WEBVTT 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:15.060 Breaking free from the chains of the past Where 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:18.820 truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:21.660 waiting on some printed page We're charting new 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:25.300 ground in the digital age From genomic codes 00:00:25.300 --> 00:00:29.120 to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.460 them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight 00:00:32.460 --> 00:01:03.320 we're sparking Welcome back to the Bullvine Podcast, 00:01:03.600 --> 00:01:05.620 where we cut through dairy industry noise to 00:01:05.620 --> 00:01:07.560 get you the insights that actually matter for 00:01:07.560 --> 00:01:10.579 your operation. And today, well, we're diving 00:01:10.579 --> 00:01:13.340 deep into a feature piece that's been generating 00:01:13.340 --> 00:01:16.859 some serious buzz really in the calf rearing 00:01:16.859 --> 00:01:19.680 world. This one's got layers. And Sarah, there 00:01:19.680 --> 00:01:21.400 are some surprises here that I think are going 00:01:21.400 --> 00:01:24.579 to make producers rethink how they've been approaching 00:01:24.579 --> 00:01:28.519 calf nutrition for, well, decades. And the central 00:01:28.519 --> 00:01:31.420 contradiction really jumps out, doesn't it? big 00:01:31.420 --> 00:01:35.159 bold protein number on the feed bag 18 20 22 00:01:35.159 --> 00:01:38.799 it might actually be well misleading you exactly 00:01:38.799 --> 00:01:41.939 misleading you about the true nutritional value 00:01:41.939 --> 00:01:43.900 that calf is actually absorbing that's right 00:01:43.900 --> 00:01:46.060 so our mission today is to deliver those actionable 00:01:46.060 --> 00:01:48.879 insights on calf health to force you the producer 00:01:48.879 --> 00:01:51.560 listening to look past the large print on that 00:01:51.560 --> 00:01:54.180 feed tag you know the protein the fat and really 00:01:54.180 --> 00:01:56.459 zero in on the fine print because that fine print 00:01:56.459 --> 00:01:59.019 specifically on micronutrient forms it can literally 00:01:59.019 --> 00:02:02.090 cost or maybe save you 20 % in lost performance 00:02:02.090 --> 00:02:05.010 and treatment costs. Yeah, we're talking about 00:02:05.010 --> 00:02:07.870 these hidden deficiencies, the kind that sabotage 00:02:07.870 --> 00:02:09.629 even, you know, the best management programs 00:02:09.629 --> 00:02:11.370 out there. It doesn't matter about your genetics. 00:02:11.530 --> 00:02:13.449 It doesn't matter about your housing setup sometimes. 00:02:13.830 --> 00:02:16.889 And this deep dive, it really matters right now 00:02:16.889 --> 00:02:18.629 because we're talking about more than just a 00:02:18.629 --> 00:02:20.610 temporary slowdown in growth. This isn't just 00:02:20.610 --> 00:02:23.229 a blip. No. We're discussing deficiencies that 00:02:23.229 --> 00:02:27.039 drain profit. Even when operations think they're 00:02:27.039 --> 00:02:29.379 ticking all the boxes, technically meeting those 00:02:29.379 --> 00:02:32.099 textbook nutrient requirements. The stakes are 00:02:32.099 --> 00:02:34.139 just incredibly high when we talk about young 00:02:34.139 --> 00:02:36.000 stock, aren't they? These calves are, I mean, 00:02:36.020 --> 00:02:39.219 they're literally the future of the herd. Absolutely. 00:02:39.300 --> 00:02:41.340 And when a calf gets sick, especially in those 00:02:41.340 --> 00:02:44.460 first, say, 60 days, the immediate impact is 00:02:44.460 --> 00:02:47.039 obvious, right? You see the vet bill. You feel 00:02:47.039 --> 00:02:49.949 the labor involved. pulling and treating that 00:02:49.949 --> 00:02:52.810 calf the cost of meds right but the long -term 00:02:52.810 --> 00:02:56.210 cost right that's what should truly well it should 00:02:56.210 --> 00:02:59.310 terrify producers that lost growth potential 00:02:59.310 --> 00:03:02.830 it just never comes back yeah ever you're setting 00:03:02.830 --> 00:03:05.889 a lower ceiling essentially a lower ceiling for 00:03:05.889 --> 00:03:09.129 that heifer's lifetime milk production her durability 00:03:09.129 --> 00:03:11.409 in the herd all because she struggled through 00:03:11.409 --> 00:03:14.719 a really critical period where maybe Cheap, poorly 00:03:14.719 --> 00:03:17.159 absorbed minerals, just let her down. And that's 00:03:17.159 --> 00:03:19.639 precisely why we need to challenge the conventional 00:03:19.639 --> 00:03:21.860 wisdom. The stuff that's dominated the industry 00:03:21.860 --> 00:03:24.599 for so long. For too long, the narrative's been 00:03:24.599 --> 00:03:28.620 really simplistic. Hit your 18 % to 22 % crude 00:03:28.620 --> 00:03:31.680 protein target and your calves will grow. Just 00:03:31.680 --> 00:03:34.099 like that. Yeah, tick the box. But the sources 00:03:34.099 --> 00:03:36.400 we reviewed, they confirmed that the real efficiency 00:03:36.400 --> 00:03:39.280 lever. You know, the true secret to unlocking 00:03:39.280 --> 00:03:41.400 growth and really maximizing that immune response. 00:03:41.639 --> 00:03:44.840 It's not the gross inclusion rate of the macronutrients. 00:03:44.840 --> 00:03:48.379 No. It is entirely about the forms and the bioavailability 00:03:48.379 --> 00:03:50.939 of the micronutrients, the vitamins, the trace 00:03:50.939 --> 00:03:53.099 minerals. We've been focusing on the weight, 00:03:53.180 --> 00:03:55.439 right? The weight of the feed, not the actual 00:03:55.439 --> 00:03:57.819 biological activity of what's inside. And that's 00:03:57.819 --> 00:04:00.419 a costly mistake, a really costly mistake. OK, 00:04:00.500 --> 00:04:03.599 so let's unpack this problem then. We've established 00:04:03.599 --> 00:04:06.620 that many operations are struggling, right? Struggling 00:04:06.620 --> 00:04:08.879 with calf health metrics, even when they think 00:04:08.879 --> 00:04:10.939 they're using premium feed, they've got excellent 00:04:10.939 --> 00:04:14.060 management. Our sorts material laid out five 00:04:14.060 --> 00:04:17.459 pretty major warning signs, the red flags, that 00:04:17.459 --> 00:04:20.620 signal these pervasive hidden nutritional gaps. 00:04:20.959 --> 00:04:23.000 And the first one is a big one. It's based on 00:04:23.000 --> 00:04:27.500 USDA NAHMS data. And it says, if you are seeing 00:04:27.500 --> 00:04:30.779 over 15 % of your calves needing scours treatments, 00:04:31.199 --> 00:04:35.060 you are officially in the danger zone. 15%. That 00:04:35.060 --> 00:04:37.139 number should be like a screaming alarm bell 00:04:37.139 --> 00:04:39.680 going off in the calf barn. Wait, wait, 15%. 00:04:39.680 --> 00:04:41.220 Hold on, because I've heard so many producers 00:04:41.220 --> 00:04:44.220 say, you know, oh, 20%. That's just normal calf 00:04:44.220 --> 00:04:46.420 rearing attrition, especially if you get a patch 00:04:46.420 --> 00:04:48.079 of bad weather. Right. Cost of doing business. 00:04:48.339 --> 00:04:50.540 Yeah. Are you telling us that number has been 00:04:50.540 --> 00:04:52.579 kind of falsely normalized across the industry, 00:04:52.699 --> 00:04:55.480 that 15 % is actually an indicator of a systemic 00:04:55.480 --> 00:04:57.779 failure happening? That is exactly what the data 00:04:57.779 --> 00:05:00.759 suggests. 