“Nothing’s cheap anymore,” is something we’ve all heard a thousand times. Considering the inflationary headwinds of the past few years, there’s even more truth to the simple saying. Unfortunately, the effects of these cost pressures are as pronounced in the feed business as in almost any industry, because of our linkage to commodity markets. Historically, when inflation rises, commodities are the first to follow, and feed prices are close behind. Today, the “cheapest” tub or mineral may be close to the cost of a premium tub or mineral four years ago, and cattle producers are feeling the weight of increased prices not only in their feed bills but with almost every input that goes into running cattle. Understandably, people’s pencils are getting shorter, and they are starting to ask, “How can we still afford to feed these high-priced supplements?”

For those of us in the feed business, the answer to how supplementation still pencils out may seem obvious. The resulting reproductive benefits, labor savings, improved forage digestibility, and countless other performance improvement and cost-saving opportunities that come with supplementing cattle are at the heart of every conversation we have. But most producers’ day-to-day conversations rarely revolve around the economic impacts of whether they use this tub vs. that tub.

However, as we enter a period where there really is no such thing as a “cheap supplement,” should we as producers take a step back and put our supplements to the test? Rather than just booking the cheapest supplement we come across this fall, should we use performance as our main metric in gauging the value of a given product? I would argue that our cattle — and, in the long run, our pocketbooks — would benefit if we did.

I’d like to use an analogy to help make my point. How many people who read this article use an iPhone, do you think? I would venture to guess well over half. As iPhone users, we all know that the iPhone is the most expensive smartphone on the market, but we don’t think twice about buying it because we know that the performance and service that come with it more than make up for the extra cost. We place a larger emphasis on what we get in return for our purchase than on the initial outlay of the purchase itself. Shouldn’t we apply this same thought process to the nutrition we provide our cattle?

The team at CRYSTALYX^® realizes it will take more than one article to answer all the questions surrounding the affordability of supplements. That’s why we’re committing to an entire series of blogs and podcasts over the next few months to share our years of research, product performance, customer testimonials and insight into the supplement business in a way we never have before. If we are asking our customers to take the time and energy to focus on the results of our products rather than the price, we want to provide as many resources as possible to answer those questions.

At CRYSTALYX^®, we have always hung our hats on adding value to an operation. Whether it’s the nutrition our supplements provide to our end user customers, or the dedicated service surrounding our dealer and distribution networks, our goal is to be the best in the business. Will our products and services ever be the cheapest in terms of sticker price? Probably not. But we are confident that they offer the most return on your investment, and this blog series will be an open and honest conversation on how CRYSTALYX^® pays for itself now more than ever.