Ruminants have a more complex digestive system and need quality nutrition. Excel R8 will support your livestock’s overall health and have them ready for showing, breeding or just being a quality farm animal.

Ruminant Digestion

Cattle, goats, and sheep are ruminants. They have multiple stomachs and a unique digestive system. The four-chambered system is made up of the rumen, the reticulum, the omasum, and the abomasum.

This multichambered system has evolved to digest forages most efficiently such as grass and hay. A ruminant can efficiently break down the plant fibers and extract necessary nutrients and carbohydrates from them.

Microbes in the rumen cause the food to ferment and produce fatty acids. These fatty acids are then absorbed by the animal and become a source of energy.

Photo from University of Minnesota Extension office

Quality Forage

Your ruminant’s health depends on quality forage that is not always easy to find. Making hay is not as easy as just going out and cutting the grass.

Hay is a crop, and you want to purchase hay from a farmer who treats it as one. Hayfields should receive compost and mineral treatments to enrich the soil with nutrients. Healthy soil will produce healthy plants.

Look for hay that is free of weeds. Quality grasses in the hay may include timothy, brome, alfalfa, and bluegrass. The hay should smell fresh and clean.

Hay begins to lose vitamins as soon as it is cut and baled. Kathleen Crandell DVM states that hay loses up to 75% of its vitamin A within one month and vitamin E content within three months of storage.

Your ruminants need Vitamin E which is essential for healing wounds, fertility, muscle coordination, and a healthy heart.

Read our blog on the importance of Vitamin E in horses

Correcting Imbalances with Excel R8

Ruminants, in particular goats, need adequate selenium in their diets. Most of us in Kentucky have soil that is deficient in selenium.

Just giving a mineral supplement may not solve the problem of inadequate vitamin E says Pat Colby in Natural Goat Care.

Selenium is linked with Vitamin E so giving a good quality supplement such as R8 can help the absorption of selenium.

We carry a full line of Excel Supplements.

Mastitis and Milk Fever

Dairy animals need high levels of nutrients to produce milk, whether that milk is for production or they are feeding babies.

Mastitis and Milk Fever are common ailments that may affect dairy animals. Both are caused by an imbalance of nutrients. The simple way to look at it is that more nutrients are leaving than coming in.

Giving Excel R8 supplements can help correct these imbalances and protect your dairy animal.

Dr. Irmgard Immig found that supplemental Vitamin E was the best way to reduce the incidence of clinical and subclinical mastitis. In addition, her studies have found that a cow who has vitamin E supplements throughout pregnancy is less likely to have milk fever and other related issues.

Excel Rescue is a great product to rub on your dairy animal’s teats to keep them from chafing and heal any cuts and cracks in the skin.

Feeding Grain to Ruminants

Grain is often fed to ruminants as an added source of nutrition and energy. In addition, animals being processed for meat are often giving grains to make their muscles (our meat) more palatable.

However, feeding a diet high in grain may cause a decrease in the amount of acetic acid and an imbalance in the digestive system. This will cause your animal’s overall health to decline.

How Can Excel R8 Improve Health?

Excel R8 is an all-natural supplement derived from camelina and pumpkin seed oils. It provides an excellent source of NON-GMO Omega 3, 6, 9 and Vitamin E.

R8 is bioavailable so it’s easy for the animal to digest.
Overall whole-body health support
Supports a healthy heart and circulatory system
Promotes muscle growth and recovery from injuries
Healthy skin and shiny coat

Excel Rescue is great for wound care and rubbing on a sore udder. Check out our Excel Supplements page to learn more and purchase Excel products.

Omegas

Excel R8 contains Omega 3, 6, and 9 fatty acids. Studies in goats have found that Omega 3, alpha-linolenic acid (ALA), reduces heat stress in summer, encourages a healthy appetite, and good absorption in the intestinal tract.

In addition, Omega supplementation in sheep helps to produce lanolin and support a quality wool coat.

Champions

If you are a 4H or FFA participant, you must have a healthy animal that is free from any banned substances. Unfortunately, , in recent years we have seen many youths being disqualified for using illegal substances.

Sometimes these drugs are added to feeds or supplements. Always work with your veterinarian on a quality feeding program.

For those of you who are planning on taking a champion to the state fair. Excel Supplements are free of any prohibited substances. Just natural goodness so you are competition safe.

Why Purchase Your Supplements from Cork N Mane?

At Cork N Mane we sell Excel Supplements because we use them every day on our own animals. We see the results.

Give Susan a call if you have any questions. We are happy to help you figure out the best nutritional program for your animals.

Author, Ame Vanorio, is a freelance writer, animal lover, and the director of Fox Run Environmental Education Center.

Excel R8: Ruminants and Nutrition