Expert: Nutrition Is Key For Value-Added Calf Programs

When it comes to the evolving feeder calf market, one industry expert says nutrition is just as important in the minds of buyers as genetics and health protocols.  Ted Perry, cattle nutritionist with Purina Animal Nutrition, said value-added programs highlighting nutrition, specifically mineral nutrition, benefit the calves both in the short- and the long-term.  He added they have data showing that focusing on nutrition from day one will make better cattle.

“We're cutting treatments in half and certainly that helps the death loss, obviously the fewer calves that you treat, the fewer death loss you have," Perry said.  "But for years we've talked in terms of you know, the calf is healthy, do we have to treat them? Does anything die? But what we what we what we've been missing is those calves that don't get sick, they even have better performance if we feed them better during that first two weeks and it really sets up the whole feeding period all the way through. And that's just on the feedback side.”

Perry said a combination of nutrition, through their Wind and Rain Mineral Value-Added Program, as well as needed vaccines result in calves that buyers want.

“And that's where we come in as a nutrition company, we can get the right blend, work with the producers to get the right ingredients, usually most of it is right there on the ranch," he continued.  "It's just some minor supplementations to get that calf everything he needs to really pop that immune system.  And once that immune system is up and running and he can do really well and he doesn't need any more help.”

To learn more about Purina’s Wind and Rain Mineral Value-Added Program listen to our entire conversation with Perry:

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