Category: Newsletter

A common question our Nutrition Advisors are asked is what are the economic and physical costs of cutting out starter diets? A good rule of thumb is that 5 pounds of lost gain in the nursery phase of a pig’s life becomes 25 pounds of lost gain at the market. Pigs are much more efficient at building muscle early in the phases of their life. As pigs mature the conversion of actual lean and muscle is much less efficient.

Written by Carter Jensen, Livestock Nutrition Advisor

Why Use Fly Control

Many producers may be wondering, “Why should I use fly control?” The simple answer is, to raise healthier animals with a better rate of gain. Did you know that the number one pest threat on pastures is flies? A study at the University of Oklahoma State found that cattle-fed fly control saw a 15.8% increase in average daily gain. Another study conducted by the University of Nebraska-Lincoln found that cows fed fly control raised calves that were 10-20 pounds heavier at weaning than that of the control group. One reason for this is the decreased amount of tail swatting which both burns calories and distracts the animals from eating.

How They Work

Warmer weather means the start of fly season. One simple and effective solution to control fly populations is using a feed-through larvicide, such as ClariFly or Altosid. These products are insect growth regulators (IGR), which work through the animal’s manure where flies lay their eggs. The result is eventually stopping the fly life cycle, preventing the larvae from molting into pupae. Another feed additive that can be used to help detract flies is garlic. Studies on garlic are limited but some have shown cows that are fed garlic through grazing have significantly lower fly loads.

 

When to Feed

So, you may be asking when and how long you will need to feed an additive for fly control. Ideally, a producer would begin to use some type of fly control 30 days before flies appear and for it to be fed 30 days after the first frost. However, this does not mean that it is too late to start using a feed additive for fly control. The products still work, as designed regardless of when you start. One thing to remember when starting late is it takes time for these products to work through the cycle and realize fly decrease. As a reminder, these products will not eliminate flies, but they will decrease the fly load. If you have questions about fly control, please reach out to our team of Livestock Nutrition Advisors!

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.

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.

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!

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!

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!

We want to wish everyone a safe, Happy Fourth of July holiday!

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…