Archive for the ‘News & Updates’ Category

Prepare For Freezing Weather With Products From J&N

Sunday, January 1st, 2023

prepare for freezing weather

Prepare for freezing weather with frost cloth, heat lamps, pipe wraps, deicers, pine shavings, and MORE at J&N Feed and Seed.

With freezing temperatures fast approaching, don’t be caught off guard. J&N Feed and Seed is your one-stop-shop for freeze protection this winter.  We carry a variety of products that will protect your pipes, landscaping, stock tanks, and even bird feeders from the threat of a freeze.

  • Ice & Snow Melt by Zero Ice Melt –  An effective and proven ice melter that will beat any other products on the market.
  • Portable Heaters by Mr. Heater – Heat a small space our your entire garage or workshop. We’ve got a size to fit your needs.
  • Pipe Wraps and Faucet Covers – Wrap pipes nearest exterior walls and in crawl spaces with pipe insulation or heating tape to protect exposed pipes and faucets.  Perfect to wrap exposed pool equipment!
  • Pipe Heating Cables-heating Cable prevents frozen water pipes to –50ºF. Wrap exposed pipes and faucets to protect against freezing pipes.
  • Heat Lamps & Bulbs– use anywhere to provide extra warmth.
  • Stock Tank & Bucket Deicers– keep your stock tank from freezing.  We carry floating and sinking deicers.
  • Pet Bowl & Bird Bath Deicers – Make sure water freshwater is available for our outdoor pets and wild birds during the freezing winter months.
  • Pine Shavings – keep your outdoor animals warm with warm, dry shavings.
  • Frost Cloth & Burlap  – protect your delicate landscaping and tropical trees. We’ve got traditional brown and camo burlap.
  • Frost Blankets – protect your tender garden and landscaping vegetation.

Stop by J&N Feed and Seed and let us help you be ready for the cold weather ahead! A little preparation now can save you time and money with the weather dips below 32 degrees!

Feed AntlerMax Deer 20 During Antler Growth Season

Sunday, January 1st, 2023

Deer with antlers eating from a deer plotFeed AntlerMax Deer 20 with Climate Guard during antler growth season. So much of what we do in the care and feeding of deer pass relatively unnoticed in the short term. But antler growth season is when “instant gratification” seekers can practically see results occur right before their eyes.

Growing at a rate of half an inch per day, antlers are some of the fastest growing tissues in the animal kingdom. That’s why it’s essential that deer consume the most nutritious diet of the year during antler growth season. Unfortunately, this is also the time when forage quality is typically low. However, there are things you can do to compensate.

Good Health

As winter comes to an end, breeding season is officially over, testosterone levels drop and bucks begin shedding their antlers. Usually, within a month, they’ll start growing their next set.

If the required nutrients are in short supply during the antler growth period, several things can happen—none of them good:

  • Antler growth rate can slow down. There’s only a small window of opportunity for antler growth (about 120 days a year), and an antler growing at the rate of 15 grams per day is obviously going to be smaller than one growing by 25 grams per day
  • Less dense antlers are more subject to breakage in rut fights
  • Desirable characteristics that affect Boone & Crockett Score, such as antler mass (volume and weight), number of points and beam circumference are negatively impacted by poor nutrition.

Growing a new set of antlers places huge demands on a buck’s body. Since a buck cannot eat enough in a day to mineralize his antlers, his body is forced to extract minerals from his ribs, sternum, and skull and deposit them in the antlers. As a result, his bone density may actually be diminished by as much as 30 percent. So not only does a buck have to grow antlers, he has to replenish the minerals in his bones in order to be able to do the same thing again next year. (This is why mineral nutrition is so critical even after antlers are finished growing.)

Hardened antlers are high in minerals, mostly calcium (about 20 percent) and phosphorus (about 10 percent), in addition to a lot of trace minerals such as zinc, copper, and manganese. Phosphorus, which is commonly deficient in many soils and plants throughout the US, is particularly critical. And what many people do not realize is that, even after they harden, antlers are still over 35% protein.

purina antler max-https://www.jandnfeedandseed.comGood Nutrition

Because antler growth is low on the priority list of functions required to sustain life, antlers only receive “what’s left” of nutrients after life-sustaining needs have been met. In other words, deer will not even begin to grow antlers until they’ve regained body condition (This is why a year-round feeding program gives you such a distinct advantage.)

So what can you do to ensure the best possible outcome during the antler growth period? From now through August, try feeding a diet that is formulated especially for optimal growth, density, and strength. A good option is Purina Mills® AntlerMax® Deer 20 product. This pelleted ration is 20-percent protein, highly palatable and should be fed free-choice to wild deer with access to good habitat or quality hay. Formulated with patented AntlerMax® Technology, it’s one of the most critical steps you can take right now to help deer attain their full potential—and satisfy your need for “instant gratification.”

