Self-fed or free-choice supplements come in many forms and can be used effectively for a variety of applications. Supplementation generally gets a lot of commentary in the popular press, as well as extension and research publications. Oftentimes, however, the recommendations related to which type of supplement to use are based only on one factor or concept, such as the cost per pound of nutrient.  What often gets overlooked when this happens is the larger picture of a beef-cattle operation’s management and practicality. In this blog, I will highlight the elements of supplement economics that often get overlooked or underappreciated. 

Value beyond the tag: What are some supplements missing?

Last fall, I wrote a blog, titled “Choosing the right self-fed supplement for your operation,”  that focused on the various forms of free-choice supplements on the market and how they can differ greatly. Crystalyx^® is a very practical option; it’s a complete free-choice supplement that includes protein, minerals and vitamins, as well as optional additions like fly control, Bio-Mos^® and more. Many hand-fed supplements, such as range cubes/pellets, and commodity ingredients, such as distillers’ grains, are good sources of protein and energy and seem economical when they are evaluated solely based on the cost per pound of protein or other nutrients. What these supplements are missing, however, is vitamin and mineral fortification. As such, when making a true comparison of Crystalyx^® vs. a hand-fed commodity supplement, the cost of a mineral program — which many hand-fed supplements are missing — must be taken into account.

Additionally, the hidden costs associated with feeding several times a week or even daily can make other supplement options very expensive. This aspect alone can add 50% or more to the cost of a hand-fed supplement or commodity. Incorporate the additional costs of delivery, storage and shrink, and the daily cost per head of a hand-fed supplement is often higher than the cost of Crystalyx^®.

I once attended a producer meeting in Nebraska where a speaker gave a presentation about how to store wet distillers’ grains in the summer months for feeding in the fall and winter. The presentation focused more on how to build bunkers, use tarps and mitigate spoilage than it did on the nutrient value of the commodity. Lower-cost-per-ton byproduct ingredients are good sources of feed and work well in feed rations — if producers have the size and scale to invest in capital improvements that allow those ingredients to be properly stored, mixed and fed. Again, however, the practicality and cost of investing when using these ingredients as a supplement — including those hidden costs — make offering Crystalyx^® as a free-choice supplement a more practical option, especially when fall and winter grazing.

How does your free-choice supplement measure up?

Crystalyx^® is not a price in a tub. Our quality standards are not compromised by using poor molasses or low-grade vitamins and minerals or by including non-nutritive binders and fillers. When it comes to quality, there is no such thing as a “bargain” supplement; in fact, the “cheapest” tub on the market may actually cost the most to feed in terms of intake. Additionally, poor-quality ingredients will only yield poor-quality performance. 

As an industry, we are learning a lot more about the interactions of lesser-quality minerals — such as high levels of sulfates and oxides — both in the diet and in mixed feed. These ingredients may make a feed tag look good, but when they are fed, they can actually impede or reduce performance.

On the other hand, even the best fortified supplement can be ineffective or useless if it’s not managed correctly. Some of the biggest mistakes we see with feeding free-choice supplements are the mismanagement of where a supplement is placed, as well as how much, which can lead to issues like over-diluting with salt or letting the supplement run out for days or weeks. This kind of mismanagement can lead to improper intake — either too much or too little — and can impact the performance and economic return of a program as a result. Providing Crystalyx^® can make managing your supplement much easier. It also provides the added benefit of improved pasture management via better grazing distribution, which is another way to improve forage utilization, manage through droughts and reduce the cost of and need for purchased forages.

I once had a discussion with a prominent ranch manager in the Western U.S., who said that Crystalyx^® was “way too much money to pay for protein.” I surprised him by agreeing with him — but I went on to clarify that protein is not all that Crystalyx^® provides. We then discussed the value of grazing distribution and other factors, and he eventually agreed that Crystalyx^® provided the best value for what he wanted to accomplish on his ranch.

Put a pencil to all costs

When assessing all of the costs and benefits of a supplement program, the cost per ton, tub or pound is only a small part of the equation. Choosing a supplement is just like choosing a cow: It needs to fit your environment. How easy is it to manage? How practical is it? And is it of a high-enough quality to generate an acceptable return?

The table below serves as a good illustration of the true costs and values of various options. While the cost per head per day will vary among different Crystalyx^® products and the regions in which they will be fed, considering what Crystalyx^® provides and the savings it offers, it’s still the best option on the market. Put your pencil to it, talk to your local Crystalyx dealer or representative, and be confident in Crystalyx^® as your go-to brand for this fall and winter. Learn more at www.crystalyx.com.

What CRYSTALYX^® provides — and what others don’t