Alpamin

Botanical Source Trace Nutrients for Cows 

 Alpamin was developed out of the need for supplemental nutrients for our forage only fed cows, to build up our dairy cows in mass without grain, and give them the ability to maintain it despite lactation. Although our alpine cattle breeds are very hardy and are easy keepers, the local grass hay and pasture, grown on the fairly mineral poor soil of British Columbia’s coast, appeared to be deficient even for them, which was most evident to us on the poor condition of their horns. This was surely due to a nutrient deficiency, although the cattle appeared healthy otherwise.

Some of the nutrients in Alpamin will support your cow directly, but our feeding recommendations don’t actually attempt to feed your cow, but the microbes in her gut. The symbiosis between ruminants and the microflora in their gut is simply amazing, as the microbes will manufacture all the energy and most of the nutrients your cow needs by fermenting  fibrous plant material, which alone would never yield enough calories to maintain the growths, reproduction, and lactation of a very large mammal like a cow. A few key elements need to be in place to support this complex mechanism, which Alpamin attempts to do. 

When formulating a supplement to complete our hay and pasture, it was of most importance to us to maintain an overal forage based diet without grain or animal source ingredients. With 15 years experience in the field of nutrition, and 10 years in business of developing, manufacturing, and selling supplements for companion animals, it was not too far a stretch to investigate the nutritional needs of our family cows. The result is a macro-mineral fortified blend of botanicals, formulated to be mixed with a meal of soak beet pulp, completing a forage based diet of hay and pasture. Alpamin supports the cow’s rumen flora by maintaining a naturally alkaline rumen pH, providing complex fibre for fermentation, and feeding rumen microbes with specific proteins. Clean, fresh drinking water and a trace mineral fortified salt lick formulated for your area should be accessible to your cow every day.

Alpamin ingredients: 

• sun cured alfalfa meal
• Nutri-Flax TM - de-fatted flax seed powder
• carrot powder
• rice bran
• debittered brewers yeast
• Dicalcium phosphate (source of calcium and phosphorous)
• D-alpha tocopherol (natural source vitamin E)

All ingredients of Alpamin, except for the alfalfa*, are ingredients intended for human consumption. Not only do we believe that animals should receive and deserve the same care put into their nutrition as we demand for ourselves, but we also know that the milk and meat of your cows will eventually be consumed by you, and your cows’ manure will feed your garden and pastures. (* the alfalfa meal in Alpamin is made from the same alfalfa hay you may already feed to your cow as bales or pellets).

Alpamin is fed once or twice per day mixed with soaked beet pulp. Soak the beet pulp first, and ad Alpamin just before feeding. The resulting mash is ideal to feed in the stanchion during milking, or to tie youngsters for training and gentling. It provides your cow with a source of Calcium, Phosphorus, and Potassium often lacking in hay, as well as a source of Beta-carotene (pre-Vitamin A), Vitamin D, Vitamin E, B Vitamins, and amino acids to feed rumen flora, as well as botanical source trace minerals.

A feeding regiment of hay and pasture, beet pulp, Alpamin, trace mineral fortified salt lick, and water is all your cow needs after weaning for growth, maintenance, reproduction, and lactation. Your family cow does not needs any grain, or a commercial dairy feed to give you all your family will need in milk and meat. Grain and commercial dairy feed are often made with GMO grain and soy, and frequently fortified with animal products and growth stimulating antibiotics.  Grain also disturbs the naturally alkaline rumen pH, and  feeding supplemental grain is completely counter productive, as your cow may either not digest the grain at all, or her rumen flora is killed off by the lowered rumen pH resulting from feeding grain. Alpamin supports proper growth in your dairy heifers, a strong lactation in your cows, and lean muscle development in your steers – naturally!