#33 | Doctoring Down 30%. Weight Gain Up. What Changed in the Feed Yard.

And about fifty percent of them would laugh in my face when I said, I'm trying to figure out a way to help feedlots reduce or eliminate antibiotic usage. Welcome back to that ranching podcast where you join us around the kitchen table to talk about things that matter to men and women in ranching. Well, I say ranching. This is probably a got a little bit of a twist to it. Twain, maybe you can, tell the viewers where we're going in this podcast. Absolutely. Well, we're excited to announce the launch of our new Turboboost program, which some of you may have heard of the Turboboost Paste. We relaunched early May of twenty twenty five. It's been quite a journey over the last about a year and a half, but sure. Including running out of paste. Maybe you want to talk about the new tub we're launching. Yeah. So the turbo boost program is in short a tool for feed yards, starting calves, high risk calves. It includes a dose of paste at arrival and then sixty days exposure to the tub. But before I go into that, can I go like way back? Yeah. The history here. Alberta, about fifteen years ago, this is long before paste or the Turboboost program, we had a customer that, had a baby calf that was sick and they had given it everything. Shots of every antibiotic known to man. Couldn't turn it around. Finally, one evening, he dragged it into a barn with its mother and he was about to go in for the night and he said it's gonna be dead in the morning. He thought one last thing. He thought, you know, that Riomax tubs that he was using, if he could somehow get that into the calf. He took a hammer and a chisel and he went at whatever ten eleven at night and he chiseled himself a chunk of tub. Went into the kitchen, mixed it with hot water, dissolved it, put it in a drench gun and drenched that calf, shut the barn door, went to bed and said to himself, I'll I'll drag that dead calf out in the morning. He went out in the morning, opened the door and that calf was up sucking. He said to us, you guys have got to figure out how you can get a condensed concentrated form of the tub into a paste. So that's where the paste came from and we called it as we launched last year twenty twenty five, the tub in a tube. Obviously, very concentrated form. But to that formula, we added a few extra sciences to help stimulate and and get an immune response. And that's kind of where we started seeing some traction, didn't we, Twain? Yeah. It was last winter coming into spring, we started to see some guys doing the the paste, the Turboboost paste in in the feed yard situation, in sick pens or in receiving cattle, and and even some alongside the PG three sixty and the Repel tubs. So that got us thinking. For about two years, I've been researching and pursuing a dream. I have a dream, and maybe that's all it'll ever be. But that is to help guys starting calves to wean themselves off of dependence on antibiotics. Which means against life. And so maybe it's all it'll never be more than a dream. But when you start pursuing something and chasing something, you find doors open. And I would sit down with the brightest minds in the industry. PHD nutritionists. And about fifty percent of them would laugh in my face when I said, I'm trying to figure out a way to help feedlots reduce or eliminate antibiotic usage. But the other half, when I said, I need a new sheriff in town, all barrels blazing, the best of the best, all natural of course, no drugs, no chemicals. Over the course of time, we found that there were different technologies and sciences that we could use and then incorporated them. So when we've done these trials on the Turboboost program in the south, all the data was collected from using that, you might say, the Repel tub with all the antioxidants, everything you expect in the Riomax tub plus a few additives. It's got a bumper level of the Riomune yeast which ties up and flushes out the bad guys. Scour causing bacteria. Bad bacteria just gets rid of the bad guys. Then a bumper level of the key trace minerals that really fuel the immune system. And then finally, probably the most important thing is the Turbomune, which Turbomune is an immune response activation. And it's like an on switch for the immune response. So think of it, instead of a sick calf getting antibiotics, that sick calf is now empowered to fight off disease challenges from the inside out. We're not saying it's a silver boat, it's not a cure all, but the data we've seen so far is very exciting. Absolutely and just to touch on that, so the tub, when we set out, this is not specifically designed for Riomax customers necessarily. Exactly. You know, guys that are if you're running your cattle on year round, and weaning them on already, you don't necessarily need to look at upgrading to the Turboboost tub. Although, we'll touch on that in a minute. We got guys that are are doing that. But, yeah, that's a good point. Really, it was mainly designed for guys that are bringing in high risk calves, un weaned calves that are they're being commingled, they have a suppressed immune system, and typically low mineral levels coming in, and and they need a they need a boost as the Turboboost program would would imply. But Trevor, you were telling me earlier, do you want to explain how you've