As the world of raising and caring for farm animals evolves to meet a fresh swath of opportunities for 2019 and beyond, one of the most promising areas of innovation helping to lead the way is feed and nutrition.

A team with a front-row seat to many of the latest advancements is Country Junction Feeds, based in Wetaskiwin, Alberta, which serves customers across Alberta, Canada and into the U.S., specializing in quality bulk and bagged feeds for beef, dairy, equine, poultry, swine, goat, lamb, certified organic feeds and more.

“Times of change are also times of opportunity,” says Darrel Kimmel, Manager of Country Junction Feeds. “In our industry, many farm and ranch customers are taking a fresh look at the toolbox of options they have available to meet the new expectations and get the best results. It’s a great time to do that not only because of the developments and trends that are taking hold, but also because the knowledge and options we have today have never greater.”

Feed and nutrition has always been the foundation of health, performance and results. Today it’s also an area where the science, knowledge, sophistication and capability is reaching a new level. Arguably, it has never been more important as a focus for tailored strategies to support the full range of health, performance and sustainability requirements.

Here are perspectives on some of the key trends and developments underway, from the Country Junction Feeds team:

Pace of innovation enters the fast lane

“Advances in feed and nutrition approaches have always moved at a steady rate, but today, both the pace of innovation and the interest in this area is spiking much higher than ever before. The bottom line for farmers and ranchers is more choice, better options and more opportunities to get more value out of feed to greatly strengthen their results.”

- Darrell Kimmel, manager of Country Junction Feeds

New era with stronger nutrition focus

“We’re entering a new era, with a new mindset about how best to support the performance of farm animals, whether they are food production animals or working farm animals. Artificial inputs, over-reliance on antimicrobials — these types of approaches are on the way out. There’s a lot more focus on high quality diets, top quality feed and the use of improved nutrition strategies and supplements to get the most feed value and benefits possible, while reducing waste and environmental impact. Whether the priority is animal health, productivity, efficiency or animal care, the future is all about a much stronger focus on feed”

- Bernie Grumpelt, nutritionist with Country Junction Feeds

Great time to consider fresh options

“As a farmer or rancher, taking a closer look at your feed and nutrition approaches for your animals is one of the simplest and most effective things you can do to make quick, big improvements. Feed impacts everything. Today we have more knowledge and options to maximize the benefits. Every year now there are new and improved options coming on stream that are worth taking the time to consider. An investment in the right feed approach can be the best investment you make for your operation. Getting the right advice is also critical — nutrition expertise, experience and local knowledge all comes in to play to find the right fit for your farm. With recent developments such as new rules restricting antimicrobial use, there has never been a better time to update nutrition strategies and take advantage of the new options.””

- Dave Gibson, Canadian sales manager with Country Junction Feeds

Opportunities for nutrition-based innovation never greater

"The opportunities for nutrition- based innovation have never been greater. For us it always comes back to the specific customers we are supporting. Livestock producers have a lot on their plates. They have a lot of requirements and demands to deal with. They need the right feed, in the right program, to get the best results. We view ourselves as an extension of their team to help their animals and their operations achieve their full potential. There are more details and considerations involved today. But we also have greater capability to get it right. The payoff is that much higher because of the growing importance of feed and nutrition as a factors in management, economics and marketing – everything that contributes to the ultimate success of the operations.”

- Dr. Nancy Fischer, nutritionist with Country Junction Feeds