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Newsletter
- January 2001
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Jan.2001
The year 2000 is now over! Was the dawning
of a new century everything you had expected? It now seems foolish
to think that the worId waited in anticipation for a disaster
when the clock ticked 12:01 am, 2000. Some old correspondence
has recently resurfaced detailing the steps to take to make sure
our company was "Year 2000 Ready". The prophets were
plentiful and forecasts were made for black outs, brown outs and
horror stories of grocery stores with no food. Due in part to
the preceding ice storm disaster in Quebec, the demand for generators
could not keep up with the demand for this substitute source of
energy. Become friends with your neighbors the experts told us
so that you could rely on them when disaster struck. What a sad
statement for our society! Stories were circulated about people
building underground bunkers and increasing their supply of guns
to ward off people who were not prepared. Was this truly the end
of the world?
Hindsight has proven those warnings were misguided;
however some positive things did come out of all this. It provided
businesses with a reason to analyze their procedures and bring
everything up to date. We again realized that mankind with all
the modern technology and sophisticated systems are no match for
the awesome power of the Creator.
TweIve months from now we will have the benefit
of hindsight and what now seems crucial, may indeed not be significant
in the long term.
Reduce Antibiotics
Recently I submitted an article for the Second
Opinion column in The Record. This article also appeared in the
Ontario Farmer as a Letter to the Editor. This commentary was
in response to an article in The Record by Jim Romahn December
18 where he stated that farmers must reduce antibiotics. If you
didn't have a chance to read the response, I will summarize for
you. In the article, alternatives are offered to assist farmers,
and ultimately the public, to deal with the impending problem
of bacterial resistance and weakened immune systems.
As I have stressed many times, the bodies of
both animals and humans are composed of the same chemical elements
as our soil. We must start at the soil level to restore proper
balance to ensure proper nutrition. Changes made at the soil level
will move through the food chain, ultimately affecting humankind
through a chain reaction. A strong focus on nutrition, proper
mineralization and the use of natural feed supplements for our
livestock will build up or enhance life-hence the terms holistic-probiotic-enzyme
versus antibiotic.
Probiotics and enzymes unlike antibiotics work
in the gastrointestinal tract to promote a healthy population
of good bacteria, which in turn leads to improved health, leading
to improved performance and production.
I challenged Romahn to search out farmers who
have adopted alternative courses of treatment while successfully
expanding their operations and find out their secrets to success.
Perhaps you, our loyal customers will be approached or better
yet, contact Mr. Romahn directly and give him this information
so he can better inform the general population about the progress
being made with regards to eliminating antibiotics.
Society must rethink their dependence on "quick
fixes" to remedy disease problems not only for animals but
also for the human race as well. There is no antibiotic available
to replace good nutrition and in order to keep disease problems
at a minimum, we must ensure that all species reduce or eliminate
the use of antibiotics and instead focus on a proactive approach.
Feeding Problems in 2001
With the misfortune of a poor cropping season
behind us, many farmers are now running into some problems with
their feed-molds, low fiber and low energy levels. Balancing the
ration is now, more than ever, a crucial step to ensure your livestock
are receiving the necessary nutrients for optimum performance
and production. The inclusion of Redmond Conditioner and Halt
will help with any mold problems present in your feed stuffs.
Redmond Conditioner helps to flush any toxins to eliminate the
negative effects on the immune system. This valuable feed supplement
also helps to keep Somatic Cell Counts under control. Hall contains
propionic acid which effectively kilIs all mold protecting your
livestock from the harmfull effects of mycotoxins. Call Head Office
or speak to your local dealer for the inclusion rates of these
two crucial supplements for your animals.
January 24 Seminar
Our annual agricultural seminar is scheduled
this year on January 24th in WellesIey. Last year we had a packed
house and you are all invited to attend again this year. To date,
we have received many inquiries and registrations so don't delay
in calling the office to reserve a place at the seminar. We will
focus on Genetically Modified Organisms and their impact on the
agricultural community, the importance of Enzymes and Probiotics
in the diet of your livestock. We will also host a Farmer Panel
to receive valuable input from our satisfied clients. A flyer
is enclosed outlining the details of the day.
Bio-Ag Survey
Also included with this newsletter, is a general
livestock survey. We are collecting this information to do some
comparisons with OMAFRA statistics. We would be pleased if you
could take a few minutes and fill it out. In order to compensate
you for the time you will put into this task, a $5 registration
credit will be given to all those that hand in the completed survey
at the seminar.
From all of us at Bio-Ag, all the best to you
and your family. May you experience health, happiness and success
in the coming year.
DEALER PROFILE.....EARL ERB
Earl has lived on the same farm all his life
just outside Wellesley where he and his wife Eva have raised four
daughters. In 1964, Earl purchased a herd of Pure Bred Holsteins
from his father. His goal was to increase milk production and
he was very successful, achieving a 195 Composite BCA. In 1985,
Earl ran into major health problems in his milking herd. It was
at this time that he came to Murray for help.
He started on Bio-Ag's program, balanced his
feed ration properly and introduced products one at a time, including
Mineral Premix, Peroxide, Kelp and Culbac. He had very good success
with Protein Feed and Vitamin C for mastitis treatment. His vet
bills were greatly reduced, he now had bred or fresh heifers for
sale and his bottom line improved substantially. Earl continued
to use Bio-Ag products for 12 years on his farm.
It is this experience with Bio-Ag products
first hand that is Earl's greatest asset. Earl has retired from
dairy farming and since April 1998 has joined the Bio-Ag sales
team. He covers the Milverton, Atwood, Brussels, Bluevale, Blyth
and Bornholm areas. To call Earl or arrange for an appointment,
call our Head Office at (519) 656-2460 or 1-800-363-5278.
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