In addition to nutrient profiles and ingredients specifically designed to increase palatability, feed intake, and growth in weaning or arrival calves, ADM Alliance Nutrition’s arrival products contain ingredients that promote rumen and animal health. Complexed (organic) sources of copper and zinc may be more available compared to inorganic mineral sources. ADM Alliance Nutrition’s exclusive yeast culture, ProsponseÒ, has been shown to increase feed intake, which is especially beneficial in stressed cattle. Increased mineral availability and healthy rumens can be especially important in arrival calves because of their stressed condition and frequently low feed intake.

Research Proven Benefits
ADM Alliance Nutrition’s exclusive yeast culture, Prosponse, has a strong record of success in feedlot arrival studies. Many of the previous Prosponse research studies involved growing and finishing cattle on diets containing grain. A recent experiment confirmed the benefits for Prosponse yeast and complexed copper and zinc in forage-based diets fed to arrival cattle

Calves from the ADM Beef Research Center’s fall calving herd (71 head with initial average weight of 444 lb) were used to evaluate two arrival product formulations under conditions similar to ranch weaning. The two arrival diets were based on Super Stressfighter® 6 and contained 15% crude protein (CP) and 51 Mcal/cwt NEg (DM basis). Calves were allotted to “control” or “treatment” groups:

• Control arrival product (Super Stressfighter 6 formulation minus Prosponse and complexed copper and zinc)
   

• Treatment arrival product (Super Stressfighter 6 which included Prosponse yeast along with increased levels of copper and zinc from Availa®* copper and Availa zinc)

At the study onset, weaned calves were placed in drylot pens and then weighed (essentially a shrunk weight). Fescue hay was offered free-choice during the 42-day trial. Hay was weighed going into the feeders. No adjustments were made for wastage because wasted hay is part of the feed cost. Calves were offered 4 lb/hd/day of the arrival product on the first day, and then stepped up to the recommended amount of 6 lb/hd/day. Calves were weighed on days 1, 6, 29, and 42.

An important feature of arrival products is palatability, which encourages early feed intake. In this experiment, calves readily consumed both arrival products, confirming once again the excellent palatability of Alliance Nutrition Super Stressfighter feeds. No differences in intakes were observed between treatments. Also, no differences were noted between control and treatment groups in hay offered or total feed offered. Calves were offered approximately 11 lb/hd/day of total feed.

Results
Calves fed diets containing Prosponse and complexed copper and zinc tended to gain weight faster compared to control calves (Table 1). Average daily gain over the 42-day trial was greater for calves fed the arrival treatment product containing Prosponse plus Availa copper and Availa zinc (2.53 lb) versus the control calves (2.31 lb). Gains during the first six days reflect the shrunk to full weighing conditions and are very high. Calves fed the Prosponse plus complexed copper and zinc arrival product gained more weight the first six days than control calves. The gain advantage totaled 9 lb during the 42-day study. At a value of $1.00/lb of calf weight, the additional 9 lb of gain gives a $9/calf advantage.

Conclusion
When forage-based diets are fed, calves on a weaning or arrival program, which provides an arrival product containing Prosponse yeast, Availa copper, and Availa zinc, are expected to gain weight faster. In the experiment, calves fed the treatment diet gained 10% faster than control calves over a 42-day period. The additional gain would support added costs of up to $0.07/calf/day and provide a 3:1 return on investment.

Table 1 Effect of Arrival Products on Calf Gain

Item	Control Arrival Product	Treatment Arrival Product (included Prosponse yeast, Availa Cu, and Availa Zn)
Number of pens	3	3
Number of calves	36	35
Live weight, lb
Initial	444	444
Final	541	550
ADG, lb
Day 1 to 6*	6.56	8.29
Day 7 to 29	1.89	1.52
Day 30 to 42	1.06	1.65
Day 1 to 42	2.31	2.53
Feed Efficiency
Day 1 to 42	4.74	4.29
*High average daily gains in Period 1 are the result of shrunk to full weights.

*Not a trademark of ADM.