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ANNOUNCER: Welcome to Block Talk, brought to you by Crystalyx® brand supplements, an easy way to provide self-fed protein, trace minerals and vitamins in a low moisture block supplement, formulated for all types of feeding situations, from low-quality forages to fly control and everything in between. It all adds up to results by the barrel.
ANNOUNCER: I'm Tom Martin, and with us today is Ryan Babst, account manager with Ridley Block operations and a rancher in Ohio. Welcome, Ryan.
Ryan Babst: Thank you, Tom. Nice to be here.
ANNOUNCER: It’s May. It's National Beef Month, and Crystalyx does a lot of work with beef producers. What does it mean for Crystalyx to support the beef industry?
Ryan: You know Tom, beef producers are definitely the backbone of the Crystalyx brand. We celebrate the independence and freedom that beef producers represent. You know, they decide where they can ranch, what segments of production they want to participate in, what breeds of cattle to use and, most importantly, how to market their end-product. You know, over the years, they have persevered through the hardships of economic challenges and weather swings to maintain success.
Actually, it's truly a story of America that needs to be celebrated, and Crystalyx appreciates every beef producer, large or small, that strives to produce a better steak every day.
ANNOUNCER: Tell us more about what's happening in the beef industry right now. What should ranchers and farmers be thinking about right now?
Ryan: Well, it's no secret that, currently, economic and political issues are negatively impacting our supply chain. It's just harder to get the items needed to operate, and it's harder to get our end product to consumers.
Most beef producers are sharpening their pencils to watch the cost of expenses but still maintain optimal production levels. For most, focusing on technology that improves efficiency is key. You know, efficiency is what separates us, beef producers, from the rest of the world, and that is where we can maintain and increase profitability and become more sustainable for the future.
ANNOUNCER: Speaking of sustainability, what kind of work does Crystalyx do right on the ranch?
Ryan: Well, you know, there are several positive environmental aspects that Crystalyx brings to the table on the ranch. First and foremost, being a self-fed product, the Crystalyx delivery method saves time, and definitely, with $5 diesel these days, hand feeding can get pretty expensive pretty fast.
Secondly, bio-barrels — biodegradable containers — contribute several things to this. There are no containers to retrieve in the field, saving time and fuel, there are no steel barrels to recondition for future use and there are no empty plastic containers to dispose of.
Thirdly, the highly palatable nature of Crystalyx gives producers the ability to place barrels in remote areas. This attracts cattle to acreage that might not be as readily utilized and then takes pressure off areas to prevent over-grazing.
But finally, and the most exciting, the Crystalyx Blueprint mineral program takes mineral supplementation to the next level. We utilize 100% organic trace minerals in Blueprint, which results in increased bioavailability, better animal performance and less excretion of unabsorbed trace minerals into the environment.
ANNOUNCER: As a cattle producer yourself, Ryan, how has being in this business impacted your life?
Ryan: Wow, that's a good question. You know, growing up on a diverse cattle operation in southern Ohio, I was really active in 4-H and junior livestock events. I had the wonderful opportunity to meet some of the greatest people in the world and create lifelong friendships with them.
Later on, I had the opportunity to work on cattle operations across the US and experience different landscapes and segments of the industry.
And it's also a pleasure to work daily with members of the Crystalyx team, as each one of those, like myself, has a deep passion for the beef industry and wants to see producers succeed. There's no better industry out there to be a part of to raise a family, creating great adults to carry on our legacy.
ANNOUNCER: And what would you say producers are thinking about the most these days? What's on the mind of producers like you?
Ryan: Well, you know, we're all looking forward to the future and trying to be viable profitably at the end of the day. And you know, we're leaning on our technology, and especially nutritional technology, to help us be successful on down the road.
ANNOUNCER: That’s Ridley Block Operations account manager and Ohio rancher Ryan Babst. Thanks, Ryan.
Ryan: Thank you.
ANNOUNCER: I'm Tom Martin. Thank you for listening.
Thank you for joining us for the Block Talk podcast. Learn more about all that Crystalyx has to offer by going to www.crystalyx.com. It all adds up to results by the barrel.
