects are getting their start now and will wrap up in late spring.

Check out our list of shows at the end of this blog HERE.

Impact on Breeders

Regionalized livestock show schedules allow for some breeders to have year-round marketing outlets. For instance, those who raise show pigs can breed for and farrow summer pigs for those in the south who need pigs that will finish in the winter and spring. Since sows have a shorter gestation length than a cow, they can have on average 2.57 litters per year. Thus, realistically a sow will have two litters of pigs, which means show pig breeders will have the opportunity to market to two different sets of clientele.

Of course, cattle breeders don’t have that luxury; but cow-calf producers either fall or spring calve, and there are always options available for exhibitors.

Livestock Show Schedules Run on Exhibitor Ages

For most breed associations and youth programs like 4-H and FFA, there are age minimums and maximums for the participant. Depending on the organization and the location, most of the ages are by January 1. However, some of them are set by the actual show date or another date, like September 1. Always be sure to read and know the particular show guidelines set forth by the show or organization.

You don’t want to get to a show and realize that your son or daughter is not the correct age to show, after you have invested the expense and time into a show project. Read and reread the rules carefully and keep them with you in case you have any questions or concerns.

How Can Dealers Help Exhibitors Power Champions?

It is important for dealers to help their customers power champions by keeping a full line of Sure Champ® products stocked during your particular show season. If you live in an area where shows happen year-round, you want to keep the staples like Liquid Boost®, Sure Champ® Joint Juice, Sure Champ® Cattle and the gel products on hand.

If you have shows in primarily the summer months or live in a warmer, southern climate be sure to have Sure Champ® Extreme with ClariFly® stocked, as that multi-specie product is a crowd favorite in the heat when flies become a challenge.

Take Advantage of Tools For Success

Need help promoting these Sure Champ products? We have got you covered there too! Visit the SAMM Center to request all your marketing materials and literature.

Do you use Promoboxx? Promoboxx is free to our dealers, and we have social media posts already created for these products. Use these to your advantage! If you don’t have Promoboxx, sign up today. It simplifies your social marketing and offers you posts across all of the BioZyme family of brands. You can find more information about Promoboxx under the Marketing Tab in the Online Dealer Center.

Tracking livestock show schedules in your area can be a challenge. However, with proper planning you can help your customers power their champions by providing the products they need from Sure Champ. You can also provide a list of upcoming shows. Nearly every show has a social media site, so follow or like the show on Facebook or Instagram so you can keep up with deadlines and dates, and perhaps post those dates on your own social media as a service to your customers. Although many states have a show of some kind on every weekend, we have provided a list of national shows for you to have handy for you to track.

Changes Coming in December

SAMM CENTER NOW REQUIRES PRE-PAYMENT

Starting December 1, we will now require customers to prepay for all orders for marketing materials ordered through the SAMM Center using a credit card. All regular product orders will be invoiced based on the customers’ preset terms. Marketing materials and apparel purchased through the SAMM Center will be the items that require prepayment.

WATCH ONLINE DEALER CENTER FOR HOLIDAY SHIPPING/PICK-UP HOURS

The BioZyme offices will be closed December 22-25 to allow our BioZyme family the time to celebrate Christmas with their families. Please watch for email and text communication or watch the Online Dealer Center for more details about deliveries and pick-ups the week of December 18.

Dealer Spotlight

Missy Hess married into the BioZyme® business. Arnold Hess had been a BioZyme dealer since the early 1970s, and he loved the products for his cowherd. He had already been a dealer for 25 years when he and Missy married; it was a package deal.

Arnold passed away in 2021, but Missy’s love for Arnold and the products kept her on track with her business. At the 2023 Dealer Retreat, she was recognized for 52 years as a BioZyme dealer.

“I have friends and family to sell to and am always working to find new customers since there is no feedstore nearby. We have always helped the feeders and other cow-calf operators in the area. I knew it is what Arnold would want me to do,” Missy said.

Missy has always had a passion for livestock and the people who raise them. She was the first female to compete on the Louisiana State University Livestock Judging Team. That was in 1975. She recounts a recent story about her flight home from the Dealer Retreat when she met a group of young livestock judgers from Florida. They were thrilled to meet the first lady judger from LSU, and asked Missy for a group photo in the Atlanta airport –at Midnight. One of those young people even looked Missy up at the All-American Junior Brahman Show in Texarkana, Arkansas, where Missy’s granddaughter was competing.

