Written by Carly Steffensmeier, Livestock Nutrition Advisor
Springtime is here! The grass gets greener, and producers are excited to get their cows out on pasture, but as a producer, did you properly prepare your cows for that lush green grass? Death from grass tetany can occur very rapidly. Luckily, there is an inexpensive “insurance policy” to help prevent it. Magnesium!
GRASS TETANY CAUSES
Grass tetany occurs when magnesium becomes deficient in the cow. Grass is high in potassium, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. When a cow starts consuming lush grass, high in these nutrients, it interferes with magnesium absorption. Lactating cows also require an increased amount of magnesium. These factors during the spring, increase the risk for grass tetany in your herd.
HOW TO PREVENT?
Prevention starts with feeding a high magnesium mineral or mixing magnesium by hand into your mineral for three weeks before turnout and continues until grass matures (usually about three weeks after turnout). The University of Nebraska-Lincoln recommends feeding about 10 to 20 grams of magnesium per day.
Prevention is the best method to manage grass tetany. Contact your CPM nutrition advisor for more information and to get set up with magnesium before you send your herd to those green, lush pastures.
CONGRATULATONS
Congratulations, Carter! Carter Jensen received an Above and Beyond award today for service to his Frontier and CPM team. Carter is motivated by supporting his team and his customers. We are proud to have him on the Frontier CPM team!
NUTRITION TIP
If you have less than quality hay, or hay that your cows won’t eat. Pouring your bales with Frontiers QLF is a great way to make them gobble it up! For more information, reach out to your CPM Livestock Nutrition Advisor!
We employ a diversified package of techniques to master the art of feed manufacturing from minerals to complete feeds. We provide an in-depth record system and feed sampling to back up our process and quality control points.
Happy Holidays to you and your families! Thank you for the opportunity to serve you in 2023 and we look forward to working with you in the coming New Year.
CALVING SEASON & MINERALS
by Bob Myers, Livestock Consultant
Calving season is upon us, and it’s crucial to discuss the significance of our Calving and Breeding mineral. In this discussion, we’ll explore the advantages that set our mineral apart from others in the market and understand how it works within the animal to achieve optimal results.
ADDRESSING SCOURS WITH MOS MINERAL
One of the primary health concerns for producers is scours, which remains a persistent challenge despite various preventive measures. In the past two decades, many producers have integrated MOS minerals into their operations to control scour outbreaks. Drawing from personal experience as an early adopter of MOS in bovine applications, we delve into its mode of action. MOS, a non-nutritive component of yeast cell walls, specifically targets E. coli and Salmonella bacteria in the gut, providing a crucial defense against these harmful pathogens.
HOW MOS WORKS IN THE GUT
Understanding the mechanics of MOS is essential for effective implementation. E. coli and Salmonella bacteria, attracted to carbohydrates, pose a threat to nursing calves. MOS mimics carbohydrates, attracting and trapping these bacteria, which are then safely expelled from the calf’s system. Additionally, MOS aids in reducing the incidence of C & D toxoids, contributing to a healthier gut and minimizing the risk of ulcers.
Janessa, Carly, and Tonya Dodds with Dodds Cattle spent the day at the AgCeptional Women’s Conference: “Grace, Gratitude, Grit” recently! It was a great day spent with fellow women in the Agricultural industry.
CATTLEMEN'S MEETING
We appreciate being part of the Butler County Cattlemen’s meeting in Bellwood on Monday night! Cory was asked to talk to the group about Central Plains Milling and Frontier Cooperative’s Animal Nutrition team and what they have to offer. Carter also gave a presentation on supplementing cows while grazing winter cornstalks.
CONGRATULATIONS
We would like to congratulate Braysen Miller on his success at the Cardinal Classic Cattle Show this past weekend! Braysen had the 5th overall with his Charolais heifer. Braysen and his family use our CPM Showcalf Creep w/Precon for his show heifers, along with Cattle Volumizer from Cooper Specialty Feeds. Ask any of our advisors about these products for your show heifer projects!
