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Introducing Tasco™
As cattle
prices remain strong and the market outlook continues to paint a positive
picture, what better time than now to look at opportunities that could
increase efficiency, immunity, performance and reproduction in your cattle
herd. With this goal in mind, we would like to introduce a new product
line that is not only research tested, but cost effective as well.
We all
recognize that forages cannot meet the mineral and vitamin demands of your
cowherd. We have discussed in past articles the importance of providing
complete mineral and vitamin supplements to your herd. It has been proven
that cattle suffer from reduced fertility, growth, and immunity when not
provided a proper mineral/vitamin supplement.
Furthermore,
it has also been proven that reproduction is most compromised if copper,
zinc, manganese, or selenium levels are marginal to deficient. Proper
mineral nutrition has been shown to improve fertility, increase conception
rates, and reduce time to breed back and heavier calves at weaning. Each
of these factors will add dollars to your bottom line at sale time. In
conclusion, we can be confident in the statement that cattle on a marginal
mineral program will experience poor reproductive performance while calves
will experience an increase in death, reduced growth, reduced immunity,
and poor production efficiency.
With all
these factors in mind, we are introducing a new mineral line with the
addition of Tasco™. Tasco™ is a marine plant derived feed ingredient
made of pure Ascophyllum nodosum harvested from Canada’s cold,
clean North Atlantic coastline. Tasco™ is an all-natural feed ingredient
regarded as safe in animal feeds. There are no withdrawal times and it is
legal to feed in all classes of livestock including lactating dairy cows.
Over 15 years of research shows that feeding Tasco™ to livestock can
improve production resulting in better livestock producer profitability.
Research at Mississippi State University has shown that Tasco™ can lower
body temperatures and respiration rates of heat stressed cow/calf pairs
when it was included in the spring and summer mineral mixes. Reduced body
temperature and respiration rates should lead to improvements in
conception rates and in reduced calving intervals. These cattle will also
spend less time in the shade and ponds and more time grazing. This product
would be very beneficial to those producers who predominately graze
fescue.
Research
has also shown that immune response was enhanced when stressed calves were
provided Tasco™ in their diet. Receiving cattle go on feed quicker, have
fewer pulls, respond better to treatments, and see an overall improvement
in health and immune function.
We
recommend that Tasco™ should be included in the mineral program of cows
and bulls, starting a month prior to breeding season. In the case of
spring calving, also feed through the heat season. We would also recommend
the inclusion of Tasco™ in the diets of weaned calves.
At this
time, we will offer two products with the inclusion of Tasco™. AFC
Cattle Mineral and AFC Grazing Mineral will be available with or without
the addition of Tasco™. AFC Cattle Mineral w/ TASCO™ is a complete
mineral/vitamin supplement that will meet the daily requirements of your
cattle during times when you have a reduced concern of grass tetney. AFC
Grazing Mineral w/TASCO™ is a complete mineral/vitamin supplement with
higher levels of magnesium designed for times where there is an elevated
concern for grass tetany.
The
addition of Tasco™ will cost the producer an extra $6.83 per cow per
year. That breaks down to less than two cents per head per day for all the
benefits that we have discussed. The additional cost of this product can
easily be recovered by increasing your calf crop 1% or by reducing your
average calving interval by a few days.
These
minerals will be available in April and a minimum order will be required
to purchase minerals with the addition of TascoTM. As always,
you will be able to continue to purchase the AFC Cattle Mineral and AFC
Grazing Mineral without Tasco™ in any quantity that you would
prefer.
I hope that
you will consider these new products as a supplement to your current
program. AFC continues to be committed to providing you the very best
products available to help you be profitable. Information concerning Tasco™
is available at www.acadianagritech.com
or I can be reached at jimmyh@alafarm.com.
Jimmy
Hughes is AFC’s animal nutritionist.
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