Archive for May, 2018

Hot Weather Alert: Help Your Cattle Beat the Heat

Thursday, May 31st, 2018

By Kent Tjardes

Hot Weather Cattle

If you’re a kid at the swimming pool, the heat of summer can be delightful. But for cattle, summer heat can be dangerous, even deadly. “Heat stress in cattle is not something to be taken lightly,” says Kent Tjardes, Ph.D. and cattle consultant with Purina Animal Nutrition. “A few precautionary steps are essential to help cattle through hot weather.”

Be Water Wise

The Most important essential is the availability of clean, fresh water for all cattle. “Cattle water intake can increase by up to 50 percent during extreme heat,” says Tjardes. “Water not only prevents dehydration, but many animals will place their tongue and nose in the water to help cool the body.” Here are some water Tips:

  • Consider adding trough space when cattle are crowding existing water sources. The recommended standard linear waterer space is about .75 inches per head. But increasing linear area to two or more inches per head has been show to decrease heat stress.
  • Monitor Calves carefully for water intake. Calves are small, and they get dehydrated quickly. Cows typically drink first, making calves second in line. Make sure there is enough water flow for the calves after the cows have been at the water source. After a few long hours in the heat, the last thing you want is calves to return to an empty waterer.
  • Ensure water sources are at an appropriate height for calves to access. The height of some waterers makes it hard for calves to access, discouraging water intake.

 
Control Flies

Controlling flies is another essential strategy.”Biting, irritation, and blood loss caused by flies adds stress to the animal,” says Tjardes. “To protect themselves from flies, cattle often group together. But this behavior can cause animals at the center of the group to become overheated.” Use fly control methods to reduce irritation, grouping behavior, and help alleviate heat stress caused by grouping. Here are some go-to fly control methods:

  • For pasture settings, offer Purina Wind and Rain Storm Fly Control Mineral with Altosid Insect Growth Regulator (IGR) to target horn flies.
  • In feedyard settings, consider a custom Purina supplement with ClariFly to control house, stable, face, and horn flies.
  • In any environment, cleanliness is critical. Scrape manure out of lots, remove excess feed along the outside of bunks and cut weeds to help reduce fly populations.

 
More Essentials

In addition to water management and fly control, here are a few more essential to help cattle beat the heat.

  • Offer shade: shade can’t always be provided but, when available, it can help cattle avoid heat stress.
  • Consider air flow: A five to ten mph wind helps to cool the animal’s body temperature. Avoid the use of pens with limited air flow (i.e., pens surrounded by tall cornfields or bales) or remove potential windbreaks. If you do use pens with limited airflow, build mounds within them to help raise cattle to an elevation of airflow.
  • Don’t handle the cattle in the heat: If possible, consider waiting until a cooler day. If you must work animals, do so in the morning when the temperature tends to be the lowest.

A few small changes can help keep cattle comfortable when the summer temperature rises.

Source: Purina Poultry

 

 

Purina Strategy Horse Feeds Product Updates

Wednesday, May 16th, 2018

Purina Strategy Horse Feeds Product UpdatesNew Purina Strategy Horse Feeds Product Updates

Customers that use Purina Strategy Professional Formula GX and Purina Strategy Healthy Edge horse feeds will see a new look this June with the inclusion of Purina Outlast Gastric Support ingredients.  Purina Outlast Gastric Support Supplement contains a unique blend of ingredients designed to support gastric health and proper gastric pH. Purina Outlast Gastric Support Supplement is the foundation of the Purina Equine Gastric Health Program. You can learn more about this program by visiting www.FeedOutlast.com. This program has overwhelmingly positive feedback from horse owners and seen favorable responses in a wide variety of horses. Since gastric discomfort affects so many horses it makes sense to update Purina Strategy horse feeds to include the Outlast Gastric Support ingredients.

Purina Strategy Horse Feeds Product UpdatesWith this update, Strategy horses will benefit from Outlast Gastric Support with every meal. To help showcase this exciting change Purina is updating the packaging with a fresh new look. Horses will benefit from the inclusion of Outlast Gastric Support Supplement. Horse owners will appreciate the convenience and value of effective gastric support included in the feed. These changes will be implemented in early June 2018 when all new Purina Strategy horse feeds will come in the new packaging and conveniently include Outlast Gastric Support.

You can access the Purina Strategy Professional Formula GX Information sheet here.

You can access the Purina Strategy Healthy Edge information sheet here.

 

Father’s Day Gifts from Kissimmee Valley Feed

Wednesday, May 16th, 2018

Father's Day GiftsFather’s Day is coming up, have you shopped for Father’s Day Gifts yet?  Kissimmee Valley Feed has just what you need! Our two locations have a variety of Father’s Day gifts available that are perfect for dad.

Unsure of what to get dad for Father’s Day? Kissimmee Vally Feed has many options available including a wide selection of Wrangler Jeans, boots, Yeti Coolers & drinkware, and knives.

Do you think dad is in need of a new grill? Surprise him this Father’s Day! At Kissimmee Vally Feed Companion Animal Center, Kamado Joe and Traeger Grills are great gift options for dad. Check out the various grilling items available here.

Give us a call at either 407-957-4100 or 407-892-4040 or stop by one of our stores. We are happy to help you find the best gift for dad this Father’s Day!

Pet Hurricane Preparedness Training

Wednesday, May 16th, 2018
Jun ’18
16
10:00 am

Pet Hurricane Preparedness TrainingHurricanes are a common occurrence here in Florida. Make sure you and your pet are prepared in case there is a hurricane emergency. Kissimmee Valley Feed is hosting a Pet Hurricane Preparedness Training on Saturday, June 16th from 10 AM to 11 AM. Customers will have the ability to pre-purchase their hurricane kits at the training session. During the session, they will also discuss local shelter options and what to do in an emergency. If you have questions about this upcoming event, please give us a call at 407-892-4040. This event will be taking place at our second location, 215 13th Street, St. Cloud, FL 34769.

Meals on Wheels Success at Kissimmee Valley Feed

Wednesday, May 16th, 2018

Our help with Meals on Wheels was a huge success at the grand opening of our second store location on Saturday, May 5th. Thank you to everyone who came by to celebrate our new store and to donate money for pet food for our Senior’s pets. By the end of the celebration, we raised over $300 for Meals on Wheels seniors’ pets! We call that a wonderful success!

Kissimmee Valley Feed is very grateful for such a supportive community that loves to give back. Thank you to all who donated and came to support the grand opening of our new store.

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