She said the biggest benefit of being a BioZyme dealer is meeting new people.

“I like having people call me and getting to promote the products,” she said. “The mineral has definitely helped our operation.”

Missy currently runs F1 cattle that she breeds to Angus bulls to get calves that are one-quarterBrahman. She said her cattle receive Amaferm® in their entire time on her ranch, either through theVitaFerm® or Gain Smart® mineral. She also runs an Angus herd.

Missy easily epitomizes care that comes full circle. Congratulations, and thank you, for a great 52 years!

Featured BioZyme Team – Cogent Solutions Group

Cogent Solutions Group was founded in 2005 in Lexington, Kentucky, with its early focus on the equine industry. From the very onset, Cogent has developed products with proven efficacy. The company’s focus is unique in that during the product development process, it emphasizes focus on addressing the underlying issues of challenges that humans and animal face – rather than just relieving symptoms. Ultimately, its corporate goal is to improve the quality of life of its customers and their animals by upholding the “care that comes full circle” model. BioZyme acquired Cogent in the summer of 2018. Both companies are founded upon proprietary fermentation-based ingredients. Both uphold the highest quality standards, aiming for safe, accurate products ALWAYS. And both believe in only putting forth products and ingredients that are backed by research that do what they say they will do.

At Cogent, a large percentage of its business is dedicated to contract manufacturing relationships. Cogent’s expertise lies in its ability to take an idea, formulate it, test it, scale it up and adapt its production to suit the needs of its vendor.

Currently, Cogent focuses primarily on manufacturing liquids of varying viscosities from the consistency of water up to a thick gel. They are able to adapt to filling multiple container types and sizes, based upon the vendors’ needs and wishes. In the summer of 2018, Cogent worked to transition all existing BioZyme paste products to water-based gel formulas. That conversion improved:

Product consistency across different environments (extreme temperature doesn’t affect the consistency of gels like it does paste)
Ease of administration (no more getting stuck in the tubes)
Homogeneity & dosing accuracy of the full spectrum of ingredients
Product texture (animals seem to prefer the smoothness of the gel over the paste)

Cogent Solutions Group manufactures a unique high-molecular weight hyaluronic acid formula calledMHB3®Hyaluronan. MHB3 is a high molecular weight hyaluronic acid patented & proven for the support of GI tissue integrity, joint, and bone health. It has eight U.S. patents for joint health support (osteoarthritis, bone spurs & more).

Several BioZyme products are powered by MHB3, including:

Vitalize®Alimend®
Vitalize® Hyaluronex®
Sure Champ®Joint Juice
Vitalize®Trixsyn®Canine & Trixsyn®Canine Performance
Vitalize®Trixsyn®Feline

Cogent also sells and manufactures products for humans, including HyaGlo®, a skincare line, andBaxyl®, supplements for joints and digestive health. To learn more about these products, visit baxyl.com and hyaglo.com

Do you want to carry Baxyl or HyaGlo in your dealership? To get signed up as a wholesaler call (816)238-3326 or visitcogentsolutionsgroup.com/bz-dealer

A Day in the Life of BioZyme Employee Shane Schaake

Shane Schaake is a Kansas native who has extensive knowledge of the cattle business. He grew up on his family’s Simmental operation north of Manhattan, Kansas, where they still raise about 100 purebred and percentage Simmental cows. Since he married his wife, Melissa, they have started building their own herd of very prestigious Hereford cows. Melissa and Shane are back-to-back American Royal Hereford Premier Breeder Award winners.

Shane and his brother showed heifers across the country while growing up. Today, the Schaake family hosts an annual heifer sale with a focus on selling junior show heifer prospects. They also conduct a spring bull sale.

Schaake attended Kansas State University, where he earned his bachelor’s in Animal Science in December 2015. After college, he managed a 700-head commercial cow-calf ranch on the edge of the Sandhills in Eastern Colorado. Prior to joining the BioZyme team in January 2020, he worked for Genex. Although he said cattle are his first passion, he also enjoys hunting, fishing and spending time with family.

