FEEDING FACTS
B Y J I M M Y PA R K E R
The Right Feed for High Heat and Humidity
As summer bears down and temperatures continue to rise, there are several products on the market that will help our livestock deal with the stress brought about by high heat and humidity. Livestock, especially those that graze endophyte-infected fescue, need help to maintain a body temperature, which in turn allows them to graze for longer periods and spend less time lounging in a pond. One of the first and easiest things to do as temperatures heat up is to make sure that the mineral you feed is top-notch. The enhanced vitamin and trace mineral levels in minerals like AFC Breeder Gold should help your cattle maintain their body temperature and will in most cases help your overall pregnancy rates and shorten breed back time by a few days.
Another option that has been out for several years is Tasco. Tasco is a supplement made from brown seaweed. Decades of research has shown that it improves cattle health in many ways. One of the more significant is that it typically will lower body temperature about a half a degree, which does not sound like much, but is enough to produce some very profitable results. It has also been shown to tighten up the calving interval. Many studies have repeatedly shown a 3-5% improvement in conception rates overall and a significant shortening of the calving season. Tasco is also a great fit for producers who market breeding-age bulls. Semen quality can be significantly improved with a lowered body temperature and several producers have seen a much lower incidence of young July 2020
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