How To

Animal Size

Larger framed animals will eat proportionally more than moderate framed animals. Cows typically increase intake .11 kg in mid to late gestation, but often eat less just before calving. It’s best to start cows one to two months before calving. Starting too close to calving can complicate the adaptation period and result in erratic intake.

Weather

Weather can be a factor for intake. In advance of a storm, for example, consumption sometimes increases. SweetPro lick blocks hold up in the rain and harsh conditions.

Plane of nutrition

As noted above, animals depleted of certain minerals or other nutrients, will tend to have higher intake until their overall plane of nutrition changes. Conversely, if hay includes good alfalfa or grain is added to the diet, consumption of the tub declines.

Adaptation Period

The adaptation period can range from ten days to five weeks, depending upon various factors, the most important of which is forage quality. Nursing calves will consume tubs along with the cow but at rates proportionate with their weight as with an 498 kg cow consuming .56 kg, her 181 kg calf will consume 0.25+/- to total .11+/- to .68 kg for the pair.

Products for Every Stage of Growth

EquiPride
For horses. A top-dress supplement added to feed.

EquiLix
For horses. A free choice supplement lick block.

Starter
Beef and dairy. 114 to 204 kg light calves and receiving cattle.

Cattle Kandi
Beef and dairy. 204 to 294 kg heavier calves, receiving cattle and for starting stockers on grass.

SweetPro 16
Beef, dairy and goats. All natural protein supplement for first calf heifers, brood cows, stocker cattle and goats.

FiberMate 18
Beef, dairy and goats. For average forage conditions, cows in stalks and stubble, goats.

FiberMate 20
Beef, dairy and goats. For low consumption and tough forage conditions.

Pasture Ranger
Beef and dairy. For stocker cattle and brood cows on bloat prone wheat pasture and alfalfa.

Mineral EX
Beef and dairy. Mineral block with EXtra punch from vitamins and organic complexed trace minerals.

Sheep Block
Sheep. An all natural vitamin, mineral and protein supplement for sheep.

Lick Blocks For Every Stage Of Growth

SweetPro supplements can give you excellent feed efficiency as shown in university studies on feed costs research. That means you’ll save not only in cost of feed, but also in feed handling and storage. If your livestock are range fed, using SweetPro lick blocks will allow you to handle more livestock on the same land.

Two key factors in supporting your feed efficiency are selecting the proper SweetPro block and assessing the feed value of your forage. The Illinois Agronomy Handbooks provide some information below, and we offer our guide for matching cattle size and forage conditions with the optimum SweetPro supplement block.

For beef and dairy cattle, here are some helpful hints:

Relative Feed Value (RFV) of Forages

Prime – over 151
Premium – 125 to 150
Good – 103 to 124
Fair – 87 to 102
Poor – 75 to 86
Reject – 74 and below

Forage quality is impacted greatly by stage of maturity. As forage crops mature the nutritive value declines. With increasing maturity, the acid detergent fibre (ADF) and neutral detergent fibre (NDF) increases and crude protein (CP) decreases. Relative feed value (RFV) is an index that reflects the fibre fractions, which dictate potential digestible dry matter feed intake. The higher the RFV, the higher quality feed value is obtained from the forage. RFV ranks forages relative to the digestible dry matter intake of full bloom alfalfa (RFV of 100, ADF of 41, and NDF of 53). RFV declines (number gets smaller) with maturity….. Illinois Agronomy Handbooks.

Beef and Dairy Cattle

114 to 204 kg • Starter • Also for receiving stressed stockers

181 to 294 kg • Cattle Kandi • Also used on cows in lush pasture

294 to 453 kg • SweetPro 16 • Most versatile tub, great for heifers

453 to 635 kg • FiberMate 18 • When forage quality is fair to good

453 to 657+ kg • FiberMate 20 • When forage quality is poor

181 to 453 kg • Pasture Ranger • For grazing alfalfa and wheat pastures

• Mineral EX • With extra vitamins, minerals and ProBiotein

Forklift Friendly

Each SweetPro block has a durable, raised, round base that keeps the product elevated off the ground. The bases have built-in openings for forklift blades, so no pallets are required. That saves you cost, space and handling.

For shipping, four SweetPro tubs are banded together to create a strong unit weighing about 454 kg. The blocks are shrink wrapped for added protection and shipping strength.

Unloading From Flatdeck

The design of our tubs lets you unload by forklift from any side. Flatdeck trailers can handle four SweetPro blocks across the trailer width, and unloading is quick with a forklift or skidsteer.

Click here for a video of how SweetPro blocks are offloaded from a flatdeck by forklift or skidsteer.

Unloading From Covered Trailers

Height restrictions that reduce forklift access in closed trailers can easily be resolved by using simple pull bars to drag the SweetPro blocks to an accessible opening.

 Click here for a video of how SweetPro blocks are offloaded from a truck van using SweetPro pull bars.

Field Distribution

The most efficient way to load the truck that will be distributing the blocks is to use a forklift to lift four banded blocks together. Once in the truck, you can remove the plastic wrap and the banding to handle the blocks individually. Blocks can also be rolled one at a time from a loading dock into the truck.

In the field, just roll each block off the truck and let it hit the ground. The blocks easily withstand a normal drop even onto hard ground. Blocks are no more than 114 kg and can be turned over by one person if they land upside down.

Built To Ship and Store

Each SweetPro block has a durable, raised, round base that keeps the product elevated off the ground. No pallets are required. There are built-in openings for forklift blades on all sides. For shipping, four SweetPro tubs are banded together to create an easy to lift unit weighing about 453 kg. The blocks are shrink wrapped for added protection and shipping strength.

SweetPro blocks are solid and built to handle rain and harsh conditions. So solid in fact, that they can be stacked up to 8 blocks high without racks. The bases and blocks will support the weight, but be sure to use caution in determining side to side stability.
A firm, flat floor will add to your safety.

Covered and Dry

Storage in a dry covered area is best, but no heating or cooling will be required. SweetPro blocks can handle the heat of summer and the cold of winter. Each block is labeled for product type and content.

Field Distribution

The most efficient way to load the truck that will be distributing the blocks is to use a forklift to lift four banded blocks together. Once in the truck, you can remove the plastic wrap and the banding to handle the blocks individually. Blocks can also be rolled one at a time from a loading dock into the truck.

In the field, just roll each block off the truck and let it hit the ground. The blocks easily withstand a normal drop even onto hard ground. Blocks are no more than 114 kg and can be turned over by one person if they land upside down.

Save Labour, Feed and Health Care

SweetPro supplement blocks help you save in multiple ways.

Save Labour

Instead of placing supplements out daily, SweetPro blocks are placed out every 7 to 10 days. That means your labour, fuel and truck maintenance drop by 85 to 90%. Because SweetPro blocks hold up in rain and weather, you can even put out extra blocks and reduce your trips even further.

Manage Health Care Costs

And delivering SweetPro blocks is as easy as rolling them off the back of your truck. Each block is high tech nutrition dispensed in a simple, convenient lick block, that will help support the digestion and overall health of your animals. Healthier animals mean better weight gains, fewer health issues, less medication needed and fewer animal losses. You spend less money on keeping animals healthy and less time in tending to their problems.

Save Feed

SweetPro blocks eliminate the waste of range cubes fed on the ground, where stomping and over consumption by “boss” cattle often prevent others from consuming their daily required amount. Also, by supporting animal digestion, they use their feed more efficiently. All this, while making better gains in healthy body weight.