Shane Schaake Is Our Kansas Area Sales Manager

Let’s learn more about a day in the life of the Kansas Area Sales Manager.

Title: Kansas ASM

Number of Years at BioZyme: almost 4

Describe a “typical” day in your job:

A typical day for Kansas is traveling around and working with our dealers throughout the state, providing marketing materials, delivering product knowledge, setting up producer meetings and doing customer visits with those dealers.

In the spring is our big producer meeting time for most dealers so when that rolls around making sure we have our presentation prepared for what we are going to talk about that year as well as making sure we have all of our marketing material we need for it. We also stay in close contact with our distributor reps to help them help our dealers as well.

What is the most interesting thing you ever have done at BioZyme:

Attending NCBA twice now and talking with producers from all over the U.S. It’s very interesting to me how everyone has the same goal in an industry but can do it completely differently from coast to coast.

Share a funny story about one of your days at work:

Not sure if I really have any funny stories, but some of the most memorable times I have had at BioZyme is meeting, working with and learning about our dealers. My dealers in Kansas seem to be more like family than friends anymore!

What has been one of the biggest challenges:

Working with producers that are “old school” and are hesitant about changing their ways.

Why is care that comes full circle important to what you do?

This is extremely important to me and something I think about every morning when I start my day. This is honestly what drives me day in and day out. I think of this a lot of different directions to look at this from working with the producer to them helping get their stock to perform for them then returning it back the ground. Another example of this is everything we do for outreach with Jr Nationals and developing the youth to prepare them to take over the ag industry in the future.

What is something you enjoy doing outside of the office?

I really enjoy spending time with my wife on our ranch and taking care of our Hereford and Simmental cows, from calving to weaning, then into the show barn with them, it takes a group effort. I also really like artificially inseminating (AI-ing) cattle for different producers that are on Concept•Aid®. In fact, I really won’t breed for anyone who isn’t using Concept•Aid on their cattle anymore!

Thanks for being part of the BioZyme family, and showing care that comes full circle in everything you do, Shane!

Changes Coming in November

AO-BIOTICS® AMAFERM® NOW LABELED FOR FISH

The labels on AO-Biotics® Amaferm® have been updated to reflect the feeding rates for fish.

VITALIZE® PELLET BAGS

The 40-lb bags of Vitalize® Equine Digest More® Plus and the Vitalize® Equine Protein Pellet are now being bagged in a slightly different bag to better accommodate the volume of those products.

Product Quizzes & Calculators

Part of the care that comes full circle is taking the guess work out what our customers’ animals need to thrive and help them achieve the most profit. That is why nearly every brand we offer has online tools in the form of product quizzes and various calculators so customers can easily select the product that is best for their situation.

Product Navigator Quizzes

Many of BioZyme’s brand websites feature product quizzes, including:

VitaFerm® Concept•Aid®
Sure Champ®
Gain Smart®
Vitalize® Equine

Product quizzes allow you to help your customers determine the proper product(s) for their animals given the time of year, production phase they are currently in or the best way they need to help their animal.

Gestation Calculators

Most producers know gestation length for the species they raise. However, it isn’t always simple to figure 283 days in your head, or figure when you should breed if you want mid-March calves. BioZyme offers online gestation calculators for cattle, sheep and goats on the VitaFerm and DuraFerm websites. Online gestation calculators are available to enter your breeding date to populate a birthing date. Printable tables for each species are also online and are based on the following:

Cattle – 283 days
Sheep – 145 days
Goats – 150 days

Value Calculators

Because we know that saving money is important to our customers, we have also created several online value calculators. For VitaFerm and Gain Smart, you can access these calculators under the Resources Tab on their respective websites.

Gain Calculator allows producers to enter their own information to determine the additional gain advantage when feeding VitaFerm or Gain Smart products.

Forage Savings Calculator calculates the hay savings per pair from incorporating VitaFerm or Gain Smart into the diet.

Amaferm Value Calculator helps determine the advantages of per head per day of feeding AO-Biotics® Amaferm®.

These are also in a downloadable PDF version that you can easily have accessible anytime you are talking to a customer.

We strive to help you make the sale, while helping your customers understand that a premium vitamin and mineral program is an investment, not a cost.

