Ridley Block Operations

Blocks for Today– Compressed– Low moisture Block

Block Topics • Supplement Strategies• Manufacturing Overview• General Product Differentiation

Beef Cow/Calf Nutrition 101Supplementing Forage Diets

Cow/Calf nutrition programs should

optimize resources for Cow-Calf Production

• Pasture, hay, crop residue, silage and other forages

• Feed grains and supplements• Labor, equipment and management

Common Inputs

• Yearly calving interval• Optimal calf growth

• weaning weights• acceptable quality

criteria• calf health

Expected Outputs

Energy and Protein

Macro MineralsCa, P, K, S, Mg

Micro NutrientsCu, Zn, Mn, Co, I, Vit A, D, E(trace minerals and vitamins)

Beef Cow Nutrient Requirements

- Key nutrients that drive performance

- Specific conditions can increase their importance

- Normal conditions require balanced supplementation

- TM imbalances can occur and can be a result of other antagonists (i.e. S, Mo or Fe)

• Rumen fermentation allows ruminant animals to capture energy (cellulose) and other nutrients from forages

• A common goal and economic advantage is to utilize this forage/pasture resource

• Oftentimes, forages alone may not optimize cow reproduction or cow and calf performance needs

The Ruminant Advantage

When rumen degradable protein supplements are fed they stimulate fiber fermentation by having a positive associative effect on microbial populations in the rumen

Positive Associative Effect

2 + 2 = 5

Some supplements or feeds can impair fiber fermentation and have a negative associative effect (grains, starches or high levels of fat). These interfere with microbial populations that specialize in fermenting fiber.

Negative Associative Effect

2 + 2 = 3

• Fermentation of low quality forages slows down and thereby reducing forage intake (cows fill up)

• Supplemental protein digested in the rumen helps increase forage fiber digestibility and often increases the amount of forage cows can consume

Low Quality Forages Need Help

Increased digestibility = Increased intake = Increased Nutrients

“Positive Associative Effect”

Providing rumen degradable supplemental protein when feeding low quality forages

creates a “win-win” situation

LMB Compared to Corn on Forage Intake

Dry Matter IntakeNo

Supplement CornLow Moisture Block (LMB)

Forage(5.7% CP), lb. 14.8a 13.1b 16.5c

Supplement, lb. - 3.4 1.0

Total Intake, lb. 14.8a 16.5b 17.5c

(uncommon superscripts differ P<.05) (KSU 1997)

11% increase in forage intake for LMB

11% decrease in forage intake for corn

LMB Compared to Corn on Forage Utilization

DigestibilityNo

Supplement CornLow Moisture Block (LMB)

Forage NDF Intake, lb. 10.8a 9.6b 12.1c

NDF Digestibility, % 49.2a 42.1b 52.9a

(uncommon superscripts differ P<.05) (KSU 1997)

12% increase in forage NDF intake for LMB

14% decrease in forage digestibility for corn

Putting Crystalyx to work with your Cow herd:

Crude ProteinTotal Digestible

NutrientsCow Requirements (last stage gest.), lb.

1.75 11.9

Forage, lb. 1.47 10.1

Deficiency, lb. -.28 -1.8

Low Quality Forage• 7.0% CP and 48% TDN• 1.75% DMI for a 1200 lb. cow

Solution:

Dry Matter Intake Crude Protein

Total Digestible Nutrients

Forage, lb. 23 1.61 11.04

LMB, lb. .75 .24 .50

TOTAL 23.75 lbs. 1.85 11.54

Cow Requirements 1.75 11.9

Rite-Lix 32-18% CP LMB • .75 lb. consumption• 10% estimated increased intake

Dry Matter Intake Crude Protein

Total Digestible Nutrients

Forage, lb. 22 1.54 10.56

20% Rite-Blox, lb. 2.00 .40 1.40

TOTAL 24.0 lbs. 1.94 11.96

Cow Requirements 1.75 11.9

Rite-Blox 20% Compressed Block • 2.00 lb. consumption• 5% estimated increased intake ?

• Estimate 10% improvement(11.0 + 1.1= 12.1lbs. TDN)(Cow requirement = 11.9 lbs. TDN)

• Additional energy for body stores or use under stress conditions

Aren’t we still short on energy (TDN) for Rite-Lix example?

Don’t forget about an increase in fiber digestibility

1346

1431

1364

1423

1300132013401360

1380140014201440

lbs.

