EHAL Magazine February 2017

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Everything Horses and Livestock Magazine
| February 2017 | ©Everything Horses and Livestock
What is Different About Total Bull?
It’s not just for Bulls...
A question I often get is, what is different or unique
about Total Bull that sets it apart from other
cattle products on the market?
But first of all, I apologize for making the name
sound like it is for only intact male bovine. The
reason it is called Total Bull is that it was the buck-
ing bull producers that requested it and the name
sounded catchy.
I want to make sure that everyone knows this prod-
uct is very useful for all cattle no matter how young,
how old or what the activity or expectations are.
We are seeing it used for weaning calves, receiv-
ing calves, bottle calves, growing and show cattle,
roping calves, roping steers, donor cows, recipient
cows and yes also bucking bulls.
We have very positive stories and testimonials from
where it is being fed to all of these different types
of cattle.
Now for the point of why it is different. One of the
main goals I had when I formulated Total Bull was
a product to improve the digestibility of the grass
and hay you have and not make it so you have to
feed large amounts of this product.
This comes from my many years consulting with
commercial feedyard manager who view feed
efficiency or digestibility as the key factor in any
ration.
With this in mind, I had to look at how to improve
the fermentation of fiber as most of the target
animals for Total Bull are fed nearly 100% forage
diets.
The next step was going against most conventional
thinking in ruminant rations. I was taught that rumi-
nant animals have plenty of bacteria in the rumen
and they create many of the micro nutrients they
need. What we need to add is a limited number of
micro nutrients compared to how we formulate for
an animal with a simple stomach.
So, what did I do different. I decided that I needed
a formulation that would feed the microflora of the
rumen so they would grow faster and if they grow
faster they digest the fiber in the ration more rapid-
ly and more completely.
To do this, I formulated it with micronutrients that
would support and grow bacteria in the laboratory
and from all reports it is working. The other
difference to most other cattle products on the mar-
ket is the use of Ascophyllum nodosum, which
is a species of seaweed that has been proven to
improve fiber digestibility in ruminant animals.
Now, how is it working in the field?
Bucking bull people report that the bulls consume
1/3 less hay even feeding 1/3 as much Total Bull as
they would other programs. People weaning or
receiving new calves report drastically reduced
health problems and they use much less treatment
medication. Customer with roping calves and
roping steers report having to stock fewer animals
per event because they stay stronger and healthi-
er. Donor cows reportedly produce more eggs and
more fertile eggs.
For additional information go to
r ask your local dealer.
Use Our Locator to find Dealers in your area at
Unparalleled Excellence in Nutrition
Dr. Harry Anderson
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