On calves it says you can cut the dosage in half. So $1.50 per head. So not as high as some shots.
Ferappease
- Thread starter elkwc
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OBAX
Well-known member
When it says calves it is referring to >150#. That's important to know, that any calf over 150# should get the full dose. It was developed originally for dairy cows and the calves were always small at weaning and working. The newer packaging should be corrected to state that calves over 150# should get the full dosage for full effectiveness.
OBAX
Well-known member
Sorry that should say <150#. Less than 150#
Everyone I know using it are giving a half dose on those 600 lbs and under. One does several hundred head a week . If it requires a full dose the bottle I have will be the only bottle I buy. Going to give a half dose to see if it works. If not will move on.
OBAX
Well-known member
Use it however you want to, I don't give a rip. I'm just telling you what the owner of the company, FERA Biologicals told me, in an attempt to keep you from wasting your money on a half a dose. Read the new bottle yourself and see what it says. If the benefit of the application will not exceed $3/head then nobody needs to be using it anyway.
Try using half as much wormer as you should, see how that works. Or half as much antibiotic.
Try using half as much wormer as you should, see how that works. Or half as much antibiotic.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Easy there. @elkwc wasn't arguing with you. Just stating some facts. I also used half dose and it worked exactly what I was hoping for. I read "calves" 1/2 dose. I used it on an 800# "calf".
Jeanne I was just stating facts also. As commercial breeders we have to watch costs. Everything we give has went up. I based my decision to use it on the experience of those who use it on several thousand head.. They say it worked well. It stands to reason that it shouldn't take as much on a 600 lb calf as a 1,400 lb cow. I will use it at the half dose rate like everyone I know is. If it don't work like I said I will likely not continue to use it. We use to use Multi Min 90 but due too increased cost have quit. We give the required vaccines IBR, 8 way and an injectable wormer. Those are the ones our vets feel are needed. Anything more is our choice. We feed the complete Vita Ferm mineral program including stress tubs. The results we have seen I feel justifies the cost. Just like the wormer we used for years. It has went up drastically and we changed products. Most commercial breeders I know watch costs closely. If it costs twice as much too use it they will consider alternatives. And the comments I replied too weren't from you.
Have you ever used any? How many do you plan to treat? Or you just a tire kickers. You don't have to worry about me wasting my money. Wasting money would be using twice what is needed. I did my research h. Talked to those who have done a thousand head or more. One has a review on their page do you? I will base my decisions on those with real world experience not some internet poster that has never used it. The bottle I got last week from them says nothing about 150 lbs or less. Says calves half dose.
Please report your findings. Looking for an honest report and I belive you'll give one. I'm with you on the 5cc for calves and I've done the same as you with the Multimin90.
Luckiy I will. Depending on weather may wean some as soon as Saturday. I have researched it and have got reports from neighbors and cattle men I trust. One done a comparison giving a half dose and a full dose. My understanding is his vet was involved in monitoring and saw no noticeable difference in 14 days. Another gave treated one group at half dose and didn't another. Saw a difference in the two groups. The untreated bawled longer and took longer to go to feed. We very seldom have trouble with ours eating. My hope is it will be effective until the stress tubs take effect which I feel is around ten days for most. I may take a few pictures and videos. I'm at the point where I decided it was time to try it or move on. I see promise in it.
@elkwc I hear ya. I'm in at $1.50 a head but out on $3. From the label I read it said 10cc per cow and 1/2 that for calves. A 550# calf is a long way from a cow. I fence line wean for 7 days and rarely have any trouble with them going to feed but it would help to stop the bawling and walking the fence. I haven't heard of the stress tubs but sounds interesting. How do you feel about the vitaferm products overall? We looked into it several years ago but the dealer was too far away for me. I imagine there's one closer by now.
CowboyRam
Well-known member
We fence line wean as well, but I have not noticed the calves bawl all that much; the cows seem to bawl more than the calves. I tried the Sweetpro tubs with the stress relief one year and didn't notice that much difference.
We started using Vita Ferm Concept Aid mineral 7-8 years ago. Have tried other minerals because of price. We don't preg check and consistently wean a 95% calf crop most in 60 days. With the severe drought we had more calves born in the 60-90 day window but will still be at least 95% unless something drastic happens in the next two weeks. Started using stress tubs about a year after the minerals. Noticed an immediate improvement. Tried Purina tubs but they never consume enough. I tried their Heat minerals but never seen the same results. I feel their products are top quality. When we AI I feel they improve conception rates.