15 % isn't just normal. It's a serious 00:05:00.759 --> 00:05:03.660 warning sign that those foundational immune defenses 00:05:03.660 --> 00:05:06.720 are collapsing way too often. Okay, so for the 00:05:06.720 --> 00:05:08.480 farmer listening right now, let's translate that. 00:05:08.540 --> 00:05:10.800 Let's put it into time and money. If you have 00:05:10.800 --> 00:05:14.199 100 calves born this season, right, and 16 of 00:05:14.199 --> 00:05:16.980 them, 16, need intensive scours treatment. That's 00:05:16.980 --> 00:05:19.639 a lot. You are burning up massive amounts of 00:05:19.639 --> 00:05:21.699 labor hours. You're constantly fighting fires 00:05:21.699 --> 00:05:23.720 instead of actually focusing on growth and prevention. 00:05:25.560 --> 00:05:29.160 Daily cumulative frustration. That is a huge 00:05:29.160 --> 00:05:31.819 hidden cost right there. And the other four red 00:05:31.819 --> 00:05:33.980 flags, they just reinforce that something deeper 00:05:33.980 --> 00:05:36.680 is going on. Something beyond just, you know, 00:05:36.699 --> 00:05:39.620 housing or sanitation must be wrong. Like what? 00:05:39.779 --> 00:05:43.180 Well, we're seeing pneumonia clusters, even in 00:05:43.180 --> 00:05:45.560 groups that are properly vaccinated against respiratory 00:05:45.560 --> 00:05:48.579 disease. Pneumonia, it's supposed to be a vaccine 00:05:48.579 --> 00:05:50.319 preventable disease, right? It's supposed to 00:05:50.319 --> 00:05:52.860 be. So if it's showing up despite your best efforts, 00:05:52.920 --> 00:05:55.139 despite the vaccination program, that tells us 00:05:55.139 --> 00:05:57.399 the calf's immune system isn't properly primed 00:05:57.399 --> 00:06:00.420 to respond to that vaccine. And nutrition. Nutrition 00:06:00.420 --> 00:06:03.199 is the co -pilot of that immune system. It has 00:06:03.199 --> 00:06:06.339 to be firing right. Okay, that makes sense. Then 00:06:06.339 --> 00:06:08.279 there's that other one, that really frustrating 00:06:08.279 --> 00:06:11.439 post -weaning growth slump. You know, you get 00:06:11.439 --> 00:06:13.399 them through the milk phase, they transition, 00:06:13.540 --> 00:06:16.120 you hit weaning, and suddenly they just stall 00:06:16.120 --> 00:06:19.040 out. Or worse, they even lose weight for a week 00:06:19.040 --> 00:06:22.019 or two. Classic sign. It's a classic sign that 00:06:22.019 --> 00:06:25.660 the calf's gut integrity or its ability to absorb 00:06:25.660 --> 00:06:28.480 nutrients during that stress period is fundamentally 00:06:28.480 --> 00:06:31.689 compromised. So they're relying on... Stored 00:06:31.689 --> 00:06:34.329 reserves, basically, to power through that transition. 00:06:34.550 --> 00:06:37.189 Exactly. And if those reserves are already depleted 00:06:37.189 --> 00:06:39.269 because they've been fed poorly absorbed mineral 00:06:39.269 --> 00:06:42.050 forms, well, they crash. They just don't have 00:06:42.050 --> 00:06:44.129 the fuel in the tank. Right. And what about the 00:06:44.129 --> 00:06:46.810 nonspecific signs? Those are maybe the most insidious 00:06:46.810 --> 00:06:49.170 because they don't always register on the vet's 00:06:49.170 --> 00:06:51.509 emergency list, do they? No, exactly. It's the 00:06:51.509 --> 00:06:53.569 dull calves, the rough -coated ones. They just 00:06:53.569 --> 00:06:56.029 look off. They aren't necessarily spiking a fever, 00:06:56.110 --> 00:06:58.230 but they aren't thriving either. They look like 00:06:58.230 --> 00:07:00.250 they're perpetually playing catch -up, you know? 00:07:00.569 --> 00:07:02.790 never quite reaching that genetic potential you 00:07:02.790 --> 00:07:05.129 paid for. Yeah, you see them in the pen, and 00:07:05.129 --> 00:07:07.790 you just know something's not quite right. And 00:07:07.790 --> 00:07:11.350 the last one, slow recovery. Slow recovery from 00:07:11.350 --> 00:07:13.970 illness, yeah. Despite using standard, maybe 00:07:13.970 --> 00:07:16.949 even high -quality treatment protocols, if that 00:07:16.949 --> 00:07:20.029 casts tissue reserves of crucial immune -supporting 00:07:20.029 --> 00:07:22.870 nutrients, think organic selenium, think natural 00:07:22.870 --> 00:07:26.029 vitamin E, if those reserves are already depleted 00:07:26.029 --> 00:07:28.180 when the challenge hits. then the antibiotic 00:07:28.180 --> 00:07:30.459 or the supportive therapy can only do so much 00:07:30.459 --> 00:07:34.379 precisely the biological repair mechanisms the 00:07:34.379 --> 00:07:37.019 cellular rebuilding process they just aren't 00:07:37.019 --> 00:07:39.500 firing optimally because the fundamental building 00:07:39.500 --> 00:07:42.180 blocks they simply aren't there in sufficient 00:07:42.180 --> 00:07:44.930 usable form What's fascinating here is thinking 00:07:44.930 --> 00:07:47.529 about how these issues impact operations of different 00:07:47.529 --> 00:07:49.750 scales. You know, for the massive operations, 00:07:50.029 --> 00:07:53.029 15 % scours, that translates to geometrically 00:07:53.029 --> 00:07:56.410 higher expenses. Medication, labor, maybe higher 00:07:56.410 --> 00:07:59.230 mortality rates even. Huge numbers, yeah. But 00:07:59.230 --> 00:08:00.870 for the smaller family farm dealing with these 00:08:00.870 --> 00:08:03.370 persistently sick calves, it's just a massive 00:08:03.370 --> 00:08:05.470 labor drain. It sucks time away from everything 00:08:05.470 --> 00:08:07.970 else. Parlor efficiency, focusing on genetics 00:08:07.970 --> 00:08:10.389 work, getting field work done. It's a foundational 00:08:10.389 --> 00:08:12.670 inefficiency, isn't it? It prevents management 00:08:12.670 --> 00:08:15.629 from ever really being proactive, always stuck 00:08:15.629 --> 00:08:18.389 in reaction mode. It's all about focus. When 00:08:18.389 --> 00:08:20.209 you're constantly treating scours and pneumonia, 00:08:20.490 --> 00:08:23.490 you're stuck reacting. These five red flags, 00:08:23.649 --> 00:08:25.269 what they're really telling you is that your 00:08:25.269 --> 00:08:27.490 nutritional foundation is structurally weak. 00:08:27.709 --> 00:08:30.089 And the core problem, as we're going to keep 00:08:30.089 --> 00:08:33.049 digging into, is often the mineral delivery system 00:08:33.049 --> 00:08:36.059 itself. The form, not just the amount. This is 00:08:36.059 --> 00:08:38.120 where, you know, the bullvine needs to step in 00:08:38.120 --> 00:08:39.980 and really challenge that conventional wisdom. 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:42.960 Because everyone knows good calf management is 00:08:42.960 --> 00:08:45.259 key, right? Yeah. Clean bedding, good ventilation, 00:08:45.600 --> 00:08:48.399 adequate space. We all know that. Standard practice. 00:08:48.779 --> 00:08:51.299 But our sources, what they're revealing is that 00:08:51.299 --> 00:08:53.840 localized environmental factors, things in your 00:08:53.840 --> 00:08:56.240 soil, things in your water, these antagonists, 00:08:56.320 --> 00:08:59.440 they are actively sabotaging even the best programs, 00:08:59.559 --> 00:09:02.299 especially those relying on standard, you know, 00:09:02.320 --> 00:09:05.129 one size fits all. Feed formulations. Exactly. 00:09:05.129 --> 00:09:07.929 You could be buying the most expensive, highly 00:09:07.929 --> 00:09:09.950 fortified feed on the market thinking you're 00:09:09.950 --> 00:09:12.110 doing everything right. But if your farm's well 00:09:12.110 --> 00:09:14.070 water is running high in sulfur, for instance. 00:09:14.370 --> 00:09:17.049 Which happens a lot in certain areas. Or your 00:09:17.049 --> 00:09:21.789 soil is naturally rich in iron or maybe molybdenum. 