We employ a diversified package of techniques to master the art of feed manufacturing from minerals to complete feeds. We provide an in-depth record system and feed sampling to back up our process and quality control points.
We’d like to wish everyone a very Happy Thanksgiving holiday and say thank you to all of our customers who have chosen us to feed greatness!
USING STRESS TUBS?
Are your calves stressed during weaning, receiving into the feedlot, or because of a change in the weather? Purina Stress Tubs can help with this. Carly can tell you first-hand, that her customers have been very happy with their calves utilizing these stress tubs. Ask her about them today or one of our Livestock Nutrition Advisors.
FEED SAMPLES
Recently, we’ve had great weather for pulling feed samples for customers. If you have questions or need help with a ration, please reach out to one of our amazing Livestock Nutrition Advisors. We will be more than happy to help you succeed!
We employ a diversified package of techniques to master the art of feed manufacturing from minerals to complete feeds. We provide an in-depth record system and feed sampling to back up our process and quality control points.
The fall weather has been beautiful and Janessa Smola has been out grabbing samples with her customers, letting them enjoy using the hay probe! Don’t forget to get feed samples taken of your feed sources so you can maximize your efficiency and profitability!
Allison Bishop also grabbed this shot of the Waverly store display for the calf-weaning season!
Are you ready to transition into the cooler months ahead? Still, have questions about nutrition and what and how much to feed? We can help! Our trained and expert Nutrition advisors are here to help set you on the right course for your operation – big or small!
Travis recently viewed Kelly Kreifels’s cow-calf pairs.
“They look fantastic! With the size of these calves, you’d think the females are getting sucked down, but they look as in good a shape as the calves!”
FAQ CORNER
Q: What options do I have for getting feed?
A: We are able to bag your feed or deliver your feed in bulk (1 ton minimum). You can pick up your bagged feed from either Central Plains Milling or from a Frontier Coop location.
We employ a diversified package of techniques to master the art of feed manufacturing from minerals to complete feeds. We provide an in-depth record system and feed sampling to back up our process and quality control points.
Fair season has been in full swing in Nebraska! We’ve had the privilege of being part of so many awesome memories and fun times. Congratulations to all the winners and participants! We also want to thank all of our amazing customers and the dedication you give to your operations – BIG and small! We appreciate the opportunity to serve you. Below are just a few fun highlights from around the state!
Q: What kind of roughage/hay should be fed to horses?
A: It is advisable to provide clean, weed-free, and dust-free hay to horses. Alfalfa can be fed for extra protein, and forages that offer higher protein and calcium content are also beneficial.
We employ a diversified package of techniques to master the art of feed manufacturing from minerals to complete feeds. We provide an in-depth record system and feed sampling to back up our process and quality control points.
We employ a diversified package of techniques to master the art of feed manufacturing from minerals to complete feeds. We provide an in-depth record system and feed sampling to back up our process and quality control points.
Written by Alison Bishop, Retail Nutrition Advisor
Fly season is here! Did you know that just a few adult flies can quickly populate to 4,000 or more, per animal? What are you using for fly control on your animals? There are plenty of options and it’s all about what works best for your animals and your operation.
Have you considered feeding fly control through your feed or minerals? We have options for this treatment route. A very effective product for cattle, horses, goats, sheep, and pigs is the Purina High-Octane Fly Control Supplement with Clarify. You always want to start 30 days before the last frost in the spring and 30 days after the first frost in the fall for optimal results. This supplement works by passing through the animal’s digestive system, out into the manure where fly eggs are laid and so feeding recommendations by body weight and species are recommended.
For cattle, considering insecticides, fly ear tags, pour-on’s or using loose mineral or mineral tubes in feed, are other options for help with fly control. When using loose minerals in feed, 4 oz per cow is the recommended amount. It’s important to watch the mineral intake on a regular basis and use a feeder for every 15-20 head of cow, with a water source nearby. Specific products we offer are Wind and Rain Storm All Season 7.5 Complete Altosid Fly Control Beef Cattle Mineral Feed, CPM6000, and Kent Framework 365 Mineral ADF AFC. Additionally, we offer tub form Wind & Rain AS 4 Tub Altosid and Purina EquiTub® Horse Supplement with Fly Control.
