Openness, an expert team and a willingness to help farmers solve problems have brought a lot of success to Debbie Torgerson and Lake Country Co-op — particularly when it comes to calf feed sales.
Torgerson has been managing the feed department at Spiritwood’s Lake Country Co-op for several years. Having lived most of her life locally, she is very familiar with the challenges faced by local farmers and producers. Ensuring calves get off to a good start is a perennial task that Torgerson and her colleagues support by providing specialized feed products.
Co-op’s Dairy Calf Starters and Complete Calf Rations (CCR1) are gaining popularity through the Spiritwood retail location. The products are designed specifically for young dairy calves and made from high-quality ingredients, offering palatable flavourings and ease of use. The CCR1 product was developed and researched through the Co-operative Research Farms, and its performance is supported through on-farm commercial trials.
The CCR1 pellet also offers some unique characteristics. “It has a fly control, and the calves will start eating it instantly,” said Torgerson. Unlike other dairy calf starters which incorporate liquid molasses, CCR1 uses molasses flavouring to promote feed intake while simultaneously reducing the number of flies attracted to the product. According to Torgerson, the success of this product is largely attributed to its impressive nutritional profile and versatility.
“People order and reorder it frequently. They’re obviously liking it,” she said.
The ability to address diverse production needs is critical for the Spiritwood Co-op, and something Torgerson said has spurred them to expand the feeds they offer. They try to have a bit of everything to make it easier for the area’s farmers to find what they need.
In addition to offering feed products, Torgerson and her colleagues work directly with customers when they face unexpected challenges.
“I’m not scared to say I need help, or scared to send customers on to someone with more education when they have a problem,” said Torgerson, specifically mentioning Feed Team member and animal health expert, Candice Armstrong, as a go-to source.
“Nothing is possible without the help of my fellow Lake Country Co-op employees. I lean on them lots,” said Torgerson. “For instance, I had a guy come in last year who was losing cattle on other feed he had purchased [further south]. There was some kind of issue with it. Candice and I went together and figured out what was going on right away.”
According to Torgerson, the entire team at Lake Country Co-op strives to anticipate customer needs, in and out of the production season. “We try to have everything they will need on hand early in the year. Starter, ear tags, medicine… whatever they need to operate.”
Give your calves the best possible start. Get in touch with your local Co-op Feed Team members to learn more about the feed and feed additive options offered.