The Four Season The Four Season CompanyCompany

• 4 Season is a dedicated animal 4 Season is a dedicated animal nutrition company, specialising in the nutrition company, specialising in the manufacturing of high quality products manufacturing of high quality products for the Australian Farmer.for the Australian Farmer.

National Sales National Sales ManagerManagerJames DicksonJames Dickson

SUPPLEMENTRY FEEDING SUPPLEMENTRY FEEDING

• Supplementation is designed to provide livestock Supplementation is designed to provide livestock with proteins, minerals and vitamins that are with proteins, minerals and vitamins that are lacking in Australian pastures.lacking in Australian pastures.

• Supplementation Supplementation shouldshould be an important part of be an important part of any farm management program. any farm management program.

• Remember supplements are not a feed only Remember supplements are not a feed only minimal amounts needed to get results.minimal amounts needed to get results.

• Pasture deficiencies can occur at any time of the Pasture deficiencies can occur at any time of the year.year.

• Protein & energy deficiencies in the drier Protein & energy deficiencies in the drier months.months.

• Trace element & mineral deficiencies in the Trace element & mineral deficiencies in the wet season. wet season.

SupplementationSupplementation

• We supplement to maximize our We supplement to maximize our animals potential to make money.animals potential to make money.

• Supplements fill in our pasture’s Supplements fill in our pasture’s nutritional deficiencies.nutritional deficiencies.

-When it’s green – Vitamins & Minerals-When it’s green – Vitamins & Minerals-When it’s dry – Protein Vitamins & -When it’s dry – Protein Vitamins & MineralsMinerals

What supplement to use?What supplement to use?

• The three main types of The three main types of supplements are:supplements are:-Loose mixes-Loose mixes-Liquid Feeds-Liquid Feeds-Blocks-Blocks

• Each product is designed to suit a Each product is designed to suit a different conditiondifferent condition

• Out of the three Blocks are the Out of the three Blocks are the easiest, safest & most cost easiest, safest & most cost efficient way to supplement all efficient way to supplement all your stock.your stock.

What Protein Mineral What Protein Mineral Supplements Do?Supplements Do?

• Improve conception ratesImprove conception rates

• Increase birth weightsIncrease birth weights

• Improve colostrum productionImprove colostrum production

• Improve offspring survival ratesImprove offspring survival rates

• Increase animal resistance to internal Increase animal resistance to internal parasitesparasites

• Will help keep tensile strength in your wool.Will help keep tensile strength in your wool.

• Will help keep your animals cycling.Will help keep your animals cycling.

• Will help stock survive on the poorest Will help stock survive on the poorest pastures.pastures.

• Will help maintain & or gain weight on most Will help maintain & or gain weight on most pastures.pastures.

Protein SupplementsProtein Supplements

Why We Must Supplement Why We Must Supplement In Dry Times. In Dry Times. • To make more moneyTo make more money

• When un-supplemented dry feed & When un-supplemented dry feed & stubble are very hard for stock to stubble are very hard for stock to digest.digest.

- Bound up - Bound up

- Fiber in the dung- Fiber in the dung

• Sheep and cattle are grass factories. Sheep and cattle are grass factories. The more grass they eat, the more The more grass they eat, the more weight they will put on. weight they will put on.

Bypass Protein promotes Bypass Protein promotes feed intake and weight feed intake and weight gaingain

Effect of Supplements on Straw Diets In (Sudana & Leng 1985)

0

100

200

300400

500

600

700

800

Rumen NH4(mg/ N/L)

DM Straw Intake(g/d)

Total DM Intake(g/d)

Nil

Molasses / Urea

CSM + Mol/Urea

Dry matter intake and live weight change of 170kg cattle fed speargrass and supplements

(lindsay J.A. et. al. 1982)

-1

0

1

2

3

4

5

D.M.I (kg/d) LWt (+/-) (kg/d)

Speargrass Hay

Hay + Urea

Hay + CSM (bypass)

Hay + CSM + Urea

BW Change (g/d) (Sudana & Leng 1985)

-60

-40

-20

0

20

40

60

80

100

Nil Molasses / Urea CSM + Mol / Urea

Colostrum production responds to protein supplementation

0

100

200

300

400

500

Grass Silage Sugar Beet Pulp Grass Silage PlusBeet Pulp

Co

lost

um

[g

] at

on

e h

ou

r p

ost

-la

mb

ing

Nil Protein Plus Soybean Meal

Questions you need to ask Questions you need to ask yourself when wanting to yourself when wanting to supplement.supplement.

– What am I trying to achieve?What am I trying to achieve?– What stock am I feeding?What stock am I feeding?– How long am I going to have to How long am I going to have to

feed?feed?– What infrastructure do I need?What infrastructure do I need?– What is my budget?What is my budget?

1999 Pasture fed beef weight gains using 1999 Pasture fed beef weight gains using customized mineral blocks.customized mineral blocks.

Property: Furraccabad Station.Property: Furraccabad Station.Principle: Mr Bill McNamarraPrinciple: Mr Bill McNamarra

ObjectiveObjective

Trial to determine if pasture supplementation Trial to determine if pasture supplementation with mineral blocks had a financial benefit to with mineral blocks had a financial benefit to grass fed cattle.grass fed cattle.

365 Pasture Trials365 Pasture TrialsGlen Innes NSWGlen Innes NSW

MethodMethod4 groups of cattle separated into 4 paddocks. 4 groups of cattle separated into 4 paddocks. Two groups were supplemented, two groups un-Two groups were supplemented, two groups un-supplemented. The following gives a description supplemented. The following gives a description of how the trial was set up.of how the trial was set up.

