Group Purchasing Beef IRM mineral

by Glen Roberts

Major Program: Beef

Collaborators: UK Beef IRM Nutrition Specialists, KY Farm Bureau Federation, Wayne County Farm Bureau Federation, ANR Agent Glen Roberts, KSU Small Farm Assistant, and Wayne County Cattlemen`s Association mineral committee

Situation: After attending Master Cattlemen and other beef nutrition educational sessions taught by University of KY Beef nutrition specialists Wayne County Cattlemen became aware of the need to purchase better minerals for their cowherds. They also learned that they could save money by joining with their fellow beef producers to purchase minerals formulated by UK Beef specialist.

Beef producers joined together to bid the three Beef IRM minerals in truckload lots. The local extension office through the ANR agent became the communication center for accepting orders and worked with the suppliers that the IRM suggested. The extension office also owns a facility that is perfect for unloading and loading of mineral plus some short term storage. The local Wayne County Farm Bureau Federation sponsors the project so full truckload lots can be purchased . If a load is not completely full at ordering time the local Farm Bureau pays for the extra and stores it until beef farmers purchase all of it. Based on the Wayne County model, KY Farm Bureau Federation now conducts the program and offers it in Wayne and other interested counties in this part of the state.

Over the 15 years that the program has been offered the group has averaged purchasing 80 tons of mineral per year saving an average of $200/ton. Total savings to date are $268,000 along with having a high quality mineral that improves animal performance.