I'm like you we have few issues weaning. If it will stop bawling and walking 24-36 hours sooner I feel I will be able to justify it at $1.50 per dose but not at $3.00. The other poster said he spends more money on beer and snuff while working cattle. On 100 calves we save $150.00. So not sure if he only has a few head or if he is a heavy drinker. I asked him how many head he has treated. He tried to say I asked how many cows and how many acres he has. I could care less what he has. But he wants to discredit those who used it on many head. Unless he has used it not sure how you can discredit those who have.
@elkwc I text the guy that brings me meds and he's gonna bring me a 300cc bottle next week. We should wean in 2 weeks and I'll give my honest opinion. We're late weaning this year because of some health issues but better late than never.
I'm going to look up a vitaferm dealer again. 95% conception rate would be a game changer for us.
I'm going to look up a vitaferm dealer again. 95% conception rate would be a game changer for us.
We can compare results and opinions. I have little doubt a 1/2 dose will work. It has for those that have used it on several thousand head.
We haven't found anything as good as Vita Ferm here.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
Yup. I feed ConceptAid. Love it. My nephew became a dealer because we couldn't get it anywhere close. Started using it because of all the good comments from people on this board that I respected.
Jeanne I'm sure you remember when I was searching mineral options on this site. What I read here is why I tried it. Also had a good friend who was a dealer. I have tried other brands and have always went back. Have stayed with it the last year and a half. Have to travel to get it. It is the best we have used.
greybeard
Well-known member
This is some really interesting talk, even for me with NoCows. Where was this discussion back when I had SomeCows?
Depending how many I had (and it was never more than around 30 and usually somewhere between a handful and 20) I either put the calves in the pen (yellow) or if more calves, in the black area (there's good fencing on either side of the black area plus the pond none ever tried to cross) and the mommas and others roamed the fences in the blue area but mostly stayed close to their calves and did what mommas do when separated from their calves. And yes, the mommas were much worse than the calves, and always 1 or 2 that stayed around bawling long after the other mommas had 'got with the program' and quietened down and moved on. Being that close to the house, it got noisy. Didn't bother me much, but drove my wife nuts at night and even the nearest neighbor called once to ask if everything was ok at my place. (Their polite way of saying the bawling was heard at their home).
What (if any) effect does this have on the calves if they are retained? It kinda sounds like it has a light sedative effect and would it have a habit forming type thing if it was used at weaning and every time they are worked?
I'm not dissing it's use at ALL , just curious.
Depending how many I had (and it was never more than around 30 and usually somewhere between a handful and 20) I either put the calves in the pen (yellow) or if more calves, in the black area (there's good fencing on either side of the black area plus the pond none ever tried to cross) and the mommas and others roamed the fences in the blue area but mostly stayed close to their calves and did what mommas do when separated from their calves. And yes, the mommas were much worse than the calves, and always 1 or 2 that stayed around bawling long after the other mommas had 'got with the program' and quietened down and moved on. Being that close to the house, it got noisy. Didn't bother me much, but drove my wife nuts at night and even the nearest neighbor called once to ask if everything was ok at my place. (Their polite way of saying the bawling was heard at their home).
What (if any) effect does this have on the calves if they are retained? It kinda sounds like it has a light sedative effect and would it have a habit forming type thing if it was used at weaning and every time they are worked?
I'm not dissing it's use at ALL , just curious.
Jeanne - Simme Valley
Well-known member
It isn't a drug. It is totally legal to use on show cattle. It is not addictive. It just seems to be like a "zen" moment for them. Just "calms" them down.
My show heifer was an absolute sweetheart, but anything would scare her into a "jump and bolt" action at the drop of a pin - gone! I had to walk her about half mile from trailer to barn in KY every morning and night. You know, people popping out of trailer doors, trucks passing you, other cattle acting up, etc. She was a perfect little angel the whole time. Never pulled against the lead. Got "perky" a few times, but immediately settled down. This is my experience.
It was designed to save $$ from stress shrink on shipped feedlot calves. They are finding LOTS more use for it.
My show heifer was an absolute sweetheart, but anything would scare her into a "jump and bolt" action at the drop of a pin - gone! I had to walk her about half mile from trailer to barn in KY every morning and night. You know, people popping out of trailer doors, trucks passing you, other cattle acting up, etc. She was a perfect little angel the whole time. Never pulled against the lead. Got "perky" a few times, but immediately settled down. This is my experience.
It was designed to save $$ from stress shrink on shipped feedlot calves. They are finding LOTS more use for it.
