Last updated on March 17th, 2022 at 09:48 am
Shane Keller
Valentine, NE
Riomax® Customer Since 2014
Herd Details
- 450 Mother Cows
Fast Facts
- Weaning calves on Rio tubs & grass gave us about 1/4 lb more gain compared to what we were doing before. Calves stay full and healthy.
- Weaning weights are heavier. On a bad year when other people’s calves were weaning off 40-80 lbs lighter than average, our calves on Rio came in at average weight.
- We have improved preg rates on our young cows that we struggled with getting re-bred. Depending on the year we have seen 4-10% improvement. Have 82-87% of cows calve in 30 days.
- The longer that we are on Rio the more content our cattle are. It is nice to see happy cattle because you know that they will perform better, be healthier, gain more weight, breed back and be there for the long haul.
The Story
“The Rio ad caught my attention so I started making phone calls. I was tired of trying to keep tubs in front of cattle and really liked the low consumption concept. The easier it is to get daily requirements in cattle, the quicker they can be out grazing and loafing.
Started penciling things out and per cow per day it was the same price or less than competitive products. Then looked into the consumption guarantee and that sealed the deal.
We decided to try it on the fence line weaning calves. Significant difference on weight gain per day compared to what we were using. Really liked the results, so we implemented Rio on the young cows. Have significantly improved breed back so we are not losing numbers of young cows. So being pleased with these results, we have implemented Rio into the whole program 365 days a year instead of only part time.
It was a tough year when we made that move, most people’s calves weaned off significantly lighter than normal. Our calves came in at average weight. 550 lb calves were $1.92 lb = $1,056/head. Those calves that weighed 40 lbs less missed out on $76.80/head!
The Nutrizorb® and Esqort® are what make it all come together and work well. By getting nutrients where it needs to be in the cow helps the cow get more out of what it is already getting. Then the cow can do better with actually getting less. Now looking back I wish that we had made the bigger move sooner.”