McIver's Happy Acres Farm
Scott McIver was our highlighted customer for the January 2011 customer conference call. He tells about using GMS with his registered Polled Hereford and Saler cattle. He also gives some tips on grazing alfalfa and what happens when they have to buy hay.
Scott McIver is a second generation Growers customer. His father, David, started with the Growers company in the 1970's. They run a registered Polled Hereford and Saler cow calf operation in west central Minnesota.
"The farm has been in the family for 130 years. We run 225-250 cows and have been in rotational grazing since the late 70's. That really helps a lot with the pasture and the quality of grass.
"With Growers, you just have to prove to yourself that it works. Cut a field in half and go with the Growers Program on half of it and see what it does Convince yourself.
"We use the product (GMS) on the crops. We cut 150-200 acres of corn for silage... Basically, we grow the feed that we need. Growers works the best if it is in the feed that you are feeding. When we feed in the wintertime, we put two ounces per animal in the ration.
"Growers helps the animals - conception rates have gone way up. The hair coats have a shine. Cows clean after they calve... Movers and shakers out of both breeds can't believe the gain we get.
David and Maryln McIver (left) of Happy Acres Farm, bred and raised the heifer who garnered the Reserve Champion Junior Heifer at both the Junior Salers Show and the National Salers Heifer show at the National Western Stock Show in Denver, mid January 2011.
The heifer also won the Grand Champion Salers Junior Futurity Champion and also the Reserve Grand Champion in the Salers Open Show at the American Royal in the fall of 2010.
