Digestive Health in Show Livestock
Lance Miller, Purina Animal Nutrition
Now that summer might actually be here in Wisconsin, and livestock shows are happening every weekend, keeping our animals eating is one of the biggest concerns. By now, you should have a pretty good idea of what you want your project to look like and weigh at the target show for that animal. A healthy digestive tract is the best way to keep your animal progressing towards that look and weight.
The rumen of your steer, heifer, goat or lamb and the stomach of your pig are all subject to changes in pH. Keeping the pH from becoming too acidic can help prevent digestive tract insult. Ulcers, acidosis, or burning of the stomach lining can occur when the pH in the stomach or rumen is too low. This causes your animal to decrease feed intake. Purina has developed a new, research-proven product to help prevent these issues. This new product is Alleviate, and it can be fed to all classes of livestock (beef, sheep, swine, and goats). Purina believes in the effectiveness of this product so much and we know how many showpigs are affected by digestive upset, it is already included in our 719, 819, and 919 Honor Show Chow showpig feeds. If you have an animal that is a timid eater, goes off feed when you take her to a show, or just won’t eat as much as you need him to, give Alleviate a try.
Other things you can do to ensure your animal maintains proper feed consumption:
- Make sure they always have access to fresh, cool, and clean water.
- Be as consistent at possible with your feeding program – especially when you feed and how much you feed.
- Keep the animal comfortable – proper bedding, out of the sun, fans to cool them, rinsing with cool water.
- Limit environmental stress as much as possible.
If you would like to talk more about digestive health of your show project, want help or advise with your animals, or have questions about any of the Purina Honor Show Chow or High Octane products, please contact WS Ag Center or you can contact Lance Miller at 920-517-7524 or LRMiller@LandOLakes.com.