you know, guys wondering, is it a fit for me? How you how you let them qualify themselves. So the the biggest things we've seen on the trials we've done, you know, less treats, less doctoring, less retreats, less death loss, and more weight gain. And I say to guys, if any of those four are important to you, then Turboboost program is important to you. The other thing,Twain, I would say that who who it may not be a fit for, let's say it's a Riomax guy. Those calves have been on the the Riomax program since they were, in the fetus stage and, they may not need to to use this. In in talking to one cattle trader in Montana last week, He said, boy, if anybody has any questions or doubt as to the mineral status or the immune status or you don't know where those calves came from or you know where they were commingled or shipped from. If there is a question and with the size of the prize, in other words the risk with what these calves are worth, he said he would definitely do it. Worth worth the investment. Hundred hundred percent. Yeah. And and actually just to put some numbers to that, so the Turboboost program, what it looks like, it's a dose, a thirty cc dose of the Turboboost paste on receiving the cattle, and then a one round of tubs out to the cattle. We're looking at one tub per twenty five head, and that's gonna last you between forty five and sixty days at average consumption. And so total cost all in, we're looking at about forty bucks a head for per calf. You know, bringing bringing them in, getting them the paste, as well as the tub through that initial sixty day period. With those numbers in mind, you know, a forty a forty dollar program and given that calf the best chance, you know, setting the trajectory for its entire life in the feed yard, let's bounce back to some of the summer data we have. We did a bunch of trials in the south just because that's where calves are moving. So we got Oklahoma and we got Texas Panhandle which you know, there's a lot of cattle fed there. And then we got East Texas. Oklahoma, we had the Turboboost tub program versus control that happened to be another stress tub. The numbers were as follows. Treat rate, five point two percent on Turboboost calves versus fifteen point two on the other program. And then weight gain, two point two pounds a day versus one point eight eight. Now we're not guaranteeing weight gain, but when you have a healthy calf, more of that energy does go to weight gain versus just feeding the immune system. Just got an update from the Texas Panhandle trial after the sixty days. Out of two hundred nine head, one dead, so point four percent death loss versus ten percent on the same the brothers and sisters of these calves from the same ranch in the same feed yard last year. So point four percent death loss versus ten percent and two point two pounds average daily gain. They came in at seven hundred pounds, had a bunch of baby fat to lose. They had a lot of hundred and five degree weather. No rain, super dusty, lot of stress that way. But he said not easy calves to get along with, but there we have it. Let's bounce to East Texas. Treatment rate, so doctoring down thirty percent. Retreats down thirty percent. And then weight gain was, one point six pounds on the the control group and two point one on the Turboboost group. So here you see, you know, from point five pound increased daily gain to point three two on the low side. Just to give you directionally where we're at. Could you also touch on where it didn't work? Yes. Good point. So I've given you three sets of data. The fourth one was done in New Mexico. And this guy told me, he said, I'm bringing in good quality calves. He paid really good for them. Ranch raised. And he brought in a set of steers and a set of heifers. He put the steers on the Turboboost program, heifers on his just his standard practice. And and just a quick point there. We're not saying change anything in your program. We're saying in on top of. Right? Don't get rid of your nutritionist. Don't change your ration. This is on top of. So what he said to me on day thirty eight, so we're not through that sixty day, but we're over the worst of it. He says, you know what? I haven't treated any on either group. So in that case, technically, it wasn't just a roaring success for Turboboost. But just to give you some context of where it really shines and where it maybe doesn't have as much impact. However, he said by day thirty eight, he said the steers, the Turboboost group, seem to be eating and converting a little better. They look stronger than the heifers. So jury's still out on that one. He thinks from what he's seeing, he's going to get, you know, some weight gain there that he's, you know, more so than the other group. But I'm glad you asked that, Twain, because the viewers might be saying, you know, where would I use this? Or who's a fit? Who's not a fit? And I think that's good because just like any of the Riomax family of products, the tubs or the Rhyzogreen is, we got to look at where are you currently at? You know, what are you looking to get done? So this is probably more in terms of treat rates, death loss, weight gain, and what are you what are you looking to get done in your operation? What's it gonna cost you to incorporate the Turboboost program? And does it make sense in your situation? So