Letters from Lisa

We’ve all heard the saying “a good product sells itself.” If only that were universally true. People might line up for the release of the newest iPhone, but it’s not only because of the product itself. It’s also because Apple has spent decades building brand credibility, a unique customer experience and fantastic customer support

No matter the product, a prepared and knowledgeable salesperson is always going to prevail over an underprepared one. So, if you’re looking to increase your sales, read on for eight approaches that will boost your numbers and propel you forward.

Do your research ALWAYS
Adopt a consultative sales approach
Personalize your sales presentations
Focus on the person—not the product
Anticipate sales objections
Upsell and cross-sell only when appropriate
Stop focusing on closing
Manage your sales with a CRM (know your customer)

You believe in your company and the products you sell, and that probably shows in your pitches. However, in the current market, most companies aren’t only selling products—they’re selling experiences. In fact, 80% of customers say they’re more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized and positive experiences

That’s not to say the product isn’t important, but truly unique products are rare nowadays, and the competition is fierce. The way to win customers is through superior, personalized experiences.

Personal selling is a longer game than product-based pitching, but it pays off with a higher percentage of repeat customers and referrals. Personal selling occurs when a sales representative meets with a potential customer to nurture them until they make a purchase.

Personal selling happens face-to-face. Direct contact distinguishes personals elling from other sales and marketing strategies, like public relations or automated sales calls that tout your company’s products or services.

Again, think of the personal selling process as getting to know someone like you would a friend or potential romantic interest who you consistently follow up with. You’re discovering details about what the person likes, dislikes and needs. And in the case of personal selling, you’re also learning about the motivations behind their purchasing decisions.

During this one-on-one interaction, focus on building a sincere relationship with the potential customer rather than on making a sale. Ask the right questions to establish rapport and learn more about their pain points and what they’re looking for in a solution. Listen carefully to their concerns and see how your company’s products or services can help them.

Say you sell mattresses. You might find out your customer’s sleeping preferences by asking:

Do you prefer a soft or firm bed?
Do you sleep on your stomach, back or side?
Did you run into any problems with your previous mattress?

Sure, you could collect answers to these questions through a survey or questionnaire, but you’ll receive a limited response. Personal selling is unique because it entails exchanging back-and-forth information and allows you to dive a little deeper so you can provide that personalized touch.

Remember, 80% of customers say they’re more likely to do business with a company if it offers personalized and positive experiences. You now officially have permission to be “personal.”

A Day in the Life of BioZyme® Employee Chris Kyle

Chris Kyle has a background in the dairy and rodeo industries. He joined joined BioZyme® in 2016 as an Area Sales Manager.

Chris earned a bachelor’s degree in Ag Business from the University of Arkansas at Monticello, where he attended on a rodeo scholarship.

He and his wife, Lacee and two children, Coree and Kit, live in Greenbriar, Arkansas. They are active in the rodeo community and love to hunt and fish. He currently raises Corriente cattle and has horses that he competes with in team roping events at amateur rodeos.

If you have spent any amount of time with Chris, you know he has a sweet tooth and a heart of gold – both the size of Texas. He is a great story teller and might even make you a great deal on a car while telling you a tale or two.

Learn more about Chris and a day in his life at BioZyme.

Title: Area Sales Manager, Arkansas, Louisiana and Texas

Number of Years at BioZyme: 7

Describe a “typical” day in your job: Wake up, drive, talk on phone, stop and see customer, drive, talk on phone, see customer, repeat.

What is the most interesting thing you ever done at BioZyme: Every day is interesting. It’s always an adventure.

Share a funny story about one of your days at work: I was asked to show my ID at a store because of my name (American Sniper). I had to take my belt off and show them my name was on it before they believed me.

What has been one of the biggest challenges: Covid wasn’t really cool for traveling sales reps.

Why is care that comes full circle important to what you do? The people who purchase our products live the same lifestyle that my family does. We see each other outside of the sales calls and ranch visits. It’s very rewarding to see a customer or their children have success at an event (livestock show/rodeo/etc.) and have them attribute a part of their success to our products.

What is something you enjoy doing outside of the office? Being a dad. I have two kids that keep me busy.

Thank you, Chris, for being a valuable part of the BioZyme family. We appreciate your family sharing you with us, and for you being a shining example of care that comes full circle.