Lower block & lick costs in dry times

Hot and dry conditions in many regions of Australia means many livestock producers are turning to traditional supplements like blocks and lick for what could be a lengthy period, while battling with lower livestock prices.

In these dry periods, the cumulative costs of traditional supplementation, labour, transport, and time will be significant.

Beachport Liquid Minerals offers a proven solution to helping producers take livestock through dry times.

Owner and founder of Beachport, Kym Sutherland, says with the forecasts for the next eight months or so looking “pretty ordinary”, being proactive with the hard decisions to be made is key to managing your livestock.

“We are hearing from clients from Dubbo up into Queensland and even western South Australia that the season has gotten very tight,” Kym says. “It’s getting harder to source blocks and lick. The cost of blocks and licks and the fall in livestock prices is causing budgeting pressure already for livestock producers.”

Lower lick consumption and save big $s

Kym says that some Beachport clients have been able to drop their lick consumption by as much as 50-60% by using White Cap, every six weeks, as part of their rotation.

“With lick being so expensive, if you can drop your lick costs by even 40-50%, that’s a huge saving,” he says.

“We’re not saying that producers won’t ever need to use lick again, but using Beachport in your rotation can mean a later start with it.”

Forget supply chain delays

Beachport is hearing from some stores that blocks and lick are on back order. In some cases, orders won’t arrive for another couple of months.

Beachport has 13 warehouses across the country, meaning products can get to where they need to go, fast. All products are made, packed, and labelled in Mount Gambier, South Australia.

Save on labour – no daily dosing

“If you’re not having to daily dose, this amounts to a huge saving in labour,” Kym says. “It frees up time to focus on other areas in the business. Beachport can be administered on a water run, once every six weeks.”

Reduce your environmental impact

With Beachport, 1000 litres can dose 20,000 head of cattle for six weeks. One IBC can go on the back of the ute, whereas it takes six semi-trailers to transport the equivalent amount of supplementation in blocks and lick.

“So not only are you saving on the product itself, but you are also saving on transport costs and emissions as well,” Kym says.

Competitively priced and value for money

At around 0.03 cents a day for a cow/calf unit ($1.19 for a 50ml dose that lasts six weeks) or 0.01 cents a day for a ewe/lamb unit (0.24c for a 10ml dose that lasts six weeks), Beachport is one of the most cost effective livestock supplement options on the market.

Whether it be wet season or dry season, Beachport’s White Cap can be used year-round. This product was developed in The Kimberley, the Northern Territory and the Gulf Country, specifically for phosphorus deficient regions.

“Our White Cap has higher phosphorus in it, higher sulphur and more natural calcium along with all your major trace elements and amino acids,” Kym says.

“Beachport is absorbed via the small intestine and into the bloodstream – it works just like an injection. We’re getting those trace elements and amino acids straight into the bloodstream, where they last six weeks.

“In a tough season, supplementation is absolutely imperative. Using Beachport can help to lower costs and keep your core number of livestock if it gets really tough.”

Contact our team to find out how Beachport Liquid Minerals can help as part of your program.