As grass starts to green, producers look to turn livestock out to pasture.
An animal nutrition company offers tips to help maximize your herds’ potential at grazing.
Producers must be aware of what forage their herd will be consuming when out on grass.
Cattle grazing fescue will need additional support, to protect them from Fescue Toxicosis.
Cargill Animal Nutrition says the fight against fescue costs cattle producers roughly $600 million annually. The forage, common in southern Iowa, can generate Fescue Toxicosis. Cargill Animal Nutrition offers a product, called Fescue EMT, which helps prevent this forage?s negative effects. Mollie Dreibrodt, marketing communications lead for Cargill Animal Nutrition, shares more about this product.
?Those who have been grazing fescue are typically familiar with the negative side effects of the forage. But, it?s a hardy forage,? Dreibrodt said. ?We believe our Fescue EMT product is a nice way to manage the problems that present themselves with grazing fescue forages, while also providing solid nutrition and a way to keep those cattle going.?
Cargill Animal Nutrition first recommended feeding Fescue EMT as soon as grass turned green. However, Anna Taylor says it performs exceptionally well during warmer months. Taylor serves as beef technical lead for Cargill Animal Nutrition.
?Our recent users have started to feed it year-round, and have found a lot of success. But, the product is specific for the heat of the year. Depending on where you?re at, that could start as soon as May and (go) through September. It depends on how the weather goes,? Taylor said.
Producers should also strive to prevent worms from affecting their herd.
Cargill Animal Nutrition offers a couple products to assist with this:
- NutreBeef Safe-Guard Dewormer (Available through Nutrena dealers)
- Vigortone 32Sg (Available through Vigortone dealers)
?Both products are high quality mineral products at their basis. They also include Safe-Guard form Merck, which has proven efficacy against worms. It?s all in one,? Dreibrodt said. ?When you run out of your normal mineral and it starts getting close to worm season, replace it with the Safe-Guard dewormer mineral for three to six days, at the rate of consumption as labelled. Then as soon as that?s gone, return to your normal mineral program.?
These products offer an easy and convenient way to protect cattle from worms.
For more information about these products, visit cargill.com/animal-nutiriton/beef.