Find out more about AntlerMax products here.

Tips For Planting Seed Potatoes

Thursday, December 29th, 2022

Tips for planting seed potatoes from J&N Feed and Seed in Graham, Texas.Onion sets and seed potatoes arrive mid-January at J&N Feed and Seed. Planting seed potatoes and onions are at the top of everyone’s gardening list this time of year. As everyone in North Texas knows, our late January and February weather can be a gamble— temps can be spring-like one day and fall below freezing the next.  But, the weather extremes should not deter gardeners from planting during these months.  Potatoes are top of the list for planting this time of year.

Other good go-to cold weather vegetables are root produce such as turnips, beets, and carrots as well as hardy leafy greens like spinach, cabbage, kale, and chard. Bulb veggies (onions and garlic), as well as asparagus crowns, can also be planted at this time.

Preparing and Planting Potatoes 

When purchasing seed potatoes, look for certified seed potatoes. These are seeding potatoes that have not been treated with growth retardants to prevent sprouting. Conventional potatoes in grocery markets are typically treated with retardants.

After you have planned and prepared a garden spot with well-drained, loose soil, the seed potatoes can be prepped for planting:

Cut each seed potato into quarters (sulfur dust can be applied to the fresh cut ends) and let the potato quarters set out overnight or longer until cut sides callus over.  Seed potato quarters are then ready to plant— for a good rule of thumb, potato quarters should be planted 3” to 4” deep and spaced 12” to 15” apart. To provide plants plenty of growing room, make sure rows are spaced 24” to 36” apart.

Caring for Potato Plants

Potatoes need consistent moisture, so water regularly when tubers start to form.  Before the potato plants bloom, hilling should be done when the plant is about 6 inches tall. Hoe the dirt up around the base of the plant in order to cover the root as well as to support the plant. Bury the plant base in loose soil. Hilling will keep the potato plants from getting sunburned, in which case they turn green and will taste bitter.  You will need to hill potatoes every couple of weeks to protect your crop.

When the potato plants have bloomed, new potatoes are ready for harvest.  For larger potatoes, harvest only after plant tops has fallen over. For more information on planting seed potatoes, visit the Texas A&M website.

Other Cool Weather Vegetable Plantings

Lettuce, spinach, and cabbage can be planted at this time either by seeds or plant starts. For reference, these vegetables can be planted in February with seed or starter plants.

Stop by J&N for your seed potatoes, onion sets, and other cool-weather vegetables.

Traeger Holiday Sale

Sunday, December 11th, 2022

Traeger Holiday Sale at J&N Feed Traditions are better with Traeger, so add some wood-fired flavor to your holiday season with big savings on
Traeger grills and consumables. From 11/16 through 12/24, you can score up to $200 off some of Traeger’s biggest and baddest grills, plus score deals on other select grills and essentials. Shop J&N Feed, Texas BEST Traeger Dealer.

$150 Off Pro 780

$200 Off Pro 575

$100 Off Pro 22 & Pro 34

$2 Off Pellets, Rubs, & Sauces

Why Are Protein and Fat Critical to Cattle Nutrition?

Wednesday, December 7th, 2022

Protein and Fat Critical to Cattle Nutrition. Cow in field.Protein is a vital nutrient for maintenance, growth, health, reproduction and lactation in cattle. Protein supplies the microbes in the gut, or rumen bugs, the ammonia and nitrogen sources they need to function. These microbes ferment feed to make Volatile Fatty Acids (VFAs) and Microbial Cell Protein (MCP), which are responsible for digestion.

When cattle aren’t getting enough protein, microbial activity decreases, causing a lower rate of digestion. Decreased digestion results in less nutrition available for absorption by the animal. While these effects are internal, you would observe the consequences of protein deficiency in the growth of your cattle.

Fat supports cow body condition and reproduction. Research suggests that the addition of limited fat supplements to beef cattle diets before breeding enhances reproduction by reducing the anestrus period after calving, as well as increasing the number of follicles formed on the ovary of the cow.1

How much is needed? Like with most cattle questions, it depends.

With protein, anything less than 8% crude protein in your forages is not enough to feed the rumen microbes for optimal performance. When forage quantity and quality begin to decline, you should start thinking about supplementation to bridge that gap. The amount of supplemental energy or fat provided will depend on current body condition, other feed resources available and target production goals for that animal or herd.

