Bloat in show cattle is one of the worst things to deal with. When cattle bloat it causes reductions in feed intake, slowed weight gain and in the worst-case situation, even death. When you are dealing with a chronic bloater, be sure to consult your veterinarian, the breeder that you bought your animal from and/or […]
Category: Feeding Strategies
The Importance of Weighing Your Feed
You’ve probably heard it a time or two, but doing the simple things right is the fastest way to reach your goal. A lot of decisions go into what you are going to feed your show animals. So, when you dump that bucket of feed into the pan or trough morning and night, you want […]
Livestock Nutrition 101: Sheep
Q&A with Nick Warntjes, Associated Feed and Supply 1. What makes up a ‘balanced’ feed ration? A balanced feed ration supplies the proper amounts and proportions of nutrients needed for a specific purpose or stage of an animal’s life. While a show lamb diet might have different specs than a lactating ewe ration, all diets […]
How the VFD Affects Livestock Exhibitors
VFD. Have you heard this term yet? VFD stands for the Veterinary Feed Directive and it is going to have a big impact on how you feed your show animals in 2017. Beginning January 1, 2017 the use of medically important antibiotics in feed or water will fall under the supervision of licensed veterinarians. In […]
Formulating a Show Heifer Ration
The nutrition team at BioZyme® regularly gets asked, “What is the perfect show heifer ration?” Truth is, there isn’t a ”perfect” show heifer ration. Determining what to feed your show heifer depends on several factors like genetics, stage of production, and even environment and geographic location. Many different combinations of ingredients can yield the same […]
Getting Your Show Calf Off to the Right Start
Every year about this time I get a little anxious. I recall my experience as a junior, and how the old show heifers were out to pasture, curious why they didn’t get to come in the barn every day. At the same time every afternoon, the mail carrier would deliver a brand new pile of […]