No. of No. of SteersSteers

Supplemented?Supplemented? No. days in No. days in PasturePasture

Paddock 1Paddock 1 3131 NoNo 7575

Paddock 2Paddock 2 3232 YesYes 7575

Paddock 3Paddock 3 3232 YesYes 7575

Paddock 4Paddock 4 1010 NoNo 7575

0

100

200

300

400

500

600

Introducted bodyweight (kg)

400 400 400 400

Finished BodyWeight

478 506 506 497

Paddock 1

Paddock 2

Paddock 3

Paddock 4

ResultsResults

Paddocks 1, 2 and 3 were identical as far as pasture quality was concerned.

Supplemented groups in paddocks 2 and 3 gained 106kgs of beef, while unsupplemented cattle in paddock 1 gained 78kgs of beef.

Paddock 4 which was a prime paddock usually used for weaners, gave an average weight gain of 97kgs in this unsupplemented group.

SummarySummaryPaddock 1Paddock 1

Un-Un-supplementesupplementedd

Introduced body Introduced body weightweight

Finished body Finished body weightweight

400kg400kg

478kg478kg78kg gain / 75 78kg gain / 75 days = 1.04 kg / days = 1.04 kg / dayday

Paddock 2Paddock 2

SupplementeSupplementedd

Introduced body Introduced body weightweight

Finished body Finished body weightweight

400kg400kg

506kg506kg106kg gain / 75 106kg gain / 75 days = 1.41 kg / days = 1.41 kg / dayday

Paddock 3Paddock 3

SupplementeSupplementedd

Introduced body Introduced body weightweight

Finished body Finished body weightweight

400kg400kg

506kg506kg106kg gain / 75 106kg gain / 75 days = 1.41 kg / days = 1.41 kg / dayday

Paddock 4Paddock 4

Un-Un-supplementesupplementedd

Introduced body Introduced body weightweight

Finished body Finished body weightweight

400kg400kg

497kg497kg97kg gain / 75 97kg gain / 75 days = 1.29 kg / days = 1.29 kg / dayday

The average supplementation cost for The average supplementation cost for 75 days = $7.50 per head75 days = $7.50 per head

On Average, Steers gained an extra On Average, Steers gained an extra 28kg28kg over 75 days on similar pasture over 75 days on similar pasture when supplemented, over cattle not when supplemented, over cattle not supplemented.supplemented.

SUPPLEMENTING SUPPLEMENTING SULPHURSULPHUR

• Sulphur is a key element in ruminant Sulphur is a key element in ruminant digestion and production.digestion and production.

• If cattle or sheep are deficient in If cattle or sheep are deficient in sulphur the digestion process is less sulphur the digestion process is less efficient, resulting in poor feed efficient, resulting in poor feed conversion.conversion.

• Sulphur stimulates the rumen and Sulphur stimulates the rumen and helps to optimise feed conversion.helps to optimise feed conversion.

SULPHUR & SULPHUR & SORGHUM FEEDINGSORGHUM FEEDING

• Sulphur supplements help combat Sulphur supplements help combat prussic acid toxicity caused by grazing prussic acid toxicity caused by grazing forage sorghum.forage sorghum.

• By supplementing sorghum grazing By supplementing sorghum grazing stock, you will see a significant weight stock, you will see a significant weight gain and reduced prussic acid toxicity.gain and reduced prussic acid toxicity.

• Feeding Four Season’s Feeding Four Season’s SulphurSulphur 16 at 16 at any stage of the sorghum foraging will any stage of the sorghum foraging will be beneficial.be beneficial.

SULPHUR & SULPHUR & PARASITESPARASITES• Claims have been made about the Claims have been made about the

medicinal properties of this element.medicinal properties of this element.• Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests Anecdotal evidence strongly suggests

that Sulphur in higher levels in that Sulphur in higher levels in supplements aids in external parasite supplements aids in external parasite control. control.

• There is also evidence that continued There is also evidence that continued use has a positive impact on internal use has a positive impact on internal worm burdens.worm burdens.

SULPHUR 16SULPHUR 16

• Has the highest sulphur content (16%) of Has the highest sulphur content (16%) of any block on the market.any block on the market.

• Also contains 20% cotton seed meal, Also contains 20% cotton seed meal, which is a valuable bypass protein. which is a valuable bypass protein.

• These two key ingredients combine to These two key ingredients combine to make a terrific block to be fed out all year make a terrific block to be fed out all year round. round.

• There is a noticeable increase in weight There is a noticeable increase in weight gains of stock on this product at any time gains of stock on this product at any time of the year.of the year.

The secret toThe secret tosupplementationsupplementation

• Identifying your pasture deficiencies Identifying your pasture deficiencies • Choosing the right supplementChoosing the right supplement• Starting early.Starting early.• Early Supplementation will ensure your animals maintain condition Early Supplementation will ensure your animals maintain condition

rather than loose it. rather than loose it. • If you start to supplement feed too late, you risk having stock loose If you start to supplement feed too late, you risk having stock loose

condition, which results in playing catch up all season.condition, which results in playing catch up all season.• It is much more cost effective to supplement early and avoid livestock It is much more cost effective to supplement early and avoid livestock

slipping in condition, than it is to try to gain lost condition. slipping in condition, than it is to try to gain lost condition.

Tips for feeding Tips for feeding blocksblocks• Choose the right block for the right Choose the right block for the right

stockstock

• Always follow feeding instructionsAlways follow feeding instructions

• Don’t let blocks run outDon’t let blocks run out•

• Get them out earlyGet them out early

THANK YOU FOR YOUR TIMETHANK YOU FOR YOUR TIMEANY QUESTIONS ?ANY QUESTIONS ?