00:09:21.830 --> 00:09:24.409 Those environmental elements are acting like 00:09:24.409 --> 00:09:27.759 nutritional thieves. They literally. chemically 00:09:27.759 --> 00:09:31.320 bind up the very minerals, the copper, the zinc, 00:09:31.500 --> 00:09:33.440 the manganese that you just paid a premium for. 00:09:33.539 --> 00:09:35.759 Rendering them useless. preventing absorption 00:09:35.759 --> 00:09:37.940 before the calf even gets a chance. That's totally 00:09:37.940 --> 00:09:40.960 useless. Let's break down those major antagonists 00:09:40.960 --> 00:09:43.299 detailed in the source material because this 00:09:43.299 --> 00:09:45.759 is highly regional and people need to think about 00:09:45.759 --> 00:09:48.440 their specific location. Okay. We see widespread 00:09:48.440 --> 00:09:51.220 issues like selenium -poor soils. That covers 00:09:51.220 --> 00:09:53.980 huge swaths of the U .S. and Canada. If your 00:09:53.980 --> 00:09:56.539 crop is grown there, guess what? Your forages 00:09:56.539 --> 00:09:58.159 are going to be deficient from the start. Right 00:09:58.159 --> 00:10:00.919 off the bat. Then you have the risk of iron -rich... 00:10:01.340 --> 00:10:04.639 dirt contaminating silage during harvest, especially 00:10:04.639 --> 00:10:06.779 if equipment scrapes a bit too low, gets some 00:10:06.779 --> 00:10:09.820 soil mixed in. This iron contamination, it acts 00:10:09.820 --> 00:10:12.399 as a really powerful blocker for the uptake of 00:10:12.399 --> 00:10:15.779 other key trace minerals. And regionally, that 00:10:15.779 --> 00:10:18.620 high sulfur presence in well water, that's a 00:10:18.620 --> 00:10:21.200 massive issue for a lot of farms. It often converts 00:10:21.200 --> 00:10:23.740 essential minerals into indigestible compounds 00:10:23.740 --> 00:10:25.460 right there in the rumen. Before they even have 00:10:25.460 --> 00:10:27.639 a chance to be absorbed lower down. But perhaps 00:10:27.639 --> 00:10:30.710 the worst antagonist? just in terms of mineral 00:10:30.710 --> 00:10:34.669 specificity, is molybdenum. Molybdenum in forages, 00:10:34.669 --> 00:10:38.389 it specifically forms this tight, irreversible 00:10:38.389 --> 00:10:42.429 chemical bond that effectively ties up... copper. 00:10:42.850 --> 00:10:45.669 And copper is a mineral desperately needed for 00:10:45.669 --> 00:10:48.429 immune function, for blood health. And that explains 00:10:48.429 --> 00:10:50.250 so much. I love that producer quote that was 00:10:50.250 --> 00:10:51.870 cited in the source material because it just 00:10:51.870 --> 00:10:53.850 sums up this whole realization perfectly. Which 00:10:53.850 --> 00:10:56.149 one was that? He said, I used to wonder why my 00:10:56.149 --> 00:10:58.149 neighbor's calves always looked healthier, even 00:10:58.149 --> 00:11:00.409 though we bought the same feed. Yeah, same brand, 00:11:00.509 --> 00:11:02.740 same tech. Turns out it wasn't about the protein. 00:11:02.919 --> 00:11:05.120 It was about getting minerals that could actually 00:11:05.120 --> 00:11:07.980 work with our local high sulfur water conditions. 00:11:08.200 --> 00:11:10.360 That flips the script entirely, doesn't it? It 00:11:10.360 --> 00:11:13.100 moves the whole conversation from what protein 00:11:13.100 --> 00:11:16.200 level am I feeding to... What mineral level is 00:11:16.200 --> 00:11:18.580 my calf actually absorbing given my specific 00:11:18.580 --> 00:11:22.039 farm's environment? It forces customization. 00:11:22.809 --> 00:11:25.049 It really does. And you can often see the evidence 00:11:25.049 --> 00:11:26.850 of this mineral theft right there on the calf, 00:11:26.929 --> 00:11:28.870 especially with copper deficiency. There's a 00:11:28.870 --> 00:11:31.250 distinct visual cue we should mention. Ah, the 00:11:31.250 --> 00:11:34.710 glasses look? Exactly. Those pale rings around 00:11:34.710 --> 00:11:36.970 the calf's eyes, what some farmers call the glasses 00:11:36.970 --> 00:11:40.230 look. The sources confirm chronic copper deficiency 00:11:40.230 --> 00:11:43.049 is a widespread problem in the U .S. and Canada. 00:11:43.269 --> 00:11:46.529 You can't just throw copper, any old copper. 00:11:46.940 --> 00:11:49.279 in the feed and assume it gets used if your environment 00:11:49.279 --> 00:11:51.440 is actively fighting against it. Yeah, to feed 00:11:51.440 --> 00:11:54.759 it in a form that can fight back. Right. A bioavailable 00:11:54.759 --> 00:11:56.820 form that can actually bypass that antagonist 00:11:56.820 --> 00:11:59.460 in the gut or in the water. Precisely. Which 00:11:59.460 --> 00:12:01.700 brings us perfectly to the core of the solution. 00:12:01.960 --> 00:12:05.850 These seven game changers. thesis here, and it 00:12:05.850 --> 00:12:08.129 seems really undeniable based on the research 00:12:08.129 --> 00:12:10.110 coming out of places like Penn State and Wisconsin, 00:12:10.450 --> 00:12:13.570 is that bioavailability absolutely beats quantity, 00:12:13.789 --> 00:12:16.370 especially when those environmental antagonists 00:12:16.370 --> 00:12:18.950 are in play. So it's not just about shoveling 00:12:18.950 --> 00:12:21.129 more in, it's about making sure what goes in 00:12:21.129 --> 00:12:24.210 actually works. Exactly. Let's start with the 00:12:24.210 --> 00:12:27.250 first three key nutrients. These are essential 00:12:27.250 --> 00:12:29.490 for immediate immunity and that critical gut 00:12:29.490 --> 00:12:33.009 health. First up, vitamin E. It's the primary 00:12:33.009 --> 00:12:35.909 antioxidant shield for the cells. Okay. Now, 00:12:35.909 --> 00:12:37.710 if you're just hitting the basic minimum requirement 00:12:37.710 --> 00:12:40.470 listed on a standard feed tag, the research shows 00:12:40.470 --> 00:12:43.110 you're probably not achieving optimal performance, 00:12:43.350 --> 00:12:45.610 especially during stress. The minimum isn't the 00:12:45.610 --> 00:12:48.110 optimum. Not for real. High performance immune 00:12:48.110 --> 00:12:51.009 benefits, especially during stress like cold 00:12:51.009 --> 00:12:54.570 weather snaps, vaccination time, transport. Calves 00:12:54.570 --> 00:12:56.850 need a much higher level, somewhere in the range 00:12:56.850 --> 00:13:01.149 of 220 to 440 IU per kilogram of starter feed. 00:13:01.289 --> 00:13:03.580 Wow. That's often double or triple the basic 00:13:03.580 --> 00:13:05.860 maintenance level you see on some tags. It absolutely 00:13:05.860 --> 00:13:08.299 is. And here is where the form is the crucial 00:13:08.299 --> 00:13:11.039 catch. This is where the cost justification really 00:13:11.039 --> 00:13:13.620 starts to emerge. You absolutely must seek out 00:13:13.620 --> 00:13:16.360 natural vitamin E. The D -alpha -tocopherol form. 00:13:16.500 --> 00:13:18.559 That's the one. The source material is crystal 00:13:18.559 --> 00:13:21.000 clear on this. Synthetic forms are just poorly 00:13:21.000 --> 00:13:23.820 utilized by the cast body. The natural form gets 00:13:23.820 --> 00:13:25.679 absorbed with something like two to three times 00:13:25.679 --> 00:13:28.440 greater bioactivity. Why is that? Because the 00:13:28.440 --> 00:13:30.620 calf's body actually has preferential transport 00:13:30.620 --> 00:13:33.679 proteins, they're specifically designed, like 00:13:33.679 --> 00:13:36.799 little taxis, to carry that natural form across 00:13:36.799 --> 00:13:39.659 the gut lining and into the tissues where it's 00:13:39.659 --> 00:13:42.799 needed. Okay, but hold on. If it's, say, three 00:13:42.799 --> 00:13:44.799 times the price for the natural form compared 00:13:44.799 --> 00:13:48.500 to the