Cattle Weight Gain Supplement

Soon, if not already, calves will be turned out to grass. The end goal – healthy, efficient pounds. Gain Smart^® is a cattle weight gain supplement that can help producers achieve that goal, and we know that because we have the research to prove it. 

The Benefits of a Cattle Weight Gain Supplement 

Cattle cannot thrive on grass alone. Although the thick, lush grasses often provide many nutrients, they don’t provide everything necessary for young calves to grow and perform. When you are paid on pounds and performance, don’t you want your cattle to grow efficiently and remain healthy? That’s why it is vital to provide a cattle weight gain supplement.  

Providing access to mineral and vitamin supplements is essential for maintaining overall health and supporting optimal growth and weight gain in cattle. Ensure that cattle have access to a balanced mineral mix containing essential nutrients such as calcium, phosphorus, magnesium and trace minerals.  

The combination of the essential nutrients and the AO-Biotics^® Amaferm^® found in Gain Smart can help your calves increase their weight gain by at least 0.25 pounds per day. Are you ready to learn more?  

What is Gain Smart? 

Gain Smart is a line of vitamin and mineral supplements for stocker cattle that promotes healthy, economical pounds. Gain Smart offers 4 different free-choice vitamin and mineral supplement formulas to fit any feeding scenario. 

All formulas offer the following key benefits:  

• Powered AO-Biotics Amaferm, a prebiotic research-proven to enhance digestibility.  
• Include organic copper, iodine and zinc for maximum bioavailability and hoof health.  
• Provide nutritional support for a healthy immune system.  

The 4 Gain Smart formulas for stocker cattle include:   

• Gain Smart Stocker, designed to maximize efficient gain.  
• Gain Smart Stocker Wheat, designed to maximize efficient gain on wheat or small grain pasture.  
• Gain Smart Stocker HEAT^®, designed to maximize efficient gain when temperatures are above 70 degrees Fahrenheit. Contains HEAT technology, a combination of essential oils and garlic, to support animals when heat and insects are a challenge.  
• Gain Smart Stocker Balancer RU1600, designed to maximize efficient gain and balance high grain diets when mixing TMR rations. Includes rumensin for improved feed efficiency.  

For Best Results, Use the Program 

The Gain Smart mineral is part of a 3-step program to help producers and backgrounders increase gains and keep calves healthy. Include the VitaFerm^® Cattle Drench and VitaFerm^® Stress Tubs as the first 2 steps of the program on fresh-weaned or just-received calves to maximize your results. 

Step 1: Transition with VitaFerm Cattle Drench 

Weaning and receiving almost always means calves are faced with several immediate changes: environment, herd groups, nutritional intake, all while being separated from their mother or placed into new surroundings. The times can be stressful for the calves. However, the same period can also be stressful on the producer who strives to keep the calves healthy, eating and growing all during this time of transition. 

Keeping calves healthy at weaning and turnout, not only improves animal comfort and wellbeing, it helps with increased rate of gain. Additionally, it can also reduce medical expenses and cost of labor to treat sick calves.  

When running your calves down the chute at weaning or receiving, be sure to give them a dose of VitaFerm Cattle Drench, a drench for cattle designed to support digestive health before, during and after challenges. 

Step 2: Start Calves Off Right with VitaFerm Stress Tubs 

While the transition is over, the first few weeks can still be slightly stressful for these young calves. Start them off right and keep their digestive system working with VitaFerm Stress Tubs, formerly known as Vita Charge Stress Tubs.  

During the first 7-21 days, the Stress Tubs will: 

• Promote feed and water intake. 
• Help trap bad bacteria, limiting their ability to do harm with the help of MOS (mannan oligosaccharides). 
• Increases digestibility, with the Amaferm, to maximize the energy value of feed for more gains. 

Step 3: Grow Stockers or Replacement Females with Gain Smart Mineral 

Now that you’ve got your calves transitioned and started, it’s time to give them a cattle weight gain supplement backed by years of research. Wouldn’t an additional quarter pound of gain per day look good on those calves you’ve just processed and turned out?  

Discover the Gain Smart formula that is right for you, using our Gain Smart Product Quiz. 

Results Backed by Research 

Amaferm, the key ingredient in most of our BioZyme^® products, is research-proven to increase digestibility. As a prebiotic, it stimulates the growth of beneficial gut microbes. Research shows that it increases average daily gains by one-quarter (.25) pound per day.  

In a 2016 University of Tennessee—Martin research trial, 48 calves were purchased at a sale barn. After being hauled for about 2 hours, they were fed hay and water overnight before processing. All the calves were stressed from hauling, being in a new environment, and heat. 

The calves were divided into two groups: a control group and the trial group, which was given 1 ounce of Cattle Drench with the Vita Charge Technology during processing. 

In addition to Amaferm, Vita Charge Cattle Drench contains MOS (mannan oligosaccharides) to help normalize the gut microflora and support the immune system. Drench also includes enzymes to generate a more rapid digestive response. 

Our Research 

The trial group of calves also turned out to pens that included VitaFerm Stress Tubs with the Vita Charge Technology for three weeks. Stress Tubs are designed to support digestive health and intake. They also contain Amaferm and MOS. Additionally, they contain a probiotic to help restore the gut microbiome. 

Cattle provided with Cattle Drench with the Vita Charge Technology upon arrival recovered more quickly. This is shown with a significant increase in average daily gain (ADG) during week one. The control group actually lost weight during the first week. 

The cattle that received Amaferm gained 1.54 pounds/head/day during the first week. Conversely, the control group lost .52 pounds/head/day during that first week. By week three, the Amaferm-fed cattle had a .75-pound advantage. 

More about Amaferm  

Amaferm is research-proven, with more than 111 published and/or presented research studies proving its increase in digestibility and, ultimately, its impact on the animal. Because BioZyme cares about all animals, our family of brands includes products for cattle, horses, sheep, goats, pigs, dogs and cats.  Amaferm is the basis of our research-proven supplements at BioZyme. We want to provide the best cattle weight gain supplement. That’s why we developed Gain Smart powered by Amaferm.  

Get your Cattle Gaining the Smart Way, Today!  

Have we convinced you that Gain Smart powered by Amaferm is the best cattle feed for weight gain? We hope so! Now that you know about Gain Smart, you can get your calves gaining today.  

Gain Smart is available at one of our local BioZyme Dealers. Locate the dealer nearest you.   

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