Improving herd health using SweetPro Feeds non-molasses, Vitamin, Mineral & Digestive aide blocks in cow calf pair ranching operations. Improving cattle digestive efficiency 25%.
A.J. Starr of Faith, SD along with his wife, Glenda, sons Brian & Jayde and their wives ranch 25,000 acres of western SD prairie. They run around 800 mother cows, Angus/Limousine cross. A.J. has been in this breed since 1972.
He had always been looking for a year-round tub that was not too hard in winter or too soft in summer, yet had a full mineral package. About 4 years ago, he found SweetPro cattle blocks at a trade show and decided to give them a try. He was in and out of them, stopped and started and finally, liking what he was seeing decided to put the cows on it for a solid year. Hes been feeding it ever since!
The first set of cattle he put on it, 1st calf heifers, had 80% breedback on the 1st heat cycle and 98.5 99% overall conception success with the first use. After two years on SweetPro, this had risen to 85% conception on the 1st heat cycle. The total herds conception rate was 98.5% - cows that actually gave birth to a calf.
On SweetPro, the calf is up right away, full of vigor and by the time mom has licked it off, her cleanings are on the ground. This makes a significant difference in breedback success. Weaning weights are 50 60 lbs heavier when on SweetPro. Herd health on SweetPro blocks is excellent. 99.9% of foot rot and sore eyes is eliminated. A.J.s cows are all natural, dont use antibiotics and command a market premium.
SweetPro also gives the cattle great haircoats. They winter easier and are doing great on an average 1 lb. a day per head of SweetPro tubs and dry range grass during the season. Even at 20 below zero the cows can get the amount they need as the NON-molasses SweetPro tubs deliver uniformly, hot or cold.
The heaviest calves they ever raised and during a drought!
Two weeks before calving, they bring the cows in and hay them. The cattle do much better on a low quality hay than they do on higher quality when using the SweetPro tubs and consume 25-30% less hay and forage, even though they have all the hay they can eat! They can run 25% more cows now on the same acreage than in the past!
A.J. has eliminated feeding range cubes/cake with the SweetPro tubs. This has saved him not only time spent running around the pastures (SweetPro tubs need only be put out every 7-10 days) but hes stopped the waste from cows stomping range cubes into the ground/mud. Also, timid cows have a chance to get at the tubs once aggressive cattle have finished. A.J. says, The cows take care of the tubs and the tubs take care of the cows.
Consumption control is as easy as falling out of your pick-up according to A.J. If consumption increases due to a lesser quality of range grass, you use a higher number on the SweetPro tub being fed. (The most commonly fed are the SweetPro #16, FiberMate #18 and FiberMate #20.) If consumption decreases, you use a lower number on the tub. The big test for A.J. and his family came a few years ago during a summer long drought. Only the trees greened that year but with SweetPro they were able to hold the consumption on the tubs to 1.5 lbs a day per cow/calf pair and ended the season with the heaviest calves they ever raised! (the 1st calf heifers weaned over 600lb calves) Even in 110 degree heat, his 1st calf heifers that year bred 80% on the first heat cycle and 100% within 45 days!
Now SweetPro has introduced mineral blocks with Altosid IGR feed through fly control (also available in standard blocks). A.J. says that theyve had real good results with them and its going to be quite a program. Making sure you get them out before the fly season starts is important.
For more information on the A.J. Starr herd please contact:
ABJ Feeds Inc. Box 516 Dupree, SD 57626 (605) 739-5771 / (605) 515-0106
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28:30SweetPro 2011 Presentationby SweetProFeeds153 views
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