synthetic, how do I justify that premium 00:13:48.500 --> 00:13:51.460 to my accountant or just to myself when I'm looking 00:13:51.460 --> 00:13:53.700 at the feed bill? You justify it because the 00:13:53.700 --> 00:13:56.120 synthetic form is largely just being passed through 00:13:56.120 --> 00:13:59.440 without full utilization. You're paying for inclusion 00:13:59.440 --> 00:14:02.059 on the tag, not actual absorption and biological 00:14:02.059 --> 00:14:03.980 activity. So you're paying for something the 00:14:03.980 --> 00:14:06.220 calf isn't really using effectively. Right. If 00:14:06.220 --> 00:14:09.759 you're aiming for, say, 300 IU per kilogram on 00:14:09.759 --> 00:14:12.620 the tag, but only maybe 30 % of your synthetic 00:14:12.620 --> 00:14:15.080 form is actually being used biologically, you've 00:14:15.080 --> 00:14:16.940 effectively wasted the majority of that input 00:14:16.940 --> 00:14:20.169 cost. The natural form ensures that investment 00:14:20.169 --> 00:14:22.610 actually reaches the immune cells where the work 00:14:22.610 --> 00:14:24.610 needs to be done. It's about value, not just 00:14:24.610 --> 00:14:26.730 cost per ton. Okay, that makes economic sense 00:14:26.730 --> 00:14:28.629 when you put it that way. What's next? Selenium. 00:14:28.850 --> 00:14:31.190 Selenium, yeah. The missing piece, especially 00:14:31.190 --> 00:14:33.429 in those regions with selenium -poor soils we 00:14:33.429 --> 00:14:35.590 talked about, you absolutely need to hit that 00:14:35.590 --> 00:14:38.909 legal maximum, which is 8 .3 ppm. But again, 00:14:39.070 --> 00:14:41.429 say it with me. The form matters more than the 00:14:41.429 --> 00:14:43.570 number. Exactly. We have to understand the difference 00:14:43.570 --> 00:14:46.669 between inorganic and organic selenium here. 00:14:47.399 --> 00:14:50.460 inorganic selenium like the cheap sodium selenite 00:14:50.460 --> 00:14:52.559 you often see yeah that's common it's quickly 00:14:52.559 --> 00:14:55.139 absorbed sure but it's also immediately flushed 00:14:55.139 --> 00:14:57.240 out by the body if it's not used right away it 00:14:57.240 --> 00:15:01.100 offers basically zero long -term storage or defense 00:15:01.100 --> 00:15:03.700 capability so it's there for a moment Pretty 00:15:03.700 --> 00:15:06.679 much. Whereas organic selenium, which is typically 00:15:06.679 --> 00:15:09.080 selenium yeast, it does something fundamentally 00:15:09.080 --> 00:15:11.700 different. It builds those critical tissue reserves. 00:15:11.899 --> 00:15:14.080 It gets incorporated directly into the muscle 00:15:14.080 --> 00:15:15.820 tissue and into the immune cells themselves. 00:15:16.200 --> 00:15:19.039 So when the calf hits a stressful event, a sudden 00:15:19.039 --> 00:15:21.759 temperature drop, a sickness challenge like scours 00:15:21.759 --> 00:15:25.279 or pneumonia, those tissue reserves can be mobilized. 00:15:25.580 --> 00:15:27.620 they're called upon. Ah, like having a battery 00:15:27.620 --> 00:15:29.379 backup for the immune system. Yeah, that's a 00:15:29.379 --> 00:15:31.960 great analogy. It prevents that devastating immune 00:15:31.960 --> 00:15:34.519 crash. That's the difference between a calf maybe 00:15:34.519 --> 00:15:36.700 powering through a minor challenge on its own 00:15:36.700 --> 00:15:39.220 versus one that ends up needing five days of 00:15:39.220 --> 00:15:41.399 intensive care and falling way behind. Okay, 00:15:41.500 --> 00:15:43.519 selenium's critical. What's the third one for 00:15:43.519 --> 00:15:47.679 this segment? Zinc, the gut guardian. We know 00:15:47.679 --> 00:15:50.299 strong gut integrity is absolutely essential 00:15:50.299 --> 00:15:52.600 for keeping pathogens out of the bloodstream, 00:15:52.799 --> 00:15:55.919 preventing things like leaky gut. Leaky gut is 00:15:55.919 --> 00:15:59.659 a huge issue post weaning. Huge. For stressed 00:15:59.659 --> 00:16:02.659 calves, the new NASEM guidance suggests targeting 00:16:02.659 --> 00:16:06.700 75 to 100 ppm of zinc. And again, we need highly 00:16:06.700 --> 00:16:10.600 bioavailable forms. Look for chelated or hydroxy 00:16:10.600 --> 00:16:13.200 sources on the tag. And the major red flag here 00:16:13.200 --> 00:16:15.879 is? Zinc oxide. Just like with copper later, 00:16:16.080 --> 00:16:18.100 zinc oxide is cheap, but its molecular structure 00:16:18.100 --> 00:16:20.500 is so tightly bound that it just can't easily 00:16:20.500 --> 00:16:22.899 dissolve and cross the gut lining to be absorbed 00:16:22.899 --> 00:16:24.950 effectively. So it just passes right through. 00:16:25.070 --> 00:16:26.809 Passes right through the calf's digestive tract 00:16:26.809 --> 00:16:28.950 and out the other side in the manure. You pay 00:16:28.950 --> 00:16:31.370 for it. The calf excretes it. It's incredibly 00:16:31.370 --> 00:16:33.409 inefficient. And producers who switch away from 00:16:33.409 --> 00:16:36.570 oxide. Consistently report major improvements. 00:16:37.230 --> 00:16:39.789 Better overall animal performance. Better gut 00:16:39.789 --> 00:16:43.350 health. Fewer issues around weaning. It's noticeable. 00:16:43.690 --> 00:16:45.350 It's incredible how many times you still see 00:16:45.350 --> 00:16:49.049 the word oxide on a feed tag for these key minerals. 00:16:49.549 --> 00:16:52.110 It is. It's basically the nutritional equivalent 00:16:52.110 --> 00:16:54.509 of throwing money down the drain during the most 00:16:54.509 --> 00:16:57.330 critical first few months of that animal's life. 00:16:57.470 --> 00:17:00.370 Yet it's included because, well, it helps hit 00:17:00.370 --> 00:17:02.730 that minimum inclusion number on the tag cheaply 00:17:02.730 --> 00:17:04.690 for the manufacturer. But it doesn't deliver 00:17:04.690 --> 00:17:07.170 the performance. Not when it really counts. Okay, 00:17:07.230 --> 00:17:09.069 let's move on to the next set of these game changers 00:17:09.069 --> 00:17:12.049 then. We covered vitamin E, selenium, zinc for 00:17:12.049 --> 00:17:14.769 immunity, and gut. What's next? Let's start with 00:17:14.769 --> 00:17:16.920 copper. We touched on it with the antagonists, 00:17:16.960 --> 00:17:19.480 but it deserves its own focus. Easy to lose, 00:17:19.500 --> 00:17:22.240 expensive to replace. As we discussed, if your 00:17:22.240 --> 00:17:24.680 environment is throwing those sulfur or molybdenum 00:17:24.680 --> 00:17:27.420 curveballs at you, which many are, you need copper 00:17:27.420 --> 00:17:30.220 that can actually fight back and win that absorption 00:17:30.220 --> 00:17:32.759 battle. Right. So the required level is, what, 00:17:32.880 --> 00:17:36.259 10 to 15 ppm? That's the target range, yes. 10 00:17:36.259 --> 00:17:39.460 to 15 ppm. And to be truly effective against 00:17:39.460 --> 00:17:42.019 those antagonists, it must be from chelated or 00:17:42.019 --> 00:17:45.420 hydroxy copper sources. Again, the source material 00:17:45.420 --> 00:17:47.420 couldn't be clearer on this point. Let me guess. 00:17:48.029 --> 00:17:51.349 Copper oxide. Copper oxide is biologically unavailable, 00:17:51.490 --> 00:17:54.869 functionally worthless in this context. Feeding 00:17:54.869 --> 00:17:57.430 it is like, as the source implied, feeding the 00:17:57.430 --> 00:18:00.109 calf a copper penny. It just sits there. Its 00:18:00.109 --> 00:18:02.509 inclusion on a feed tag should be a massive, 00:18:02.670 --> 00:18:05.450 immediate red flag for any producer paying attention. 