Mineral Programs

[red]

Since we're getting into the time when a lot of us are starting to rebreed & also look at flushing, I was curious what mineral programs you are using?
Currently, we're using a product form Moorman's. It has served us well but I'm wondering if I need to look at a better package? I have good breed backs & conception rates but can always do better!
What do you find works best for you? Any good suggestions or advice for the more "beginners" on the board?

Thanks in advance!!!
Red

(welcome)

 

[knabe]

here's what i use, 2.0 oz/day

also free choice
http://www.dynamiteonline.com/newcat.nsf/(Catalog+Lookup)/Vitamin+Mineral+Free+Choice+for+Browsers+and+Grazers++-+MISCELLANEOUS+PRODUCTS?OpenDocument

www.albion-an.com/animal/research/docs/RS-010.pdf
http://www.ansci.umn.edu/faculty/dicostanzo.htm is supposedly the guy who did the study
the product is called "breeder pack" and they have other products, which change up the %'s

they both seem to contain the same ingredients with the second being cheaper, especially if you use a lot which i don't.  they seem to like the free choice grazer stuff better, especially if they haven't had it for a few days (pasture rotation and human laziness).  in the west we have two big deficiencies, copper and selenium

 

[DL]

Crystalyx Brigade - all year - all the time -

 

[chambero]

Our local mill began selling Cargill's Right Now minerals this year.  We've been using it and everything seems fine.  Does anyone know how they compare with the others mentioned here.  This is yet another subject I don't know much about.

 

[red]

The product DL mentioned the Crystalyx Brigade, is a molasses product w/ mineral & stress pack in it. Actaully a very good product. We used to feed it when I called on Hubbard.
NUTRIENT ANALYSIS:
Crude Protein, min ............................................................14.0%
Crude Fat, min ..................................................................... 4.0%
Crude Fiber, max ................................................................. 2.0%
Calcium (Ca), min ............................................................... 2.0%
Calcium (Ca), max .............................................................. 2.5%
Phosphorus (P), min ............................................................ 2.0%
Salt (NaCl), min .................................................................. 1.5%
Salt (NaCl), max .................................................................. 2.0%
Potassium (K), min ............................................................. 2.5%
Magnesium (Mg), min ........................................................ 0.5%
Cobalt (Co), min ................................................................ 5 ppm
Copper (Cu), min ..........................................................500 ppm
Iodine (I), min .................................................................. 25 ppm
Manganese (Mn), min ................................................2,000 ppm
Selenium (Se), min .........................................................8.8 ppm
Zinc (Zn), min ............................................................1,500 ppm
Vitamin A, min ....................................................... 80,000 IU/lb
Vitamin D3, min ..................................................... 16,000 IU/lb
Vitamin E, min .............................................................800 IU/lb
INGREDIENTS:
Molasses products, monocalcium phosphate, dicalcium
phosphate, plant protein products, hydrolyzed vegetable
oil, calcium carbonate, salt, magnesium oxide, manganese
sulfate, zinc sulfate, manganese amino acid complex, zinc
amino acid complex, copper amino acid complex, copper
sulfate, copper chloride, cobalt carbonate, cobalt
glucoheptonate, ethylenediamine dihydriodide, calcium
iodate, sodium selenite, vitamin A acetate, vitamin D3
supplement, vitamin E supplement, B12 supplement,
menadion e dimethylpyrimidinol bisulfite, niacin,
riboflavin, calcium pantothenate, choline chloride.

I'll have to get a tag from mine. Not 100% on what it is.

 

[DL]

Our local mill began selling Cargill's Right Now minerals this year.  We've been using it and everything seems fine.  Does anyone know how they compare with the others mentioned here.  This is yet another subject I don't know much about.

chambero - what I like about this product is that (besides it being a good product and my cows look great) it is not affected by weather - it comes in 250lb tubs that you can put out in rain or snow or whatever - so there is no waste (I did the dry mineral for a while - now there is a pain and a potential for lots of waste) - they can't gorge on it because it is hard so they pretty much have to lick it - I  stopped feeding anything but hay to the cows after I started using it. I also like the fact that my Hubbard man delivers it (which is good because I sure can't
push the barrels off the truck!) dl

 

[red]

I used to like the little pails they sold the Brigde in. Made it really nice for the show calves. Think they only weighed 20 pounds. Not the most economical though!

I looked up my mineral. It's called Moorman's WeatherMaster Range Minerals A Hi-Phos
Calcium (Ca), Min......11.0%  Max....13.2%
Phosphorus(P), Min.......................12.0%
Salt(NaCl), Min.........14.0% Max......16.8%
Magnessium(Mg),Min......................2.5%
Potassium(K), Min..........................0.2%
Copper (Cu), Min.......................1,100 ppm
Selenium (Se), Min........................39 ppm
Zinc (Zn), Min............................3,8000 ppm
Vitimin A, Min..........................20,000 IU per pound

 

[Show Heifer]

Vita Ferm Concept Aid until July/Aug. I have heard wonderful things about increased conception, milk production, calf weights etc. So thought I would give it a try....I wasn't happy with the purina mineral I was using.
Any one have experience with it??

 

[AAOK]

I keep out Free Choice year round Moormans Range Mineral 168AR, containing Aeromycin.  It's the only thing I have used since 1996, and since then we have not had a retained placenta, or a calf with a snotty nose, or scours.  I'm not changing a thing.

 

[Jill]

We use the Cargill Right Now program also, but we don't change with the seasons, we feed the Black Oynx all year long.
This time of year we order it with the fly contol which is a nice feature.

 

[red]

Jill- do feel the fly preventative really makes a difference in them? I've studied the different programs & we used it for a while but didn't see a big difference here. Might not have used it early enough though.

Red

 

[knabe]

I forgot to mention that i also use the crystalx licks too.  i would use brigade and forego the dry, but for some reason the suppliers out here won't or can't get it.  they use a western states formulation of either 20 or 25% protein.  i tried to get it direct, but shipping cost the same as the dry that i mentioned in the post above.  i use the 20% as i have some irrigated pasture.

http://www.crystalyx.com/beef/western_region.cfm

 

[cowz]

Vita Ferm Concept Aid until July/Aug. I have heard wonderful things about increased conception, milk production, calf weights etc. So thought I would give it a try....I wasn't happy with the purina mineral I was using.
Any one have experience with it??

We use the concept aid until mid summer as well.  We like the fact that the cattle seem to slow down on it as soon as they " have enough" .  We, like you, also had problems getting the cattle to consume the purina mineral. 

 

[chambero]

We have the aeromycin added to our Right Now minerals.  Its a loose mineral, but the cows eat it very well and a bag per pasture lasts about two weeks, so we don't really have any waste problems.

 

[sjcattleco]

I feed LOL Pro Phos 8 that is the base mineral.. Summer time we feed it with CTC and Tasco and the hi mag version... Winter we feed just the Pro Phos 8 .. Our little secret is that we doctor it up with Selinium, copper, and Iodine... I mix in 14# of 2% Se salt  1 pound of EDDI Iodine salt and 1 oz of copper sulfate to every 50 # bag... This has fixed so many problems for us. Less flies, better breed back.. Hair shedding Heat stress.... All kinds of things... Gearld Fry is who gave me the reciepe....