Feed Update

Mike King SFG Feed Sales

Calving, for the most part even with weather conditions, is going better than expected. As I visit producers in our trade area, I’m seeing lots of calves in the fields. The market is forecast for record highs this fall, so you want to make sure you’re keeping the calves happy and healthy this summer.

You want to have a good fly control program in place. Start with back-rubbers in your pasture. Around late April you want to start feeding a mineral with an Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) like Altosid or garlic and keep them on it until the first hard freeze. Two good options we stock are Cow Calf 5 by Blueprint and Hubbard’s Stockmaster Cow Power 6. You can feed these minerals all year long.

As you move cows out on pasture, normally grass is lush at first. You should consider feeding a high mag mineral for at least 21 days. Fescue toxicity and grass tetany is a major concern here in Southern Iowa and Northern Missouri. Consider a good strong fescue mineral with Altech’s FEB-200. This product doesn’t just bring the cow’s temp down to mask symptoms –it binds to the fescue toxins and removes them from the cow.

You also want to get your cows wormed as soon as they’re on pasture. We stock a steady supply of

Safeguard Dewormer. This product gets mixed in with your existing feed or mineral, so it’s easy to administer and works quick.

If you’re looking to creep feed, now’s the time to lock in your pricing for the year. We all know how volatile the markets can be, so reserve your product today and know what you’re paying for it. We offer Hubbard Feeder financing at 0% interest – buy now and pay when your cows are sold. With today’s interest rates it’s a no-brainer to go this route. We also rent creep feeders on a first-come, first-serve basis. If you think you might need one, reserve yours now.

Planting season will be here soon, so call me today at 641-218-4232. You don’t want to be sitting in your planter and realize at 4:45 you’re out of feed. A quick call gets everything on the books and ready to go, leaving you able to focus on the spring field work.

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