Vitaferm vs Western?

[fnfarms1]

So I've been using Vitaferm for couple years due to trying to get better conception rates. I've been talking to a friend who is feeding a similar mineral as far as ingredients. It's made by Western mineral out of Cedar Vale, KS. A lot of big outfits use it. Friend was saying theirs is $20-22/bag. I'm paying $42 for Vitaferm Concept Aid. Ouch. So thoughts?
FYI Vitaferm is kelated, is that that big of a deal? I understand it's tying the mineral to a protein so hopefully it doesn't just flush through them.

 

[Son of Butch]

Chelated minerals are readily absorbed while oxide minerals are much cheaper they are not nearly as available to be absorbed.
Yes, I would say chelated minerals are kind of a big deal, no way your conception rates will go up by switching to oxides.

 

[Lucky]

I talked with a guy that said he's spending a grand a month on Vita ferm Conceptaide right now. He's trying to get a group of first calf heifers to breed back. Seems a little steep to me. Hope it works

 

[BFE]

Oh man, do I love the mineral wars on here! I need the little guy eating popcorn emoji right now.

I'll kick it off right. The good ones will do it no matter what you put in 'em. The bad ones won't. If you have to spend big money to get conception you need different cows/heifers.

 

[Brute 23]

Vitaferm is the only mineral I have tried that our cattle will actually eat.

 

[GoWyo]

I use Wind and Rain hi mag in the spring (or sometimes whatever 12:12 range mineral is available and mix in mag oxide) then switch to Concept Aid a month before breeding season (May-June) then back to range mineral. They seem to do fine here on that program.

 

[Son of Butch]

I use Wind and Rain hi mag in the spring (or sometimes whatever 12:12 range mineral is available and mix in mag oxide) then switch to Concept Aid a month before breeding season (May-June) then back to range mineral. They seem to do fine here on that program.

Vitaferm concept aid - Vitaferm recommends feeding for 60 days before breeding and 60 days during breeding season..
I think 6 weeks (42 days) 2 menstrual cycles before breeding and 42 days during is fine and uses 30% less than recommended.
I like saving money = a penny saved is a penny earned.

Of course 42 days pre-breeding and 21 days during would cut it nearly in half and should give the most bang for the buck.

 

[wbvs58]

Are you happy with your conception rates with feeding it?

Ken

 

[Son of Butch]

Are you happy with your conception rates with feeding it?

Good question for fnfarms1
GoWyo seems happy feeding it for less than the company's recommended time.
I haven't used Vitaferm, but I am a believer in chelated minerals and like GoWyo's approach.

 

[Dixie2542]

Vitafirm believer too, but the local feed store is starting to think too highly of their product. Went from 45 a bag to 61! Called around a 60mi radius and either the mapped out suppliers on Vitafirm website don't really carry it or they price it so high it doesn't pencil. - We are big enough to purchase direct from the states supplier and cut the local stores out, so I decided to call the direct rep on vitafirm website. After talking with the sales rep, I decided against it. Apparently the difference between just using chelated minderals and vitafirm is the Amaferm prebiotic blend. Not sure if I believe the hype he was delivering, so we are going to back off using vitafirm in the summer and just use during the 120/day before/after breeding season and use a chelated mineral that's about 23 a bag. I'm going to pair this with a small dose of mm90 during pre-breeding workups to see if our conception changes this fall.. If our conception stays high, then we will be able to save several thousand a year on this stuff. If conception drops, then well.... guess I'll be going direct. Either way, Vitafirm has still become very expensive.

 

[TexasBred]

So I've been using Vitaferm for couple years due to trying to get better conception rates. I've been talking to a friend who is feeding a similar mineral as far as ingredients. It's made by Western mineral out of Cedar Vale, KS. A lot of big outfits use it. Friend was saying theirs is $20-22/bag. I'm paying $42 for Vitaferm Concept Aid. Ouch. So thoughts?
FYI Vitaferm is kelated, is that that big of a deal? I understand it's tying the mineral to a protein so hopefully it doesn't just flush through them.

I'd be more concerned with the extremely low price of the Westernproduct. You may be getting a bag of junk.

 

[Jeanne - Simme Valley]

TB is/was a nutritionist.
I feed VitaFerm Concept Aid. One of the other advantages to BioZyme products is that they all have Amaferm in it. This makes their body utilize all feed better.
Cheap minerals are just that - cheap.
I agree that there are probably places (like Canada) that don't have the lack of minerals in their land. Our land is SE deficient for sure.
If you run a bull with your cows year round, how do you know your herd isn't lacking some nutrition? Sooner or later, your cow will get pregnant. I have a 60 day calving season. Each calf is too valuable to screw up and not get the cow pregnant.

 

[Brute 23]

TB is/was a nutritionist.
I feed VitaFerm Concept Aid. One of the other advantages to BioZyme products is that they all have Amaferm in it. This makes their body utilize all feed better.
Cheap minerals are just that - cheap.
I agree that there are probably places (like Canada) that don't have the lack of minerals in their land. Our land is SE deficient for sure.
If you run a bull with your cows year round, how do you know your herd isn't lacking some nutrition? Sooner or later, your cow will get pregnant. I have a 60 day calving season. Each calf is too valuable to screw up and not get the cow pregnant.

Just because you run bulls year round doesn't mean you can't keep track of when calves are born. You dont have to tag or band the calf to know either.

 

[Ky hills]

We've been feeding mineral from our Southern States Co op, it used to be called Beef Breeder. Now the name and bags have changed. It's $30.15 a bag.

 

[fnfarms1]

Vitaferm concept aid - Vitaferm recommends feeding for 60 days before breeding and 60 days during breeding season..
I think 6 weeks (42 days) 2 menstrual cycles before breeding and 42 days during is fine and uses 30% less than recommended.
I like saving money = a penny saved is a penny earned.

Of course 42 days pre-breeding and 21 days during would cut it nearly in half and should give the most bang for the buck.

This is my basic plan, I've started feeding the Vitaferm about 75days ahead of bull turn out(may15) switch to cheaper product Aug-Feb. I will try to find a chelated option, I'm told Western does offer some.
Am I happy with my conception rates? Yes and no. They definitely improved. And yes I did weed out some of the bad ones that are continued breed back issues, generally once on cows and I'm out. First calf heifers can be tricky. But that's another topic

 

[Dave]

I am using PNW ULTRAMIN 12-12 Se. It is made by CHS out of South Dakota. B buys it by the ton. I just go grab a bag every time the cows run out. Of course I am not concerned about conception rate on these old BM cows.

 

[fnfarms1]

So I emailed theWestern company here's the response

 

[fnfarms1]

So is what he's saying true? I mean chelated I've heard of amino acid complexed minerals I haven't heard of

 

[Son of Butch]

Yes but, the qualifier of "pretty much the same results" doesn't = the same as
Would need trial data to verify. Pretty much the same could still include significantly less than results depending on environment.

 

[Dave]

I looked at the tag of the minerals I am using. There is only one Oxide and several Amino Acid Complex listed. Zinc, copper, and manganese are all Amino Acid. Magnesium is the one oxide.