00:18:05.789 --> 00:18:07.990 You're paying for a mineral that simply won't 00:18:07.990 --> 00:18:10.410 get utilized, leaving your calf vulnerable to 00:18:10.410 --> 00:18:13.700 deficiency signs like that. glasses look, and 00:18:13.700 --> 00:18:16.119 more importantly, compromised immunity. Okay, 00:18:16.180 --> 00:18:18.799 message received on oxides. What about manganese? 00:18:18.920 --> 00:18:21.200 That one feels a bit quieter. It is the quiet 00:18:21.200 --> 00:18:23.180 builder, you're right. This mineral might not 00:18:23.180 --> 00:18:26.299 get the spotlight like copper or selenium, but 00:18:26.299 --> 00:18:28.420 it is absolutely critical for bone development 00:18:28.420 --> 00:18:30.480 and cartilage formation. Which is huge for growing 00:18:30.480 --> 00:18:32.240 heifers, right? They need that strong structural 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:34.759 foundation. Absolutely, especially fast -growing 00:18:34.759 --> 00:18:37.440 heifers. We should be targeting around 40 ppm, 00:18:37.640 --> 00:18:40.440 and again, from organic or hydroxy sources for 00:18:40.440 --> 00:18:42.809 best results. And does this connect back to the 00:18:42.809 --> 00:18:45.529 antagonist problem too? It does. Remember the 00:18:45.529 --> 00:18:48.349 high iron contamination risk in feeds, especially 00:18:48.349 --> 00:18:50.930 silages if soil gets mixed in? Yeah, the dirt 00:18:50.930 --> 00:18:53.509 scraping issue. Well, that high iron actively 00:18:53.509 --> 00:18:57.910 blocks manganese uptake. So using these bioavailable 00:18:57.910 --> 00:19:01.250 forms becomes necessary to overcome that specific 00:19:01.250 --> 00:19:04.670 iron interference and ensure the calf can build 00:19:04.670 --> 00:19:07.990 a robust skeleton for long -term health and productivity. 00:19:08.430 --> 00:19:11.029 Okay, so... Copper and manganese need protection 00:19:11.029 --> 00:19:14.009 too. Now, what about these stress combatants 00:19:14.009 --> 00:19:16.769 you mentioned, the amino acids? Right. These 00:19:16.769 --> 00:19:19.150 are really interesting because they provide immediate 00:19:19.150 --> 00:19:21.809 targeted fuel during those high stress periods 00:19:21.809 --> 00:19:24.970 like transition and weaning. First one is glutamine. 00:19:25.130 --> 00:19:27.369 Think of it as the stress buster for the gut. 00:19:27.509 --> 00:19:30.349 How does it work? This amino acid directly fuels 00:19:30.349 --> 00:19:32.269 the enterocytes. Those are the cells lining the 00:19:32.269 --> 00:19:34.190 gut wall. When the calf is under duress, you 00:19:34.190 --> 00:19:36.529 know, from weaning, transport, maybe a mild illness 00:19:36.529 --> 00:19:38.970 challenge, those gut cells are often starved 00:19:38.970 --> 00:19:41.170 for energy. They're turning over rapidly. They 00:19:41.170 --> 00:19:43.630 need fuel. And glutamine provides that fuel directly. 00:19:43.930 --> 00:19:47.130 Exactly. The target is around 1 to 2 % of the 00:19:47.130 --> 00:19:50.289 total dry matter intake. But here is the absolutely 00:19:50.289 --> 00:19:53.529 crucial point. The detail that separates just 00:19:53.529 --> 00:19:57.150 okay feed from truly optimized feed. Let me guess. 00:19:57.900 --> 00:20:00.380 It has to be protected. It must be rumen protected. 00:20:00.799 --> 00:20:04.099 If you just feed free glutamine, it degrades 00:20:04.099 --> 00:20:07.220 quickly and almost completely in the rumen environment. 00:20:07.640 --> 00:20:10.279 So the rumen bugs get it, not the calf's gut 00:20:10.279 --> 00:20:13.319 lining. Precisely. And if it doesn't survive 00:20:13.319 --> 00:20:15.880 to reach the small intestine where those rapidly 00:20:15.880 --> 00:20:18.220 dividing gut lining cells desperately need it 00:20:18.220 --> 00:20:20.900 for fuel during stress, it does zero good. You've 00:20:20.900 --> 00:20:22.740 wasted your money feeding the rumen microbes 00:20:22.740 --> 00:20:24.960 instead of the calf itself. Hold on, why can't 00:20:24.960 --> 00:20:27.630 we just feed more then? If it degrades, why not 00:20:27.630 --> 00:20:29.450 just like overdose it so at least some makes 00:20:29.450 --> 00:20:31.289 it through? Is that feasible? Because that's 00:20:31.289 --> 00:20:33.730 incredibly inefficient and would be prohibitively 00:20:33.730 --> 00:20:35.690 costly. The whole point is targeted delivery. 00:20:35.990 --> 00:20:38.849 The calf's gut lining needs this specific fuel 00:20:38.849 --> 00:20:41.609 during stress to maintain its integrity to prevent 00:20:41.609 --> 00:20:43.750 that leaky gut syndrome we talked about. Rumin 00:20:43.750 --> 00:20:46.920 protection provides a sort of... wrapper. It 00:20:46.920 --> 00:20:49.759 resists the neutral pH rumen environment, but 00:20:49.759 --> 00:20:52.019 then breaks down in the acidic conditions of 00:20:52.019 --> 00:20:54.259 the abomasum or the enzymatic environment of 00:20:54.259 --> 00:20:57.640 the small intestine. This ensures targeted delivery 00:20:57.640 --> 00:21:00.559 right where those gut cells are fighting to survive 00:21:00.559 --> 00:21:02.700 the transition of stress. Got it. Protection 00:21:02.700 --> 00:21:05.819 equals targeted delivery equals efficiency. What's 00:21:05.819 --> 00:21:08.200 the other amino acid? Arginine. Think of this 00:21:08.200 --> 00:21:10.559 one as the circulation enhancer. Circulation? 00:21:10.599 --> 00:21:12.599 How does that help a calf? It supports nitric 00:21:12.599 --> 00:21:15.380 oxide production in the body, and nitric oxide 00:21:15.380 --> 00:21:18.220 helps relax blood vessels, which aids blood flow. 00:21:18.559 --> 00:21:21.619 Good blood flow is vital because it helps immune 00:21:21.619 --> 00:21:23.980 cells and necessary nutrients reach infection 00:21:23.980 --> 00:21:26.559 sites much more quickly and efficiently. Ah, 00:21:26.759 --> 00:21:28.700 so it helps the internal first responders get 00:21:28.700 --> 00:21:30.559 to the scene faster. That's a good way to think 00:21:30.559 --> 00:21:33.619 about it. The target here is lower, maybe 0 .25 00:21:33.619 --> 00:21:36.740 to 0 .5 % of dry matter intake. But again, it 00:21:36.740 --> 00:21:38.779 also requires those rumen -protected forms to 00:21:38.779 --> 00:21:41.720 be effective. So these two amino acids, glutamine 00:21:41.720 --> 00:21:44.339 and arginine, delivered strategically in protected 00:21:44.339 --> 00:21:46.720 forms, they're like a nutritional insurance policy 00:21:46.720 --> 00:21:49.119 against those inevitable high -stress events 00:21:49.119 --> 00:21:51.819 in a calf's life. Exactly. It's about building 00:21:51.819 --> 00:21:54.220 resilience from the inside out. We talked a lot 00:21:54.220 --> 00:21:56.259 about the science, the why behind these forms. 00:21:56.440 --> 00:21:58.680 Now let's really follow the money. Let's talk 00:21:58.680 --> 00:22:01.359 economics, because this is where the skeptical 00:22:01.359 --> 00:22:03.119 farmer listening starts doing the math in their 00:22:03.119 --> 00:22:05.740 head. If a producer is spending slightly more 00:22:05.740 --> 00:22:08.420 per ton on a feed that contains these bioavailable 00:22:08.420 --> 00:22:11.000 forms, you know, the proteinate zinc, the selenium 00:22:11.000 --> 00:22:15.099 yeast, the amino acid copper, what is the actual 00:22:15.099 --> 00:22:18.799 quantifiable payoff? Does it pencil out? The 00:22:18.799 --> 00:22:21.299 economic impact is substantial, and crucially, 00:22:21.339 --> 00:22:24.420 it is quantifiable. Those organic or hydroxy 00:22:24.420 --> 00:22:26.599 forms, studies show they deliver somewhere between 00:22:26.599 --> 00:22:29.700 15 -30 % better biological absorption compared 00:22:29.700 --> 00:22:32.720 to the cheaper sulfate, or especially the oxide 00:22:32.720 --> 00:22:35.819 forms. 