There are several factors to consider when determining the supplemental nutrition needs of your cattle:

  • Forage quality & quantity: As pastures move from a vegetative state to a reproductive or dormant state, the nutritional value decreases. Vegetative forage will provide the most protein (10-18%), transitional forage will provide 6-9% crude protein and dormant forage will provide the poorest quality nutrition with typically less than 5% crude protein. Protein supplementation can help support rumen bug population and forage utilization in these transitional periods.
  • Body Condition Score (BCS) and Production Phase: BCS can indicate how your nutrition program is working. You don’t want to wait until your herd’s average BCS drops and have to play catch up, especially in key production phases like breeding, late gestation and lactation. Consistent monitoring can tell you when supplementation is needed.
  • Age: Younger, developing cattle that are still growing will have a higher maintenance requirement than mature cattle.

Purina® Accuration® Hi-Fat blocksThe goal of any protein and fat supplement like Purina® Accuration® Hi-Fat blocks and RangeLand® tubs is to support the returns of producers by enhancing forage intake and supporting better utilization of forages to meet needs of cows. Products like these are great options for protein and fat supplementation for your herd because they are designed to enhance the use of forages, not replace them.

Graham Holiday Shopping Spree – Shop Local This Season

Sunday, November 20th, 2022

Shop Graham Holiday SpreeThe annual Graham Holiday Shopping Spree event is almost here!

Have you heard of this great program called the Holiday Shopping Spree right here in Graham?   Sponsored by the Graham Chamber of Commerce and Shop Graham First, Holiday Shopping Spree encourages patronage to local stores and businesses in Graham. This year the shopping spree kicks off on Friday, November 25th and runs through Friday,  December 16th at 5:00 pm.

. Lots of prizes are up for grabs, so fill out those cards!

J&N Feed & Seed is a participating retailer.  Stop by and pick up your shopping spree card today and start shopping locally in Graham, Texas!

J&N Feed and Seed is a proud member of the Graham Chamber of Commerce and a proud participant of the Annual Shop Graham First Holiday Shopping Spree. Shop local this holiday season and help keep sales tax dollars right here in our great community. For more information, call the Graham Chamber of Commerce at 940-549-3355.

 

 

Beyond The Bag

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Beyond The Bag. Cows in field.For more than a century, Purina has built connections with producers based on the goal of bringing out the best in every animal. During that time, a wide range of tools and services have been put together to help customers identify challenges. This enables them to better find solutions in many different areas of their operations.

To be successful with these tools, our team aims to thoroughly understand the ins and outs of your operation and its goals. We’re invested in your well-being and take pride in helping you meet your goals. That’s why our partnership with producers goes far beyond what’s in the feed bag.

Something for everyone

Adding value to your herd starts with thorough management. Each operation is unique – what works for one might not work for another. Our tools and services can help identify areas to emphasize on the farm or ranch to push your herd further.

A few of our favorite tools and services include:

  • Proof Pays: With the help of a local Purina expert, producers can conduct a feeding trial with Purina products on their own operation with their cattle to show the value of quality nutrition. Proof Pays trials are open to herds with 100 head or more. Trials can last between 28 to 90 days, depending on the trial type. The local Purina Team will oversee the trial, collecting pertinent information and helping producers analyze results.
  • Purina Beyond the Bag. Wind and Rain Mineral Products.Feed Greatness® Challenge: Producers of all herd sizes can participate in a 90-day trial with Purina® Wind and Rain® mineral. Throughout this trial, the producer collects information on mineral consumption, pasture conditions, and other important factors. At the end, Purina will give you the tools to interpret your results so you can make the right choice for your herd.
  • Purina® Plus value-added program: Purina® Plus is a marketing program for producers striving to raise low-risk, high-value cattle. Utilizing industry-leading and research-proven health practices and Purina’s line of starter feeds, producers can work with their local team to position their cattle to buyers interested in investing in quality cattle.
  • Purina Fly Monitor™ App: Launched this year. Your local Purina® representative can use this app to estimate the number of flies impacting a cow herd. Then they can accurately sort cows into fly count categories. Producers can work with their local expert to design an integrated pest management plan, utilizing the consistent consumption of Wind and Rain® mineral with Altosid®, to minimize the impact of fly populations.

As with our feeds, each of our tools and services are strengthened by our continuous research at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, Missouri. The commercial cow herd and Ph.D. researchers and nutritionists at Purina stand behind everything that we do.

Gate side advice

These are just a few examples of some of the tools that Purina representatives utilize when working with producers. Among these, there are many other services that they can offer an operation through an on-farm consultation.