Enjoy the summer and help your animals do the same by controlling the flies! Need more information or still have questions? Reach out today and contact one of our Livestock Advisors.
Allison talks more about how and why she makes certain recommendations for her customers in this video.
WELCOME TO OUR SUMMER INTERN
CPM would like to introduce Cameron Johnston from Columbus, Nebraska! This summer he will be the Livestock Nutrition Advisor intern at Central Plains Milling and will spend most of his time between the Columbus and Howells locations.
Cameron is a senior at the University of Nebraska-Lincoln, finishing his bachelor’s degree in Applied Science with a minor in the Nebraska Beef Industry Scholars program. If you see Cameron around this summer, tell him hi!
HAVE CHICKS?
Do you have chicks, ducklings, or other recently hatched poultry? We offer the Chick Starter Medicated, which is 22.11% crude protein. You’ll want to feed this ration to your growing chicks from day 1 to 21 days old.
We employ a diversified package of techniques to master the art of feed manufacturing from minerals to complete feeds. We provide an in-depth record system and feed sampling to back up our process and quality control points.
Springtime finds all of us working more outside and enjoying the weather. Everyone on our team at CPM is busy manufacturing for spring calving season with the anticipation of summer pasture and beef creep season. CPM is enthusiastic about our producers. We manufacture and advise for large livestock operations and for small livestock operations.
Let’s talk about small operations. Whether you are raising chickens in your backyard or feeding out your own pork or beef, CPM has solutions for your feed needs. Our philosophy is to keep nutrition simple and locally produced. All of our Poultry, Swine, Goat, Sheep, and Beef feeds are made in Nebraska with Nebraska ingredients. We take the time to evaluate each ingredient that goes into your feed ensuring that it is safe for your livestock and nutritionally required. Our company does not believe in…
Springtime is here! The grass gets greener, and producers are excited to get their cows out on pasture, but as a producer, did you properly prepare your cows for that lush green grass? Death from grass tetany can occur very rapidly. Luckily, there is an inexpensive “insurance policy” to help prevent it. Magnesium!
Grass tetany occurs when magnesium becomes deficient in the cow. The grass is high in potassium, nitrogen, calcium, and phosphorus. When a cow starts consuming lush grass, high in these nutrients, it interferes with magnesium absorption. Lactating cows also require an increased amount of magnesium. These factors during the spring, increase the risk for grass tetany in your herd…
Carly Steffensmeier, Livestock Advisor talks more about the benefits in the article below.
Looking to increase the weaning weight on your calves? Searching for ways to improve your bottom line? Creep-feeding calves is a great solution and one that is almost always a return on investment. Let’s take a look at why you should utilize creep feed, its benefits, and what options Central Plains Milling has for your calves.
In a cow/calf operation, gross income is partially going to depend on the weaning weight of calves. Typically, a lactating cow can supply about 50% of the nutrients that a calf needs to maximize its growth potential. Grass and creep feed is able to supply the other 50% that the calf is needing. Calves that are supplemented properly can convert on average 4 pounds of feed to 1 pound of gain. Creep feeding for approximately 100 days should add around 60-plus pounds of weaning weight. More pounds on a calf to sell equals an increase in revenue.
In addition to increased weaning weights, creep feed has many other benefits. Supplementing creep feed to calves can help relieve pressure on the cow’s milk production. Relieving some pressure off the cow can also make an impact on its overall body condition. When it comes time to wean, your calves will be used to coming to feed and typically transition to a feed bunk easier. This in turn will make the weaning process less stressful on your calves.