15 -30 % better absorption, that's... 00:22:36.240 --> 00:22:38.660 That's huge. It's massive, especially when those 00:22:38.660 --> 00:22:40.599 environmental antagonists we keep mentioning, 00:22:40.680 --> 00:22:43.319 the sulfur, the molybdenum, the iron, are present 00:22:43.319 --> 00:22:46.079 and actively working against mineral uptake. 00:22:46.119 --> 00:22:48.079 You are literally getting up to a third more 00:22:48.079 --> 00:22:50.579 biological bang for every buck you spend on that 00:22:50.579 --> 00:22:54.480 specific mineral input. Okay, 15 -30 % better 00:22:54.480 --> 00:22:57.019 absorption is great. But do we have hard numbers 00:22:57.019 --> 00:22:59.619 connecting that directly to reduced expenses 00:22:59.619 --> 00:23:03.309 on the farm? Like fewer vet calls? We do. Our 00:23:03.309 --> 00:23:05.230 sources cited a pretty compelling statistic. 00:23:05.650 --> 00:23:08.009 Producers located in those known high sulfur 00:23:08.009 --> 00:23:10.369 or high iron regions when they switch to using 00:23:10.369 --> 00:23:13.109 organic copper sources. Instead of the standard 00:23:13.109 --> 00:23:16.029 cheap stuff. They often see a staggering 20 % 00:23:16.029 --> 00:23:19.829 reduction in scours treatments needed. 20%. Okay, 00:23:19.849 --> 00:23:21.190 let's put that in dollars and cents for a minute 00:23:21.190 --> 00:23:23.910 just to make it real. If a typical scour treatment 00:23:23.910 --> 00:23:26.230 you factory in the medication, the syringes, 00:23:26.230 --> 00:23:29.049 your labor time pulling and treating, maybe some 00:23:29.049 --> 00:23:31.450 lost growth potential. Let's say it costs an 00:23:31.450 --> 00:23:34.799 operation maybe 50. per sick calf, conservatively. 00:23:34.799 --> 00:23:37.539 Sounds reasonable. If you have a 100 -calf group 00:23:37.539 --> 00:23:39.859 and you reduce the incidence of scours needing 00:23:39.859 --> 00:23:42.440 treatment from 16 calves, the danger zone 15 00:23:42.440 --> 00:23:45.099 -16 % rate we talk about, down to maybe 12 or 00:23:45.099 --> 00:23:47.359 13 calves, that's a 20 % reduction right there. 00:23:47.480 --> 00:23:50.299 For fewer calves needing treatment. You're saving 00:23:50.299 --> 00:23:54.930 $150 to $200 per 100 calves. Immediately, just 00:23:54.930 --> 00:23:57.230 on medication and labor alone. That's before 00:23:57.230 --> 00:23:59.569 you even start trying to factor in the lifetime 00:23:59.569 --> 00:24:02.069 milk benefit of having a healthier calf that 00:24:02.069 --> 00:24:04.289 didn't get set back. So yes, the feed with the 00:24:04.289 --> 00:24:07.329 bioavailable minerals might cost, say, $50 more 00:24:07.329 --> 00:24:10.450 per ton. But the ROI, the return on that investment, 00:24:10.609 --> 00:24:13.910 it can be almost instantaneous and clearly measurable, 00:24:14.130 --> 00:24:16.029 especially in challenging environments. And we 00:24:16.029 --> 00:24:18.289 absolutely need to tie this back to that critical 00:24:18.289 --> 00:24:20.230 vulnerability period we mentioned earlier, the 00:24:20.230 --> 00:24:22.269 immunity gap. Right, between two and three weeks 00:24:22.269 --> 00:24:25.109 of age. Typically. This is when the protection 00:24:25.109 --> 00:24:27.190 the calf got from mom's colostrum, those maternal 00:24:27.190 --> 00:24:29.450 antibodies, it starts to drop off pretty sharply. 00:24:29.549 --> 00:24:32.109 But the calf's own active immune system is still 00:24:32.109 --> 00:24:34.630 kind of slow and immature. It hasn't fully ramped 00:24:34.630 --> 00:24:36.369 up yet to close that defense gap. It's a real 00:24:36.369 --> 00:24:39.269 double whammy of vulnerability, a dangerous window. 00:24:39.529 --> 00:24:41.630 And this is the perfect moment to strategically 00:24:41.630 --> 00:24:44.369 hit them with those optimal levels of key nutrients 00:24:44.369 --> 00:24:47.109 we discussed. Meaning that higher level, 220 00:24:47.109 --> 00:24:51.029 to 440 IU per kilogram. of natural vitamin e 00:24:51.029 --> 00:24:54.529 and that legal maximum 0 .3 ppm of organic selenium 00:24:54.529 --> 00:24:57.430 from yeast this strategic timing hitting them 00:24:57.430 --> 00:25:00.509 hard during this specific vulnerable period it 00:25:00.509 --> 00:25:02.730 strengthens their own developing immune response 00:25:02.730 --> 00:25:06.630 and critically it maximizes the efficacy of any 00:25:06.630 --> 00:25:08.930 vaccinations you administer around that time 00:25:08.930 --> 00:25:11.849 so you're essentially using nutrition to make 00:25:11.849 --> 00:25:15.160 your vaccines work better getting more value 00:25:15.160 --> 00:25:17.440 out of your vaccine program that's exactly it 00:25:17.440 --> 00:25:19.759 it's about proactive investment versus reactive 00:25:19.759 --> 00:25:22.579 expense build the foundation strong before the 00:25:22.579 --> 00:25:25.220 challenge hits And the sources had a great case 00:25:25.220 --> 00:25:26.880 study example of this, didn't they? They did. 00:25:27.039 --> 00:25:29.599 A producer in a known high iron region who made 00:25:29.599 --> 00:25:33.000 the switch went entirely to a calf starter formulated 00:25:33.000 --> 00:25:36.440 with a full organic mineral package that chelated 00:25:36.440 --> 00:25:39.259 in hydroxy forms plus those higher natural vitamin 00:25:39.259 --> 00:25:41.859 E levels. And the result? Two years later, they 00:25:41.859 --> 00:25:44.750 reported having the healthiest heifer crop yet, 00:25:44.910 --> 00:25:47.670 far fewer vet calls, minimal pneumonia issues, 00:25:47.809 --> 00:25:50.069 and significantly better average daily gains 00:25:50.069 --> 00:25:52.730 right through the stressful weaning period. That 00:25:52.730 --> 00:25:54.730 result isn't just a coincidence, is it? It sounds 00:25:54.730 --> 00:25:57.650 like the direct payoff of prioritizing bioavailability 00:25:57.650 --> 00:25:59.950 over just looking at the cheapest inclusion rates 00:25:59.950 --> 00:26:02.869 on the tag. It's a complete and measurable shift 00:26:02.869 --> 00:26:05.470 in profitability, driven by understanding the 00:26:05.470 --> 00:26:08.009 fine print. Which brings us right to the fundamental 00:26:08.009 --> 00:26:11.279 challenge here. After hearing all this. I'm just 00:26:11.279 --> 00:26:13.180 not buying the old industry advice anymore. I 00:26:13.180 --> 00:26:15.599 can't. It feels outdated, doesn't it? Completely. 00:26:16.160 --> 00:26:18.720 Everyone's still selling based on the idea of 00:26:18.720 --> 00:26:21.880 just hit 18 % protein, maybe 20 % you're covered. 00:26:22.799 --> 00:26:25.440 But if the form of the nutrient delivers up to 00:26:25.440 --> 00:26:29.440 30 % better absorption, if it actively reduces 00:26:29.440 --> 00:26:32.279 the impact of environmental antagonists, and 00:26:32.279 --> 00:26:34.819 if that leads to maybe a 20 % drop in scours 00:26:34.819 --> 00:26:37.559 treatments. The nutrient form is the true efficiency 00:26:37.559 --> 00:26:39.839 lever, not just that headline protein number. 