Beef Plan Overview

UNIQUE LINE OF BEEF VITAMIN MINERAL SUPPLEMENTS AND SPECIALIZED FEED ADDITIVES

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A Complete Line Of Products for Beef Production

At least 17 minerals are required by beef cattle. Vitamins, in addition to being vital, are required in adequate amounts to enable animals to efficiently utilize other nutrients. High-quality forages and/or grains furnish a large portion of the required minerals but they don’t provide all of them and – very important – there is a great variability in the mineral and vitamin content of these feeds. With this in mind, ISF developed a new line of vitamin mineral supplements for beef cattle, with a low inclusion rate but concentrated enough to provide the required nutrients for the different types and phases of beef production. In addition, the ISF line of special feed additives can be combined with the beef supplements whenever a special need arise, providing the ISF customer with a complete line of beef products.

All vitamin mineral supplements in this line, when fed at the recommended feeding rate, will supplement the base diet with the required quantities of the major minerals – Calcium, Phosphorus, Magnesium and Sodium will provide all the trace minerals and vitamins needed for beef production. Herbs and spices flavoring has been included in all ISF products with the name Herbageum to help improve palatability and rumination.

Product	Description
ISF Beef Dry Cow ISF Beef Nurse Cow	These two supplements are formulated for the dry and nursing phases of production. Both have the same high levels of vitamins and trace minerals, but differ in the levels of Calcium and Phosphorus. Dry cows need less Calcium but more Phosphorus. This helps avoids problems at calving. Nurse cows need more Calcium to face the increase in milk production after calving.
ISF Feedlot Specific	Feedlot cattle are fed high quantities of grain. These diets are normally very poor in Calcium. Feedlot Specific corrects this problem. At the same time, due to it’s fortification in Vitamin E it’s suited to be used in most of the premium beef programs.
ISF Cattle Specific	This is an all purpose supplement specially formulated for growing animals, like beef or dairy replacement heifers. Its high levels of vitamins and trace minerals and balanced levels of Calcium, Phosphorus and Magnesium make it a well suited product for different type of diets.
ISF Pasture Specific	A free choice vitamin mineral supplement for animals on pasture. It has a special pak of organic minerals, including Zinc, Copper and Manganese to help keep hoof health and strength.

ALL THESE MINERALS HAVE THE REQUIRED AMOUNT OF SALT.

These minerals can be combined with the ISF Specialty Products line to address specific situations. Here are some examples of the commonly used combinations.

Product Combination	Description
ISF Beef Nurse Cow or ISF Beef Dry Cow + Vitamin E & Selenium	Some research shows that Vitamin E and Selenium work together helping to improve the immune system. Some research also shows that extra Vitamin E and Selenium fed 30 days before calving and during breeding time, help the animals face these demanding phases of their productive life.
ISF Feedlot Specific + Yeastpro	Feedlot Specific + Yeastpro This combination is ideal for any stress situation. When animals arrive to feedlots they are very stressed with the transport, being mixed with other animals, new facilities, etc. Yeastpro, with its unique mixture of research proven additives like Yeast, Organic Zinc, Niacin and extra vitamins will help keeping the animals stronger and adapt the rumen to higher levels of grain.
ISF Feedlot Specific + Bufferpac	In the finishing stages of feedlot operation, the diet of beef animals has a very high quantity of grain. If for some reason the amount of forage they eat is less than adequate (overcrowding, less palatable forage) the risk of acidosis is greatly increased. ISF Bufferpac, with its combination of buffer substances will help to keep the rumen pH under its normal levels

SOME IMPORTANT ASPECTS RELATED TO BEEF PRODUCTION

BEEF COW’S LIFE CYCLE – target is 365-day calving.
Calving – Lactation (about 200 days) – Breeding (first 90 days of lactation)
Gestation (about 280 days) – Dry (about 60 to 90 days) – Calving

Reproductive Objectives – Numbers to remember and aim for:

• Breeding Season – We should aim for a breeding season of 60 days. If it’s longer less fertile females are more likely to become pregnant. Less fertile females are better culled, not kept.
• Target – 65 % of the cows bred during the first 21 days of the breeding season;
• Better than 95 % bred within 60 days (the only sure way to identify those 5 % who are open is to preg check);

First Calf Heifers – By calving time at 2 years of age, you have invested a substantial cost in the 1st calf heifer. The challenge: get her rebred on schedule so she can stay in the herd at least long enough to return that investment. She must be on a rising plane of nutrition at calving to improve body condition and colostrum quality. After calving it is wise to give her more energy throughout the breeding season. Rotating fresh growth pastures or feeding some grain are options.

Creep Feed – Creep feeding is the practice of providing supplemental feed to calves before weaning. Creep feeding helps in supplementing mother’s milk and pasture. The feed is provided in a facility designed so that adult animals are unable to consume the creep feed. By providing creep feed, it is possible to increase preweaning weight gains and weaning weights. Here are some ideas on how to feed creep feed:

• set-up the creep near the water and mineral source, so when the cows/calves come to water and loaf in that area, calves will take time to inspect the calf creep and gradually start eating from the creep.
• If you think calves are not going into the creep area to your satisfaction put a little bit of high quality hay in front of the opening where the calves enter the creep feeder.

Weaning Time – Starting calves on feed:

• Calves which were creep fed tend to adapt to bunk feeding more rapidly.
• Avoid starting calves on fermented or wet feeds such as silages, high moisture grains, or wet byproducts. These feeds can have odours and tastes which may limit intake during the first week or two of bunk breaking.
• After weaning calves can be grouped by size ensuring adequate feeding and watering availability and space.

Mineral Feeding – Mineral supplement mixes can be force fed, meaning that a certain amount of mineral is mixed with other feeds. This is what happens for example in TMR fed animals. Cattle can also be fed free choice mineral supplements. When free choice feeding minerals, do not provide any other salt source either in loose or block form because ISF minerals have all the required salt. It is very important to be sure that the cattle consume the label prescribed rate of the minerals provided, especially when free choicing the mineral. The biggest reason cattle do not consume the label prescribed rate of minerals is when salt is provided free choice extra. Lower intakes can result in under nourished cattle and higher intakes result in extra unnecessary costs. Do not place the mineral feeder right next to the water supply. Make cattle travel at least half way across the pasture to get the mineral to prevent over consumption.

Mineral quantities – Don’t forget this. ISF Beef vitamin mineral supplements were designed in a way that you only have to use two bags of product per cow per year! This is really a small investment for the benefits provided.

Choosing the right mineral – ISF Beef vitamin mineral supplements were designed with different phases of production in mind but also different types of diets. We can for example feed all year round Beef Nurse Cow, even when she’s dry, if her diet is based on low calcium feeds, like grass hay or corn silage.

Quality forages – Remember that forages are the most important feeds on a beef farm. Normally beef production is based on hay and more and more on ensiled feeds. ISF recommends SILO GUARD to help preserve hay and silage. Silo Guard is an additive that may help to improve hay and silage quality, palatability and silage bunklife. Ask your ISF agent how and where to use it for best results.