Central Plains Milling provides quality creep feeds that are superior to most on the market. We have two different forms of creep available: pelleted or meal. Our pelleted creep is called “CPM Calf Creep” and our meal creep is called “CPM 4000 Creep”. CPM Calf Creep (pelleted) is 14% protein and is formulated with Bovatec with the option of adding CTC if needed. CPM 4000 Creep (meal) is a 16% protein that utilizes the power of dried distillers grains and has options to have Rumensin, Bovatec, or CTC added. Both creep feeds have Availa-4 and Diamond V XPC in them. We utilize Availa-4 in our creep to help decrease the effects of stress, strengthen immune systems, and increase average daily gain in your calves. Diamond V helps support digestive tissue and promotes a healthy microbial balance for calf immunity and overall health. If you are interested in maximizing your calf’s potential on creep, contact our Livestock Feed Advisors today!
Janessa Smola, Livestock Advisor talks about working with her clients to help solve some of the challenges they are up against.
Click the image to watch!
MEET SHAWN.
Meet Shawn! He’s weighing micro ingredients at our Columbus facility.
Do you have questions about what you are feeding or the best approach? Contact us today and one of our Livestock Feed Advisors would be happy to answer any questions you might have!
SHOW SEASON.
Show season is upon us! Are you ready? We’ve got the products you need to get your animals in tip-top condition. To learn more about our options, please visit our website page specifically dedicated to our Show Products.
We want to welcome you to our first monthly email! Each month we will share community stories, and tips, answer frequently asked questions, industry news, and information about new products and updates.
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Congratulations.
We want to congratulate our long-time customer, Terry Wegner for his recent induction into the Cattle Feeders Hall of Fame!
We have some recent award winners on our CPM Team! Congratulations to you all and the hard work and dedication you have provided. Our brand is great because of all of you.
Ruth had let her manager know that she was going to be home with a sick family member, but when another member of the Mill Team called in sick, putting the Mill short on people, she made other arrangements and headed to work. She really showed support for her manager and her team and it was very much appreciated by everyone! Thank you, Ruth, for supporting the CPM/Frontier family!
There is not a single Frontier/CPM Core Value that Crystal has not blown out of the water over the past several months. We had a member of our team out on Maternity Leave and during that time Crystal went back and forth between locations helping in any capacity that she was needed. Within that time, she also spent time training a new employee on all of the inner workings of both locations.
We then had a team member working remotely for several weeks due to surgery and during that time, Crystal single-handedly ran the Howells location, not only performing all of her duties at the Feed Order Desk but also physically helping with the Financial Office duties. She came in early and stayed late, putting in a lot of time and effort without complaint. If she wasn’t there with her amazing can-do attitude, along with her tenacity and drive for success, coupled with her phenomenal skill set for time management, detail orientation, problem-solving, and customer service, we would not have made it through this. Crystal, THANK YOU for all you do for us every day in every single Core Value that we have! We appreciate you so very much!
Brandon was nominated for his dedication! He is never afraid to jump in and help out and is extremely reliable. We always know he’s going to get the job done! Brandon is willing to come in on a day off to help out a customer and has even dropped everything on Christmas Eve to take a load to a customer that was out of feed. It took him away from his family for multiple hours but he did what needed to be done. Brandon, you are a valuable member of our team and we appreciate you very much!
Congratulations to Carly who recently received the Frontier “Above and Beyond” award! The Above and Beyond award is presented quarterly to team members that live our core values. Carly has been with CPM for 5 years and has continued to grow her community of producers by creating the best experience for her clients. Congratulations Carly! You deserve it and we are so glad you are on our team!
Career Opportunity.
We have a position open for a Nutrition Advisor on the Frontier Coop Team! Is this you for someone you know? Please apply today or pass along this information. We’d love to have a conversation with you!
With the current price of land and the decreasing availability of pastures, cow-calf producers are starting to look for other options. The traditional rotational grazing of stocks and pastures isn’t as profitable as it once was; since it requires a high capital in order to make it work. Not only is there a 6.3% decrease in grazable acres, but the prices of land and the market risk make it unsuitable for some producers today. The U.S. cow herds must continue to grow in the industry if it is going to preserve and regain lost market share. One way producers can do this is through a confined or semi-confined system.
Moving cows into confinement can increase efficiency, reduce land requirements, and improve herd management. With a confinement system, the producer will be able to change the feeding program to suit the nutritional and energy needs of the cow at different stages: breeding, lactating, or…