One of the simplest, yet most impactful, ways a Purina representative can help you is by conducting body condition scores (BCS) of your herd. This can be done three to four times per year. Having an accurate assessment of the herd’s average BCS can be critical to accomplishing goals. Once a baseline is established, recommendations can be made. Then strategies implemented to ensure cows are set up for future success.

The relationship between producers and Purina is more than products. We’re invested in helping make improvements with producers to meet you where your herd needs are and help you reach your goals. When you succeed, we succeed.

Holiday Savings on Traeger Grills

Wednesday, November 16th, 2022

Traeger Holiday Sale 2022Traditions are better with Traeger, so add some wood-fired flavor to your holiday season with big savings on Traeger grills and essentials, including savings on Traeger Pro Series and Ironwood grills. Just be sure to hurry because these deals go up in smoke on 12/24.

$200 Ironwood 885 & 650

$150 Off Pro 780

$200 Off Pro 575

$100 Off Pro 22 & Pro 34

$2 Off Pellets, Rubs, & Sauces

Queen Bedding Products

Wednesday, November 2nd, 2022

Queen Bedding productsJ&N Feed offers Queen Bedding Products. Queen provides clean, consistent quality products. We offer two types, Easy Sift pine bedding, and Pine Pellets.

Easy Sift shavings are virtually dust-free, absorbent shavings that allow you to clean your stalls quickly. Easy Sift bag size: expanded 5.51 cu ft, 2.2 cu ft compressed.

Pine Pellets are 100% pine packed into dense pellets. High absorbency and naturally odor-neutralizing. Just wet the product to create a soft, virtually dust-free footing. Pellet bag size: 40lbs.

Shop J&N Feed & Seed in Graham, Texas for quality Queen bedding products.

 

 

 

The True Cost of Cheap Minerals

Tuesday, November 1st, 2022

cattle eating minerals from a tubQuality mineral supplements are an investment in the overall performance of your herd.

Balance and bioavailability

Balance is key when it comes to minerals; more is not always better when choosing a supplement. Minerals compete for absorption when digested in the small intestine. If cattle consume too much of one mineral, it could prevent absorption of other minerals, eliminating benefits to the animal and wasting the money you invested in a mineral supplement.

When selecting a mineral supplement, be sure to consider the ingredients’ bioavailability. Bioavailability refers to the percentage of mineral cattle can absorb or use. Some mineral supplements may contain sufficient levels of the required minerals, but not in a form capable of being utilized by cattle. In many situations, these ingredients are used because they are cheaper, even if they provide little or no nutrition to your herd. Generally speaking, organic minerals are more bioavailable and provide enhanced gut absorption

Not all minerals are created equal

With input costs rising, you may be looking for a lower-cost alternative to a complete mineral program by choosing a trace mineral block. While trace mineral blocks have a lower price tag than a complete mineral supplement, it’s important to be aware of the tradeoff you might be taking with this type of product.

First, trace mineral blocks don’t contain the macro minerals essential to cattle production, like phosphorus, potassium, calcium and magnesium. Additionally, trace mineral blocks are often virtually all salt. A block may be 96-99% salt, depending on the product. Due to the high salt content, cattle can’t consume enough of the block to meet their trace mineral requirements.

Aside from intake, trace mineral blocks tend to utilize less bioavailable ingredients to keep cost low. Meaning, not only is mineral content diluted by salt, but the form of the mineral is virtually unavailable for absorption, both of which can compromise animal performance.

Often, a simple snapshot of your herd doesn’t reveal how much a cheap mineral supplement can really cost you. Minerals are the precursors to cattle performance, facilitating every process in the body. High-quality mineral influences high-quality performance. Production traits such as fertility, disease resistance, feed intake and muscle development depend on proper minerals in cattle’s diet.

Get the most bang for your buck

Getting the most impact from your investment is a top priority for any cattle operation. One way to ensure your mineral supplement is working efficiently and effectively for your herd is to track consumption rates. Your Purina® representative can walk you through how to track consumption in your herd. Most Purina® minerals are formulated for four ounces of consumption per cow per day.

Once you know consumption rate, you can help alter mineral intake levels by moving mineral feeders. When feeders sit close to areas where cattle spend most of their time, they can consume more than the target amount out of boredom. If cattle consume too much of a mineral supplement, move feeders away from water sources and loafing areas. If consumption is below target, move feeders closer to these areas, or provide additional feeders to allow more access for cattle.

The domino effect

Poor mineral nutrition can contribute to poor cattle performance. Mineral deficiencies can lead to a cascade of events such as more open cows, higher sickness rates, more spread-out calving season and lower weaning weights. If these conditions are allowed to domino and compound, they can lead to a loss of profit on your operation.

Talk to us about what a complete mineral program should look like for your herd.