Grober Nutrition

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Grober Nutrition is pleased to inform the market that all Grober Milk Replacers now contain organic selenium.

After careful review of the scientific literature, Grober Nutrition has replaced its inorganic selenium source with the Alltech® product Sel-Plex®.

Sel Plex logoSel-Plex® is an organic form of selenium that contains selenomethionine, selenocysteine and several other selenoproteins.

Compared to its inorganic form, organic selenium is readily available to the animal for the synthesis of various enzymes and proteins within the body. Organic selenium is absorbed as a protein by the small intestine through active transport.

Selenium is an important micro nutrient in a number of physiological functions including immune function and reproduction.

Grober Nutrition (Cambridge, Ontario), the leader in young animal nutrition and Förster-Technik (Engen, Germany), the world’s largest manufacturer of automatic calf feeders announce a technical partnership.

left to right
Mike Fortuna (CFO, Grober Nutrition), Thomas Förster (CEO/Managing Director, Förster Technik), Jan Ziemerink (Manager of Automation Services, Grober Nutrition), Markus Förster (CEO/Managing Director, Finance), Markus Kack (Research & Development, Förster Technik), Heather Copland (Marketing & Communications Manager, Grober Nutrition), Jerry Bartelse (CEO/President, Grober Nutrition)
Effective April 1, 2008, Grober Nutrition and Förster-Technik will be working in collaboration to support and promote the use of automatic calf feeders to the Canadian dairy farmer.

Grober’s farming division (Delft Blue Farms) was the first North American farm to utilize the Specialist heavy-duty calf feeder from Förster. Grober and Förster have continued to work together closely over the past 10 years.
While Förster is the world’s largest manufacturer of automatic calf feeders, the North American market place is only recently fully-realizing the value that automation plays at the dairy farm.

Grober will serve as Förster-Technik’s North American anchor for technical expertise. Grober’s 30-plus years’ experience in formulating outstanding milk replacers combined with their expertise in raising over 200,000 calves/year will provide the market with a needed-resource to support and promote the use of automatic calf feeders.

“Certainly, our vast experience using the Förster automatic calf feeders, and designing milk replacer formulas that operate optimally through these machines, has provided us with a unique experience to combine nutrition, expertise in calf  husbandry, and technical advice to the marketplace.” says Jerry Bartelse, President and owner of Grober Nutrition.
Thomas Förster, CEO and Managing Director, agrees. “Grober has a long and proven track record in group housing for calves, a system state-of-the-art in Europe but not yet across North America. Also we are sure that the dairy farmer will be successful with Grober’s milk replacer in our calf feeders to save labor and have faster growing animals. Together with Grober’s practical support in Canada this is a win-win situation for everyone.”

Grober Nutrition will support the leading suppliers of milking equipment (DeLaval, WestfaliaSurge, Lely) who distribute, sell and service the Förster-Technik automatic calf feeders. Grober will also provide support to the dairy nutrition companies for whom they make private label milk replacer. Grober will provide feeding schedules, advice on machine-housing as well as training on machine operation. Grober will also support operation, calibration, and function of machines at the dairy farm level through the equipment companies and Grober’s dairy nutrition customers. Sales, service and installation will remain under the milking equipment company’s responsibility.

With advancements in technology come opportunities. And while the Förster-Technik machines are user-friendly, technical and value-added support must be available.

Jan Ziemerink, Manager of Automation Services, Grober Inc., will be the contact for the Grober/Förster partnership. He can be reached at jziemerink@grober.com  or 519-622-2500 x 315 (office), 519-239-9756 (cell)
For more information pertaining to this News Release, please contact:
Contact: Heather Copland
Marketing & Communications Manager
Grober Nutrition
Tel: 800-265-7863 x 240
Email: hcopland@grober.com

Striking a partnership with the Grober team are: (from L-R) Piet Zeeman, Yves Barbet, Pascal Bouilly (kneeling), Jerry Bartelse (President), Heather Copland (Marketing & Communications Manager), Jordon Underhill of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show (kneeling), André Roy (Director of Technical Services), Grant Gould (Director of Sales), Jurian Bartelse, and Doug Wagner of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show.WOODSTOCK, ON – “This is a unique opportunity to springboard to the next level in the study and care of young animals,” said Heather Copland at the official announcement of Grober Nutrition’s plan to establish a Young Animal Development Centre on the grounds of Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show at Woodstock, ON.

Copland, Grober’s Marketing Manager said the new centre will both complement and expand the company’s more than 30 years of experience in improving the growth and nutrition parameters for young animals.

“Partnering with Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show permits us to showcase the feeding programs and the housing systems that are so important to the health and growth of young animals,” she said.

The multi-year agreement between Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show and Grober Nutrition was described by Jordon Underhill, the Show’s General Manager, as “another step in the evolution of our Show and our commitment to be at the forefront of ag technology whether it be crops, livestock or machinery.” Underhill said the Young Animal Development Centre will provide livestock producers with an opportunity to see the practical application of world-leading innovation in the feeding and handling of young stock.

At the 2008 Show, attendees will be able to view the pre-existing structure and conceptual layout of the Grober Centre. Beginning in 2009, with all renovations completed, visitors to Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show will see feeding and housing trials in progress as well as results from previous groups of young animals reared in the facility.

The Young Animal Development Centre will enable Grober Nutrition to expand its development of milk replacers and other young animal nutrition products for the livestock industry.

“With this additional space, we look forward to doing more work with dairy goats and milking sheep, as well as our industry-recognized milk replacers for dairy calves,” said Andre Roy, Director of Technical Services at Grober. Roy said there will be two sets of trials for young stock in the barn each year – the first group to enter the facility in early spring and move out by mid-summer; the second group to follow in the summer and finish by mid-fall.

Grober Nutrition anticipates developing partnerships with other industry stakeholders as part of the feeding and housing trials planned for the new facility. “The Young Animal Development Centre brings a new opportunity for partnerships with universities, as well as nutrition and equipment suppliers,” said Grant Gould, Grober’s Director of Sales. “We intend to look for partners,” he said, noting that Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show and the new Centre are located in the heart of Ontario’s dairy industry. “The spring to fall operation of the barn will provide opportunities for co-op students and researchers as we develop products and programs focused on the health and care of young animals,” Gould stated.

Representatives from Grober Nutrition, which is headquartered in Cambridge, will be available to answer questions in the new Cover-All facility from September 9th to 11th.

Canada’s Outdoor Farm Show will be held September 9, 10 & 11, 2008 at Canada’s Outdoor Park in Woodstock, ON. Visit www.CanadasOutdoorPark.com for details.