The clinical signs of grass tetany and milk fever are often similar, and probably the triggering mechanisms are also similar. Without exception, most researchers have observed that clinical signs of grass tetany rarely occur unless affected animals are high producing and being fed a ration high, or excessive, in protein which includes non-protein nitrogenous compounds.

A comparison of the health of feedlot animals fed a forage diet and feed components raised on the Growers Program, to the health of animals raised on the high energy and high fertility approach of the establishment.

Research on a respected dairy operation in eastern Pennsylvania. They agreed to split their 40 cow milking herd, using the Growers Mineral Solutions (GMS) as a mineral supplement on one half and continuing with their commercial mineral on the other half. The data shows the herd using GMS had much lower manure phosphorus levels, and it was achieved while holding same or higher levels of phosphorus in the blood stream. Includes data taken from the farm's DHIA record sheets during the comparison trial.

Grass tetany affects high producing cattle and other herbivores being fed rations excessive in protein. A common factor is excessive nitrogen fertilization of pastures. Adequate dietary sodium not only protects against nitrate toxicity, but also aids in the prevention of grass tetany, and other metabolic and reproductive disorders in herbivores.

Calcium has four basic functions in the soil which help to create better soil structure and healthy plants.

The Kansas and Indiana studies found glyphosate resistant soybeans to be vulnerable to manganese deficiencies while non resistant varieties are not.

As we start another season of foliar feeding it is important to remind you about water quality and its effect on Growers Nutritional Solutions 10-20-10 (GNS 10-20-10). The number one factor to be concerned with is the calcium and magnesium hardness of the water.

This spring we have been receiving many calls on mixing Growers Nutritional Solutions 10-20-10 with Roundup ® Ultra for Roundup Ready ® soybeans. Because this will be the third year some customers will be mixing GNS 10-20-10 with the popular post emergence herbicide we can pass on information learned from experience.

Amos tells us he also uses Growers Nutritional Additive as part of his regular spray protocol, and like many of our other vegetable producers, is seeing increased production and other good things.

Two of our Growers sales representatives have used a fairly new lab test and calculation to determine the quality of feed produced using the theories of the Growers Program. Head to head, with all variables equal except the fertility, one dairy farmer was estimated to be able to produce $233.10 in additional value per acre using the Growers Program.

We want to discuss our contention that the 1.2 Rule, now being questioned by Blackmer but still followed by the agricultural establishment, is too high. (The 1.2 Rule says that you should apply 1.2 pounds of nitrogen for every bushel of corn you wish to grow.)

In an issue of the Minnesota Farm Guide an article entitled "Foliar Fertilizer Feeding Leaves Plants Feeling Full" discussed the idea of using foliar feeding as an accepted agricultural practice.

December 2008, Drs Mulvaney and Khan of the University of Illinois presented at our Growers Sales meeting. They spoke about experiments showing the ineffectiveness of past university methods of determining rates of fertilization. Below are some articles our readers may appreciate.

Since 1955 Growers Mineral Solutions (GMS) has helped farmers increase their profit by raising high quality crops with lower overall costs in a large part by using GMS to foliar feed nutrients to plants.