Jackie Flohr

Product Range: MegaMin Mineral Blend, MegaMin Mineral Block and MegaMin Dry Feed Block

Region: Mt Lebanon Santas, Central Queensland

• Reduced mineral deficiencies
• Increased calving rate
• Increased energy

Jackie Flohr of ‘Mt Lebanon Santas’, who runs 3500 head on 31000 acres near Clermont, is well aware what it costs not to supplement. As Jackie says, “this country is lacking minerals and we’ve lost stock in the past as a result. Since using MegaMin Loose Supplement as a dry lick for over five years now, mineral deficiencies are no longer an issue. Our cattle look perfect and the neighbours ask what we’re feeding and have also started to use the supplement.”

Mineral Deficiency…

Jackie runs 31 paddocks that are 1000 acres each and find it’s the lighter sandy-loam country that’s lacking and this is where she mainly uses the MegaMin Mineral Blend. “In these areas the cattle used to lick dirt. When mustering, there’s one gully where they would always lick the bank and we would struggle to get them out of there. This no longer happens, and the condition of livestock has vastly improved.” Jackie is also aware of the association found between mineral deficiencies and lameness in cattle. Prior to supplementing, the Flohrs had identified two paddocks where cattle would continually go lame. However, since feeding minerals year-round, lameness has been eliminated from these cattle.

Minerals & their impact on Calving – 97% calving rate

The Flohrs proudly claim that year-round supplementing has delivered remarkable results in terms of fertility, with a 97% calving rate achieved. In Jackie’s words, “MegaMin Loose Supplements are bloody good! Our first and second calf heifers are on the minerals all year round and their calves are unbelievable. You’d think the heifers’ calves were out of eight year old cows they are that good. The bulls are out year round and last year, with such a high calving rate, I couldn’t get a deck of empty cows to sell out of 1800 breeders.”

Palatability

The cattle found the supplement to be quite palatable, so we used to add salt to the minerals to regulate intake but as this increased the cost, we simply put the MegaMin out each week and the cattle regulate themselves. In our lighter country where we supplement all year round the cattle clean it up in a couple of days but the 460 heifers look good, despite these paddocks being mineral deficient.”

According to Jackie, the cattle come running when MegaMin is put out. “Our cattle seem to have more energy now. Prior to using MegaMin, it was obvious that stock in certain paddocks were off-colour and you couldn’t drive them when mustering.”

Adding to Molasses or Grain

As a dry lick or grain additive, MegaMin Loose Supplement is a very versatile product and is able to be mixed with any other supplements to suit your particular program. When conditions are extremely dry, the Flohrs also feed molasses to heifers, and finish their steers with MegaMin Loose Supplement added to grain at 20 kg/tonne.

MegaMin an effective alternative to Urea

Jackie Flohr says, “I don’t like urea and know that the balance of minerals are important to ensure optimum production. In addition, I have found MegaMin Loose Supplement to be inexpensive to use.” The fact that Jackie often recommends MegaMin to others in Central Queensland is a testament that they’re satisfied with the results.