At Quality Liquid Feeds (QLF), our goal is to deliver nutrition and more by formulating and manufacturing molasses-based liquid feed supplements,” says Chelsey Saevre, QLF Cow/Calf and Stocker Cattle Nutritionist and Product Manager. “We can manufacture our supplements to fit the nutritional needs for cattle producers.”

With over 37 years in the business, Quality Liquid Feeds (www.qlf.com) has built a reputation as an innovative leader in the development and manufacturing of liquid feed supplements and cooked low-moisture tubs for cattle based on quality, consistency and service. With headquarters in Dodgeville, Wisconsin, QLF has grown from a Midwestern business to a nationwide company that includes 17 manufacturing plants across the United States. The base ingredient of most QLF products is cane molasses. QLF is proud to support American farmers by being the largest user of domestic cane molasses, ensuring quality, consistency, and a high level of customer service.

Saevre’s farming background led her to earn a masters degree from North Dakota State University, and for the past two years has enjoyed her position at QLF. In her position, Saevre has the opportunity to work closely with cattle producers to help meet their specific goals. Spurred by ongoing industry advances, increased adoption of supplementation programs and the ongoing need to maximize net returns while effectively using available roughages, QLF has seen a dramatic growth in liquid supplements within the beef sector due to the wide range of benefits.

Liquid Feed Supplements for Pasture Cattle
QLF offers a full line of molasses-based protein supplements for beef cows and stocker cattle on pasture. QLF customers realize the ultimate convenience and time and labor savings when QLF products are fed free-choice in lick wheel feeders.

Lick tanks are the most commonly used method of delivering liquid supplements to beef cows. They can be effective, convenient, and economical. Records show that cows adjust intake to compensate for changing forage quality and availability. Using lick tanks through the summer and early fall ensures your cattle will continue to receive the nutrition they need as grasses mature and digestibility & protein content decreases.

As a self-fed option, the lick tank allows cattle to receive several small meals over the course of the day. Thus less dominant cattle can come to feed unchallenged. Other advantages include a design that conveniently allows for virtually no waste, a liquid supplement that serves as a superior additive carrier and above all enhanced forage intake and utilization.

Liquid supplements are practical and highly-effective carriers for feed additives. In grazing situations, delivery of these products through the lick tank allows producers to take advantage of the benefits they offer without having to handle cattle, invest additional time and labor, or inventory and dose small amounts.

QLF cow/calf supplements are formulated to complement available forages. When managed properly, offering these feeds in free-choice lick tanks optimizes roughage utilization by improving both intake and digestibility. QLF supplements also provide essential trace minerals and vitamins. Maintaining cows on the proper plane of nutrition allows them to perform at their peak genetic potential.

Another viable option for utilizing QLF liquid supplements is through Forage Treatment. Every step from harvesting to feeding hay can impact the amount and quality of feed that will be available for use by your animals. QLF can’t help with storage and transportation losses, but once the bales are ready to be used, liquid supplements are an effective tool to help enhance utilization and reduce waste.

Directly treating baled forages with QLF encourages consumption and reduces waste, especially with lower quality roughages. The liquid is applied to the flat face of the bale at 7-10% by weight, and allowed to soak between wraps before being fed or stored. Forage treating simplifies the feeding program, delivering both roughage and supplement in a single step.

At the same time, producers may also incorporate molasses supplements into their bunk fed diets, through a Mixed Ration. Adding liquid supplements to a bunk-fed mix allows incorporating a broad range of supplemental nutrients and additives in liquid form while improving palatability, reducing dust and fines, improving stability and uniformity of the mix, and reducing ration sorting.” Saevre comments, “Regardless of nutritional needs, a liquid supplement can be formulated that is right for the situation.” In mixed rations, liquids support better distribution of additives throughout the feed, promoting more uniform intake. And here, too, inclusion at the plant rather than at the farm simplifies inventory, measurement, and mixing of these low-inclusion ingredients.

Rancher James Stafford from Oklahoma, who has run stocker cattle at his ranch since the late 1970s, is a believer in QLF supplements. “I believe in this feed, it’s changed our whole operation. The cattle do well, they come running to the bunk at feeding.”

Another choice for producers is Ignite Low Moisture Tubs, which is a convenient and easy to use way to make sure the cattle get the nutrients they need when they need it.

Many types of forage fed to livestock do not supply adequate protein to meet the animals’ nutrient requirements. Inadequate protein has a significant impact on the fiber-digesting microbes ability to utilize forage fiber. Similar to QLF liquid supplements, the Ignite low-moisture tubs can complement the available forages by providing this essential, rumen degradable protein by ensuring adequate ammonia nitrogen is available to meet the needs of rumen microbes.

Customer service is extremely important at QLF. From a professional nationwide sales force, to technical nutritionists and field consultants, and excellent equipment sales and service; QLF is there to meet the needs of its customers. Stafford says this. “I talked to QLF and they made it real easy for me. They said ‘we’ll bring you the tanks, help set them up and we’ll get you some feed’ and that’s what sold me.”

Saevre adds, “QLF goes through great efforts to ensure that quality, consistency and service are represented within the molasses-based supplements to help meet the desired needs of today’s cattlemen.” QLF has always been, and will always be, committed to its customers, employees and products. QLF – Delivering Nutrition and More. . . .