LMB Range Cake

OctoberJanuary

Montana State Univ. 2002

• Labor savings• Self-Fed, available 24/7• Highly palatable, but highly controlled intake• Minimal delivery, feeding or storage

equipment and investment required• Weatherproof• Consistent, Cost-effective Results

Don’t forget other Rite-Lix® Advantages

• Increased forage intake• Increased digestibility of forage• Provides additional key nutrients

Summary

How can a little Rite-Lix® help meet nutrient requirements?

How does Rite-Lix® work?

INPUT

RETURN

MAXIMUM

OPTIMUM?

When’s the BEST Time of Year to (start) Supplement?

• Considering cow production data, forage and economics; it’s Actually now!

BLOCK MANUFACTURING

Quality and Experience Counts

“Batch Cooking”

Disadvantage = CostAdvantage = ConsistencyBenefit = Customer

• Rite-Lix Low moisture blocks– Dehydrated Molasses based blocks– Consistent low daily intakes– Higher price point – Low Cost per hd per day– Based on supplying first incremental nutrients

Compressed Block Manufacturing Dry ingredients put together in a premix Premix is metered and blended with liquids and DDG’S in a blender & weighed into containers Product is compressed in containers and immediately packaged for shipment

DDGS (Corn) Based Formulations Fermented DDGS are highly palatable Vegetable based (No Animal Protein Products) Excellent source of Protein, Phos and Oil Intake range provides for higher nutrient payload Lower cost manufacturing and ingredient profile provide a competitive price point

Rite-Blox Features

Quick comparisons between the blocks

Rite-Blox®Compressed DDGS

Intake of 1.0 to 2.0 lbs

Features:

Low Price Point

Manage Intake

Higher Nutrient

Payload

Potential Refill Option

Rite-Lix®Dehydrated Molasses

Intake of 0.5 to 1.0 lbs

Features:

High Price point

Consistent, Low Intake

Predictable Product

Performance

Low cost/hd/day

Blocks Sold In Canada

Low Moisture Blocks*Rite-Lix – Feed-Rite*Crystalyx - Hubbard*Masterlyx – Master Feeds*Smartlic – Unifeed, Blair’s*Vitalix Inc – Alliance NE – Co-op*OLS (Orwigs) – Ellendale

ND - Saltec, Rio Max, *Tublicks – Out of Business*Agri-Blok - Washington

Poured & Compressed Blocks

*AGRI-BLOK – Morinville AB.*Masterlyx – Morinville AB.*UNIBLOCK – Rockyford AB.*Power Pak – Barehead AB.*Sweetlyx – RNS*RiteBlox – Feed-Rite*SweetPro – Wallhalla ND*ProStock – UFA – ADM*Range Buster – UFA – ADM*Sweet Cake – Cargill -

Westway

MOLASSES STEAM

“Continuous Flow” Process

Advantage = CostDisadvantage = ConsistencyBenefit = ManufacturerThe Competitio

n is doing this!

Blocks Sold In Canada

Low Moisture Blocks*Rite-Lix – Feed-Rite*Crystalyx - Hubbard*Masterlyx – Master Feeds

*Smartlic – Unifeed, Blair’s*Vitalix Inc – Alliance NE – Co-op*OLS (Orwigs) – Ellendale

ND - Saltec, Rio Max, *Tublicks – Out of

Business*Agri-Blok - Washington

Poured Blocks

Poured blocks are made by combiningprimarily liquid ingredients with some

reactive ingredient(s)

Process varies tremendously between manufacturers– Liquid and reactive ingredients

Packaging (Poured Blocks)

Plastic

Cardboard boxes

Poured Blocks

Blocks Sold In CanadaPoured & Compressed Blocks

*AGRI-BLOK – Morinville AB.*Masterlyx – Morinville AB.*UNIBLOCK – Rockyford AB.*Power Pak – Barehead AB.

*RiteBlox – Feed-Rite

*SweetPro – Wallhalla ND*ProStock – UFA – ADM*Range Buster – UFA – ADM*Sweet Cake – Westway

Quick comparisons between the blocks

Rite-Blox®Compressed DDGS

Intake of 1.0 to 2.0 lbs

Features:

Low Price Point

Manage Intake

Higher Nutrient

Payload

Rite-Lix®Dehydrated Molasses

Intake of 0.5 to 1.0 lbs

Features:

High Price point

Consistent, Low Intake

Predictable Product

Performance

Low cost/hd/day