At MFA, we have a new feed concept that will change the way cattle are raised and marketed in MFA's trade territory. This new concept is a limiter feed that is designed to control intake to 1 percent of the animal's body weight. Its name is TrendSetter SLR. The SLR stands for self-limiting ration.

Designed for many different situations.
AS A CREEP FEED. Feed Cattle Charge until calves are eating 4 to 5 pounds per head daily from the feeder. Then change to TrendSetter SLR to hold them at roughly 3 to 5 pounds per head per day until weaning.

FOR LACTATING BROOD COWS. Place out free choice for brood cows at calving. Cows will consume around 10 pounds. Cows will give more milk, have healthier calves, maintain body weight and breed back quicker. Keep this self-limiting ration out until 30 days after calving or green grass.

FOR WEANING. Wean calves on Cattle Charge AS700 for 14 to 21 days. Then change to TrendSetter SLR. Intake usually reduces to .75 to 1.25 percent of body weight.

FOR BACKGROUNDING CATTLE. Feed TrendSetter SLR for 1 percent of body weight intake. Gains will be directly proportional to consumption of TrendSetter SLR and the quality of the grass. With average-quality fescue hay and TrendSetter SLR consumption of approximately 1 percent of body weight, gains should be at 1.5 pounds per head per day. Gains will vary depending on quality of forage.

For those of you wanting more gain than 1.5 pounds per head per day, you can mix this limiting ration with corn. Cattle will eat an absolute amount of TrendSetter SLR; therefore, if 500-pound cattle will eat 5 pounds per head per day of TrendSetter SLR, but you want 10 pounds total intake, mix TrendSetter SLR with 50 percent corn. An example of increased intake with a 50 percent mix: 1,000 pounds of TrendSetter SLR plus 1,000 pounds of corn. Similarly, for 15 pounds of intake, mix one-third TrendSetter SLR with two-thirds corn.

AS A FINISHER. The greatest benefit of this new self-limiting ration may be in finishing cattle. As a producer, you won't need a mixer wagon, tub grinder, corn silage or commodity shed. Cattle do not have to be in confinement. You can merely mix 1,500 pounds corn and 500 pounds TrendSetter SLR plus 20 pounds of lime to make a long ton of 2,020 pounds. You can feed cattle this mixture from 750 pounds body weight until they weigh 1,100 pounds. To take them from 1,100 pounds to finish, feed 1,750 pounds of corn and 250 pounds TrendSetter SLR and 25 pounds of lime to make 2,025 pounds.

Cattle will consume 25 to 30 pounds per head per day with gains at greater than 3 pounds per head per day. An interesting observation is that the cattle never eat more than 2 pounds per feeding. They walk away and come back an hour or so later. Because of this, there is no threat of acidosis, sudden death or founder.

TrendSetter SLR mixed with corn could provide an opportunity for producers in MFA's trade territory to finish cattle at home. Better still, cattle producers can do it at less cost, using local grain. Because cattle do not have to be confined, it potentially will be considered environmentally friendly by regulatory agencies.

FOR DAIRY HEIFERS. TrendSetter SLR may be used on dairy heifers as previously described for creep and background cattle. MFA trials on dairy heifers showed greater than 2 pounds of average daily gain at slightly above 1 percent of body weight consumption of feed, depending on available forage quality.

New opportunities
All in all, MFA Trend Setter SLR offers cattle producers many opportunities. Not only can producers control creep feeding but it also allows producers to background cattle and finish cattle under present conditions.

Producers who want greater consumption than 1 percent of body weight can mix corn or other feed commodities with it. After mixing, consumption of TrendSetter SLR will be the same, but total consumption will increase depending on dilution of the self-limiting ration.