37 Our Advertisers Appreciate Your Business Better Farming | May/June 2024 carcass weight, but also at every step along the way,” says Mitchell. “When using these implants, I tell farmers that they are the one thing guaranteed to provide financial return in the beef market. “There is no question that it is going to make them money. It’s going to increase feed efficiency, average daily gain (ADG), and pretty much as long as there is adequate nutrition, they will return a profit.” With some variation based on program differences, Mitchell estimates that generally, producers can expect to see a 15 to 25 per cent increase in ADG, seven to 12 per cent improvements in feed efficiency, and six to seven per cent greater dry matter intake. Schmid also points out that these efficiency improvements have environmental benefits, too. “The cool thing about this technology is that it also reduces the environmental footprint of cattle production,” says Schmid. “If cattle are growing faster and converting feed more efficiently, they require less resources to produce more beef. So, there’s an environmental stewardship component that can be realized as well.” The one aspect of production that can be negatively impacted by implants is carcass quality. This can affect carcass grade but can be mitigated through strategies such as lower potency implants, aging after slaughter, or ensuring adequate nutrition during time on feed. Misconceptions There is still some hesitancy from both consumers and producers in the adoption of growth-promoting implants in beef production. Many companies have relied on advertising that there are “no hormones” in their beef, which has fostered concerns about safety. “The largest misconception is the consumer thinking that eating meat from implanted animals will have negative consequences on human health,” says Schmid. “There’s no such thing as hormone-free beef. Hormones, in various forms, are present in nearly all the foods we eat.” Schmid points out that hormones in food have low oral bioavailability, meaning they are less readily absorbed by the blood stream and thus have little biological impact. It is also important to look at the relative amounts of hormones in the human body compared to the differences in implanted and non-implanted beef. “In the adult female body there are 480,000 nanograms (ng) of estrogen circulating and a young boy will have 40,000 ng. That one 75 g serving of implanted beef has 1.9 ng of estrogen, and non-implanted beef has 1.1 ng,” says Schmid. This indicates that a serving of implanted beef has less than 0.0005 per cent of the estrogen already found in the adult female. Mitchell says there are also some misconceptions within the beef industry itself. “Within the food animal industry, a misconception is that applying implants too early will affect the growth of animals later,” says Mitchell. “That’s only true if they don’t have proper nutrition. Cattle need the right energy to match the implants. Implants don’t make up for lack of nutrition.” There is also still a mindset in the beef industry of natural versus unnatural production. Some producers market into natural-based programs, while others avoid implants for philosophical reasons. “It is more values-based, rather than pure economics,” says Schmid. Choosing a program Each beef operation and their goals are unique, and the variety of options for implants allows farmers to find a program that will best achieve their goals, if they so choose. Mitchell has five criteria that should be reviewed when selecting an implant: 1. Implant strength – Different compounds and formulations may have different strengths, even if the quantity is listed as the same number (e.g., 200 mg of testosterone is not equal to 200 mg of TBA). Livestock Boasting a lightweight yet robust design, this pump is the ultimate solution for seamlessly moving between pivots. Its user-friendly setting system ensures effortless operation. E-Z METER INJECTION PUMP DISCOVER THE EXCEPTIONAL Engineered by John Blue Company LOW MAINTENANCE NO CALIBRATION TEST AFFORDABLE PRICE Scan me VISIT JOHNBLUE.COM/EZMETER FOR MORE INFO ELEVATE YOUR IRRIGATION EFFICIENCY 20620 SHOWN ADDITIONAL MODELS AVAILABLE THE PUMP COMPANY
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