free-choice minerals

Weak calf syndrome: The obstacle that shouldn’t exist

Often, the occurrence of weak newborn calves is pinned on the mother cow or inclement weather. However, producers can decrease the incidence of this problem by focusing on yearlong cow nutrition.

January 16, 2025

Chris Ashworth, Steve Ensley, and Scott Fritz

Weak calf syndrome is exactly as it sounds; newborn calves are born weak, fail to thrive and often never get up to nurse. This is not a new phenomenon, and the industry has been combating it for decades.

A more appropriate trace mineral program can make your operation more profitable

Delivery method of trace minerals such as copper, manganese and zinc can make a big difference in their bioavailability and palatability, as well as vitamin stability and fiber digestibility.

August 7, 2024

Chance Farmer

Most trace mineral programs can be dramatically fine-tuned by carefully evaluating the trace mineral source and level being fed. These two factors in trace mineral supplementation can make an enormous difference in cattle performance and profitability.

[Podcast] NCBA Cattle Industry Convention 2024 – Part 1

February 13, 2024

Welcome to the first of three episodes of our coverage of NCBA 2024. In this episode, Carrie Veselka visits with Rob Cook, president of the National Grazing Lands Coalition, on strategies to improve grazing, Abby George discusses the impact and management of BVDV with George Perry of Texas A&M University, and Tyrell Marchant talks prenatal cattle nutrition with Ted Perry from Purina Animal Health.

Seasonal protein supplementation enhances cattle production

As summer bleeds into fall and many forages start to decrease in quality, strategic protein supplementation can be a cost-effective way to maximize forages later into the grazing season.

August 23, 2023

Chris Hagedorn

The transition from summer to fall can bring tremendous uncertainty for beef cattle producers. The shorter day length not only signals the coming cooler weather, but also the end of the growing season for most forages, especially warm-season grasses.

Nutrition is complex, but feeding mineral doesn’t have to be

April 24, 2017

Jon Albro

What’s the most important part of your mineral program? It may not be the brand or the formulation – but rather how you manage it. The perfect mineral supplement probably does not exist, albeit the benefit of a good mineral program is well established, even if not fully understood.