00:26:40.190 --> 00:26:42.049 We absolutely need to shift the focus of the 00:26:42.049 --> 00:26:44.589 conversation, both with ourselves and with our 00:26:44.589 --> 00:26:46.910 nutritionists and feed suppliers. So what we're 00:26:46.910 --> 00:26:49.349 really seeing is maybe decades of accepted wisdom 00:26:49.349 --> 00:26:51.849 being tossed out the window simply because we 00:26:51.849 --> 00:26:53.990 finally started looking closely at the fine print 00:26:53.990 --> 00:26:56.509 on the tag and asking the harder questions about 00:26:56.509 --> 00:26:58.769 actual utilization in the animal. Yeah, the what 00:26:58.769 --> 00:27:00.930 happens after they eat it question. The hard 00:27:00.930 --> 00:27:03.750 truth, it seems, is that traditional strategies 00:27:03.750 --> 00:27:06.809 focus purely on meeting minimum nutritional requirements. 00:27:07.690 --> 00:27:10.470 are fundamentally leaving money and growth potential 00:27:10.470 --> 00:27:13.849 on the table, especially during this most critical, 00:27:14.009 --> 00:27:17.470 high growth, high vulnerability period of a dairy 00:27:17.470 --> 00:27:19.869 animal's entire life. The future of profitable 00:27:19.869 --> 00:27:22.690 calf rearing, it really has to be about tailoring 00:27:22.690 --> 00:27:25.490 the nutritional approach to defeat your specific 00:27:25.490 --> 00:27:28.589 local environmental conditions. One size definitely 00:27:28.589 --> 00:27:31.339 does not fit all anymore. So we need a new managed 00:27:31.339 --> 00:27:33.839 and playbook then, particularly when it comes 00:27:33.839 --> 00:27:36.160 to feed procurement. When we talk to our feed 00:27:36.160 --> 00:27:38.240 representatives, we just can't ask about protein 00:27:38.240 --> 00:27:40.559 percentage and fat anymore and stop there. No 00:27:40.559 --> 00:27:42.859 way. We need like a feed tag cheat sheet of new 00:27:42.859 --> 00:27:45.079 questions to ensure we're actually buying performance, 00:27:45.299 --> 00:27:47.380 not just buying weight in a bag. We absolutely 00:27:47.380 --> 00:27:49.680 do. And the first question a modern informed 00:27:49.680 --> 00:27:52.039 farmer needs to ask right out of the gate based 00:27:52.039 --> 00:27:55.339 on the source material is, what specific chemical 00:27:55.339 --> 00:27:58.059 forms of trace minerals are you using in this 00:27:58.059 --> 00:28:00.849 formulation? And be ready for the answer. Be 00:28:00.849 --> 00:28:04.109 ready. And if that answer includes the word oxide, 00:28:04.529 --> 00:28:08.569 zinc oxide, copper oxide, without a very heavy 00:28:08.569 --> 00:28:11.990 emphasis on predominantly using chelated or hydroxy 00:28:11.990 --> 00:28:14.450 forms alongside it. That's a massive red flag. 00:28:14.569 --> 00:28:16.789 Huge red flag. And you should seriously consider 00:28:16.789 --> 00:28:19.730 rejecting that feed, or at the very least, demanding 00:28:19.730 --> 00:28:22.490 a custom blend that prioritizes bioavailability. 00:28:22.789 --> 00:28:25.589 Okay, question one. What are the forms? What's 00:28:25.589 --> 00:28:27.789 number two? The second question, and this one 00:28:27.789 --> 00:28:29.529 might be more challenging to get a straight answer 00:28:29.529 --> 00:28:32.049 on, but you have to ask it. How do you specifically 00:28:32.049 --> 00:28:34.869 account for regional mineral antagonists in your 00:28:34.869 --> 00:28:37.630 standard formulation for this area? Ooh, that 00:28:37.630 --> 00:28:39.789 challenges the standard bag mix they sell everywhere, 00:28:39.950 --> 00:28:41.910 doesn't it? It does. You need to force them to 00:28:41.910 --> 00:28:44.470 acknowledge your specific local variations, like 00:28:44.470 --> 00:28:47.589 maybe high sulfur in your well water, or high 00:28:47.589 --> 00:28:49.970 molybdenum showing up in your hay analysis, and 00:28:49.970 --> 00:28:52.089 then explain how their mineral package is designed 00:28:52.089 --> 00:28:54.630 to overcome that specific interference. You're 00:28:54.630 --> 00:28:56.839 asking them to prove? their formulation is right 00:28:56.839 --> 00:29:00.079 for your farm, not just generically okay. Exactly. 00:29:00.299 --> 00:29:02.700 And while it's not directly nutritional, pellet 00:29:02.700 --> 00:29:04.920 durability score is also a relevant question 00:29:04.920 --> 00:29:07.859 to ask. Good durability ensures the feed stays 00:29:07.859 --> 00:29:10.799 palatable, reduces dust and fines. Which encourages 00:29:10.799 --> 00:29:12.960 higher dry feed intake, right? And that's essential 00:29:12.960 --> 00:29:15.400 for getting that rumen developed properly before 00:29:15.400 --> 00:29:19.099 weaning. Absolutely. And finally, always, always 00:29:19.099 --> 00:29:22.319 ask, can you provide performance data, ideally 00:29:22.319 --> 00:29:25.440 from farms in my specific area, showing reduced 00:29:25.440 --> 00:29:28.000 treatment rates or better ADG after switching 00:29:28.000 --> 00:29:30.500 to this formulation? Put up or shut up, basically. 00:29:30.680 --> 00:29:32.660 Pretty much. If they are truly tailoring their 00:29:32.660 --> 00:29:34.279 approach to global conditions like they might 00:29:34.279 --> 00:29:36.440 claim, they should have local results, local 00:29:36.440 --> 00:29:39.180 proof to back it up. This completely changes 00:29:39.180 --> 00:29:41.319 the entire procurement conversation, doesn't 00:29:41.319 --> 00:29:43.740 it? It moves it away from just a price negotiation. 00:29:45.119 --> 00:29:48.119 Who could offer me 18 % protein for $5 less per 00:29:48.119 --> 00:29:50.740 ton paco? To a performance specification discussion. 00:29:50.980 --> 00:29:53.480 You stop buying a commodity feed based on headline 00:29:53.480 --> 00:29:55.900 numbers, and you start investing in a tailored, 00:29:55.900 --> 00:29:58.779 potentially high ROI nutritional solution that 00:29:58.779 --> 00:30:00.700 is specifically designed to fight your farm's 00:30:00.700 --> 00:30:03.829 unique regional challenges. Okay. The farmer 00:30:03.829 --> 00:30:06.089 listening, they've maybe just finished analyzing 00:30:06.089 --> 00:30:08.009 their own treatment records. After hearing this, 00:30:08.069 --> 00:30:09.970 they've pulled out their feed tags. They might 00:30:09.970 --> 00:30:11.809 be seeing some of those red flags we talked about. 00:30:12.029 --> 00:30:14.069 They're ready for the what now phase. Right, 00:30:14.150 --> 00:30:17.109 the action plan. Let's structure the advice into 00:30:17.109 --> 00:30:19.710 three clear steps they can think about implementing. 00:30:20.609 --> 00:30:23.490 Something immediate for this week, a medium -term 00:30:23.490 --> 00:30:26.289 strategy for the next few months, and a longer 00:30:26.289 --> 00:30:28.569 -term positioning goal. Okay, let's lay it out. 00:30:28.730 --> 00:30:31.950 What's step one, immediate action? Step one. 00:30:32.480 --> 00:30:35.740 Audit your feed tag and records. Right now, this 00:30:35.740 --> 00:30:38.500 week, pull those current treatment records. If 00:30:38.500 --> 00:30:41.059 you are seeing scours patterns consistently over 00:30:41.059 --> 00:30:43.799 that 15 % mark, acknowledge you have a problem 00:30:43.799 --> 00:30:46.640 that needs addressing. Then grab your feed tags, 00:30:46.779 --> 00:30:48.839 look closely for the mineral sources. Are they 00:30:48.839 --> 00:30:50.920 listing oxide forms prominently? And if they 00:30:50.920 --> 00:30:53.440 are, call your nutritionist or feed rep immediately 00:30:53.440 --> 00:30:56.539 with these new specific questions we just discussed. 00:30:56.799 --> 00:30:59.569 What are the exact forms? Are the amino acids 00:30:59.569 --> 00:31:01.849 rumen protected? How are you accounting for my 00:31:01.849 --> 00:31:03.849 regional antagonists? Start the conversation. 