Improved calf health and performance of calves on the Alliance Nutrition Program ultimately lead to a lower cost per unit of gain
and greater profitability--$51.09/head.

During the spring (February through June), a backgrounding trial was conducted at Celsor & Pedigo Cattle Company, involving calves weighing an average of 392 lb.

Treatments

All calves were given the same arrival treatments – vaccinated, dewormed, castrated, and dehorned. Calves were randomly assigned to a control group or the Alliance Nutrition group, then placed on pasture and offered feed on a free-choice basis in self-feeders along with free access to water. Calves were fed in two phases—starter for 56 days and grower for 77 days, for a total of 133 days on test. At the end of the feeding period, calves were weighed and moved to a feedlot.

Control Group:

The feeding program used at Celsor & Pedigo consisted predominately of corn, rice bran, soybean hulls, corn gluten feed, and rice hulls along with a starter and grower pellet product.

Alliance Nutrition Group:

Calves on the Alliance Nutrition ration were fed a ration very similar to the control group. Alliance Nutrition custom pellets replaced the pellets used in the control ration, and MoorMan’s HFP replaced rice bran and a large percentage of the corn gluten feed used in the control ration.

Calves on the Alliance Nutrition program had lower health costs as evidenced by 27.7% fewer pulls. The improvement in health also reduced the death loss (37.5% improvement). The Alliance Nutrition custom starter pellet contained MoorMan’s Booster Mineral^®, which supplies a greater concentration of trace minerals and vitamins that are crucial to maintaining a healthy calf. The custom grower pellet fed to the calves on the Alliance Nutrition program contained a MoorMan’s trace mineral package, which provided improvements in the dietary mineral balance. Both Alliance Nutrition custom pellets supplied multiple sources of high-quality protein to balance dietary needs. The use of MoorMan’s HFP resulted in a higher energy diet. The combination of a sound, nutritionally balanced mineral package, high-quality protein sources, and high-energy supplement enabled calves to gain faster and be more efficient while improving health status.

The improved health status and performance of calves on the Alliance Nutrition program yielded a lower cost per unit of gain and increased profitability by $51.09/calf.

YOU GET WHAT YOU PAY FOR.