as always, love to discuss a little bit further with you, see what makes sense in in your situation, but we do got a lot of guys doing to start off with, and we're strongly encouraging it, is to do it, do a comparison yourself. So as you're receiving cattle this fall, let's say you're getting them in in groups of a hundred at a time, we would recommend doing at least two, but probably three if you can groups of the Turboboost calves. So if you're getting in a hundred calves, let's say two hundred calves a week and they come in in one hundred head groups, you do a group of the Riomax calves, a group of control, a group of the Riomax calves, a group of control, group of the Riomax calves, a group of control. And that sounds quite extensive, but why we're recommending that is what we've seen is if you have a guy where they're bringing in cattle once a week, let's say, and they bring in a group of cattle, they put it on Riomax, and then they bring in the next week, it really heats up, and then they receive a bunch more cattle that is their control group. Well, that group that comes in in a hundred and seven degree heat is at an unfair advantage regardless of the program they're at. So to stagger it so you can you have those controls in there, think is very important to actually be able to measure that over not just one one group versus the next is you you got a couple tests. And it'll help you take some of those variables out and get yourself a truer test. Going back to we knew starting with the repel tub, we knew that we could make traction on less treats and less retreats just with that. But when you added those three things I mentioned, that's where we've seen that extra getting us to the next level. And people ask, you know, why the paste and the tub? And the best way to say it is it's like coming onto an interstate that that pace is like your on ramp getting you up to speed and fast right now. And then the the tub is to maintain exposure to that tub maintains that calf through that critical sixty day period where you're setting the stage, you're setting the trajectory for that calf's gain. So one question we get a lot is, is there Bogotech or rumensin in it? Twain? The short answer is no. It's all natural. The ingredients in the Turbo Boost program is all natural. Everything we have in there for immune activation, none of that is medicated. And the cool thing is it's approved by where food comes from for natural programs. So yes, it is all natural. Dead calves don't gain that good and they're hard to sell. But even if they're alive and they're in the sick pen, you know, we talk about retreats. Sick pen and you get chronics and people are like, man, I just treat them and treat them. That's what we're fighting against, folks. When that immune system is healthy, it's sucking less juice so to speak. And that's known as energy redirection. You take the energy in a diet, what Doctor Ryan Rathman from Texas Tech taught us is that fifteen to forty percent of that energy will go to the immune system. To feeding the immune system. And he explained that, that if that immune system is suppressed, you know, there's disease challenges, it's gonna suck way more energy just to keep that immune system fighting. So up to that forty percent. And the converse, he explained is also true. If that immune system is strong and that that calf is in good rig health wise, way less energy is gonna be used for the immune system and that redirects. This is the beauty of it. That redirects and goes straight to weight gain on those calves. And so he has seen in his meat quality studies where a calf that was sick during the feedlot versus one with a really strong immune system on the same diet, the healthy one marbled better, which is what we get paid for in the beef industry, you know, besides, you know, it's an incentive, besides just weight gain. So I think it's really cool because everyone wants to get more out of what they've already got. And when you have that energy redirection, it's helping you basically pull more energy and use it for weight gain than just fighting the battle on the disease side. So that kind of comes full circle. Health equals weight gain. Health also equals less treats and less antibiotic. You know, that has a cost associated with it. The stress of running them through the chute. The labor. But ultimately, health equals weight gain. One more thing, tub placement. If you imagine a pen like that with the the bunk at the front, we recommend placing your tubs about halfway back, not too close to the front because those cattle are likely skittish and shy and, you know, when the feed truck's driving by, they're gonna hang back. And so placement of your tubs about halfway back and do leave a passing lane because those calves are gonna walk the perimeter. Let them walk. But have that tub set in a little ways so that they walk, they'll smell it and pretty soon one or two stop, then you got six or ten stop. And and and what you're doing is getting calves like, on the program fast and healthy, hungry, and up at the bunk. If bringing your treat rate down and your retreats down, your death loss down, and your weight gain up. If that is important to you, definitely consider this tool. So thanks again for joining us on That Ranching podcast. We will see you again next Thursday morning.