00:31:04.329 --> 00:31:07.309 Okay, that's dual this week. Audit and ask cover 00:31:07.309 --> 00:31:10.569 questions. What's the medium -term strategy say 00:31:10.569 --> 00:31:14.910 for the next three to six months? Step two, define 00:31:14.910 --> 00:31:17.450 your regional battleground. This means getting 00:31:17.450 --> 00:31:20.210 proactive. Test your farm's water, especially 00:31:20.210 --> 00:31:22.970 if it's well water, and maybe your soil or forages 00:31:22.970 --> 00:31:25.710 for those problematic antagonists. High sulfur, 00:31:25.869 --> 00:31:28.009 high iron, high molybdenum. Know your enemy. 00:31:28.380 --> 00:31:30.519 Use that data then to negotiate a customized 00:31:30.519 --> 00:31:33.259 formulation if needed, right? Exactly. And during 00:31:33.259 --> 00:31:35.619 this period, get really serious about closely 00:31:35.619 --> 00:31:38.000 tracking starter intake and average daily gain, 00:31:38.160 --> 00:31:41.039 ADG, for your calves. You need to establish a 00:31:41.039 --> 00:31:43.259 firm, reliable baseline for performance before 00:31:43.259 --> 00:31:45.299 you make changes so you can measure the improvement 00:31:45.299 --> 00:31:47.440 later. Know where you stand now so you can see 00:31:47.440 --> 00:31:49.240 the difference later. Makes sense. Okay, what's 00:31:49.240 --> 00:31:51.579 the long -term positioning, step three, looking 00:31:51.579 --> 00:31:54.299 out over the next year or two? Step three, invest 00:31:54.299 --> 00:31:57.640 in bioavailability and track the ROI. Based on 00:31:57.640 --> 00:31:59.759 your findings from steps one and two, seriously 00:31:59.759 --> 00:32:02.279 consider upgrading your calf feeds to formulations 00:32:02.279 --> 00:32:05.099 with proven hydroxy or chelated mineral packages. 00:32:05.420 --> 00:32:08.299 Aim for those optimal levels we discussed. 220 00:32:08.299 --> 00:32:11.700 plus IUKG of natural vitamin E and hitting that 00:32:11.700 --> 00:32:15.000 0 .3 ppm of organic selenium. And the key is 00:32:15.000 --> 00:32:17.160 tracking right. Rigorously track the results. 00:32:17.539 --> 00:32:20.619 Don't just switch and hope. Monitor those key 00:32:20.619 --> 00:32:23.039 metrics, especially weaning transitions, treatment 00:32:23.039 --> 00:32:25.920 rates for scours and pneumonia, maybe even first 00:32:25.920 --> 00:32:28.559 lactation performance down the road. Quantify 00:32:28.559 --> 00:32:30.940 the competitive edge you gain to justify that 00:32:30.940 --> 00:32:34.119 potentially increased input cost. Prove the ROI 00:32:34.119 --> 00:32:37.680 to yourself. That step one really is the easiest, 00:32:37.900 --> 00:32:40.420 cheapest, and most immediate thing anyone listening 00:32:40.420 --> 00:32:42.720 can do right now, isn't it? Absolutely. Just 00:32:42.720 --> 00:32:44.980 look at your own records. If you're over 15 % 00:32:44.980 --> 00:32:47.119 scours consistently, you have a problem that 00:32:47.119 --> 00:32:49.789 simply cannot be ignored anymore. And then look 00:32:49.789 --> 00:32:52.410 at the feed tag. If you see zinc oxide or copper 00:32:52.410 --> 00:32:54.430 oxide listed high up without mention of better 00:32:54.430 --> 00:32:57.410 forms, you know exactly where a major efficiency 00:32:57.410 --> 00:33:00.289 leak likely is. You have the right, and now the 00:33:00.289 --> 00:33:03.950 knowledge, to demand to know the specific bioavailable 00:33:03.950 --> 00:33:06.230 forms being used in the feed your future herd 00:33:06.230 --> 00:33:08.910 is consuming. And that medium term step two, 00:33:09.029 --> 00:33:11.269 defining the battleground, that's just essential 00:33:11.269 --> 00:33:13.730 for customization, isn't it? You can't effectively 00:33:13.730 --> 00:33:15.589 fight the enemy if you don't even know its name 00:33:15.589 --> 00:33:18.400 or where it's coming from. Exactly. Testing your 00:33:18.400 --> 00:33:21.720 water and soil for sulfur, iron, molybdenum that 00:33:21.720 --> 00:33:23.839 gives you the specific ammunition you need to 00:33:23.839 --> 00:33:26.359 demand a feed formulation that actively overcomes 00:33:26.359 --> 00:33:29.180 your local mineral curveballs. It transforms 00:33:29.180 --> 00:33:31.900 a generic feed bag into a precision tool for 00:33:31.900 --> 00:33:34.539 your farm. And then step three, the long -term 00:33:34.539 --> 00:33:37.839 positioning. That's where you really find your 00:33:37.839 --> 00:33:39.740 sustainable competitive edge in this business. 00:33:40.259 --> 00:33:42.680 Investing in those bioavailable mineral packages, 00:33:42.799 --> 00:33:44.839 it isn't just another expense line item. It's 00:33:44.839 --> 00:33:47.210 truly an investment. An investment that pays 00:33:47.210 --> 00:33:49.809 you back potentially many times over in lower 00:33:49.809 --> 00:33:52.630 vet bills, less labor spent treating sick calves, 00:33:52.829 --> 00:33:55.089 and most importantly, in better growth potential 00:33:55.089 --> 00:33:57.329 that carries right through to first lactation 00:33:57.329 --> 00:33:59.750 performance and beyond. But you have to track 00:33:59.750 --> 00:34:02.750 it. Rigorously track those results, monitor treatment 00:34:02.750 --> 00:34:05.069 rates, watch those weaning transitions closely 00:34:05.069 --> 00:34:06.910 to prove to yourself and maybe to your lender 00:34:06.910 --> 00:34:08.949 that the investment is delivering that reported 00:34:08.949 --> 00:34:11.949 20 % reduction in scours or better growth and 00:34:11.949 --> 00:34:14.710 securing the healthiest, most profitable heifer 00:34:14.710 --> 00:34:17.449 crops possible for your operation's future. This 00:34:17.449 --> 00:34:19.389 has been another deep dive from the Bullvine 00:34:19.389 --> 00:34:22.530 podcast. The core takeaway here is really simple, 00:34:22.630 --> 00:34:24.889 isn't it? Yeah, don't let hidden deficiencies 00:34:24.889 --> 00:34:28.409 steal your profits any longer. Properly sourced. 00:34:28.699 --> 00:34:31.699 Bioavailable minerals are not just some nice 00:34:31.699 --> 00:34:33.659 -to -have addition. They are the fundamental 00:34:33.659 --> 00:34:36.000 competitive edge that separates the thriving 00:34:36.000 --> 00:34:38.800 operations from those constantly fighting preventable 00:34:38.800 --> 00:34:41.840 calf health battles day in and day out. Use this 00:34:41.840 --> 00:34:44.579 analysis. Use these questions to fundamentally 00:34:44.579 --> 00:34:47.239 improve your procurement strategy, challenge 00:34:47.239 --> 00:34:49.880 the status quo, and secure your bottom line for 00:34:49.880 --> 00:34:52.300 the long haul. And for more in -depth articles 00:34:52.300 --> 00:34:54.539 just like this, the kind that tell you what's 00:34:54.539 --> 00:34:56.360 really happening in the dairy industry beyond 00:34:56.360 --> 00:34:59.840 the headlines, head over to www .thebullvine 00:34:59.840 --> 00:35:03.320 .com. We're releasing deep dives like this twice 00:35:03.320 --> 00:35:05.579 weekly now, so there's always fresh analysis 00:35:05.579 --> 00:35:07.760 coming your way. And trust me, you definitely 00:35:07.760 --> 00:35:09.440 don't want to miss what we've got coming next 00:35:09.440 --> 00:35:12.219 week. We're going beyond basic genetics and diving 00:35:12.219 --> 00:35:14.619 into a really provocative topic. Oh, yeah. What 00:35:14.619 --> 00:35:17.179 is it? Beyond genomics. Is gene editing the next 00:35:17.179 --> 00:35:20.860 great leap for dairy cattle? Wow. Okay. That's 00:35:20.860 --> 00:35:23.099 going to be interesting. It sure is. So subscribe 00:35:23.099 --> 00:35:24.840 wherever you get your podcasts so you don't miss 00:35:24.840 --> 00:35:26.019 out. We'll see you next time.