History of Sowder Seed Company and Min Mix Minerals
Sowder Seed Co. and Min Mix Minerals of Toronto, Kansas were started on January 1, 1947. While the early days of the company were spent as a "certified seed grower," it very soon "evolved" into a feed dealership.
Many feed dealerships are very diversified in their interests, and service swine, horse, poultry, and cattle accounts. Sowder Seed Co. has limited its service to "cattle." By doing this, we have been able to concentrate all our efforts to helping the cattle operations in the Flint Hills of Kansas, the Osage Hills of Oklahoma and beyond become more efficient and profitable. Our clientele extends from north of I-70 through the Flint Hills and into the Osage grass country in Northern Oklahoma and into western Kansas.
Sowder Seed Co. offers its customers feed from several different feed companies. These companies "toll mill" much of our feed to our formulations and are delivered directly to the ranch in excellent trucks. Our goal is to provide feed of the highest quality, both nutritionally and physically, and to provide service that is "second to none."
Sowder Seed Co. determined some time ago that "cheap is not always best" when it comes to range cubes. Many cubes look good on the tag, yet lack the necessary nutritional value and physical characteristics to do the job for the rancher. The cubes that we sell meet all the requirements of both. These cubes are made from only the finest of ingredients, have extremely high TDN values, and good cubes coming out the bottom of the bin are insured by all-belt or air delivery trucks equipped with a "fines reclaimer." Any meal, chips, or broken cubes are returned to the plant where they are immediately deducted from your account.
The line of cattle supplements that we offer are known as "leaders in the industry." Many of our supplements insure an "exact blend of conventional protein sources and by-pass protein sources." This concept will improve gains in your cattle and makes Sowder Seed Company and Min Mix Minerals "leaders" in the cattle supplement industry.
Min Mix "Super Start" and "Quik Start" are other outstanding products in our feed line. Used to wean or start newly purchased cattle, Super Start and Quik Start has the total package of protein, fiber, vitamins, minerals, and ruminant stimulators that will help cattle start as they have never started before. The palatability of these two products will insure that cattle will line up at the bunk, eat, and keep sickness to a minimum.
Our complete line of Min Mix Minerals is widely known as the standard to which all other minerals are compared. We are very proud of our Min Mix Minerals, Pasture Grazer Minerals, and Kow Kountry Minerals. Pasture research trials conclude these minerals produce extra gains on stocker cattle while reducing foot rots, eye troubles, and overall sickness. In the "breeder" line of minerals, more cows are bred and bred earlier in the breeding season. Higher weaning weights are also of benefit to the producer.
As a cow/calf producer and involved in embryo transplanting and an intensive AI program, we have seen the benefits of a high quality mineral program. Trace minerals and vitamins are closely associated with the performance and health of livestock because of the key roles they play in growth, lactation, reproduction, skeletal development, immune system activity, and tissue repair.
Each of our minerals uses a unique combination of polysaccharide complexes and "natural ruminant bug builders" that allow cattle to grow and perform to their maximum potential. Recent university studies have concluded "that the use of certain organic trace mineral complexes in ruminant diets has increased performance (growth and milk production), carcass quality and immune cell responses compared with animals fed inorganic forms of the mineral. Trace minerals sequestered as polysaccharide complexes have the highest biological availability and also have a higher stability and solubility. These minerals also have a lack of interaction with vitamins and other ions and are effective at low levels." The polysaccharide complexes that are used in all our mineral products actually act as "bypass" trace minerals that pass through the rumen and into the small intestine. This allows the trace minerals to be easily absorbed by the villi of the small intestine and thus allowing the animal to have a higher "bioavailability" of these trace minerals.
The use of "natural ruminant bug builders" are included in all Min Mix Mineral products. These products, a yeast culture, a dried aspergillus meal fermentation soluble and a dried streptomyces meal fermentation soluble, help provide maximum digestion of all feedstuffs that pass through the rumen. In addition, these products help keep the rumen activate and build "good bacteria" that also will aid in the overall good health of the animal.
Being a supplier of your ranch's feed needs is important, however Sowder Seed Co. and Min Mix Minerals are committed to assisting your ranch with other essential items that will improve the overall operation and profitability of your ranch. The use of a Beef Consulting Specialist is available on a regular basis to assist with custom formulating rations and minerals to fit the specific range grasses and conditions of your operation. We will also assist in the collection and analyzation of forage and grain samples. Liver biopsies will be performed on your ranch cattle if there is a need and assistance will be available in locating the correct products to maintain your herd health.
KATTLE Trail is our latest program to make you - the customer - more profitable. Kattle Trail is a program especially designed to allow for the collection and management of information that will make your cattle operation more profitable as well as being able to electronically track your cattle. The use of the Kattle Trail program will also allow you to obtain your premise ID number that will soon be required of all producers.
For the small investment of either $5.00 or $7.00 per head plus $0.25 or $0.50 per head for data entry, each animal is enrolled in the Kattle Trail program and you are provided an EID tag to be placed in the animal's ear. Your corresponding ranch tag number is then "married" to the EID tag number and all data collected on that individual animal will be entered into the Kattle Trail program. Informational reports with a nearly unlimited number of informational fields will be made available to you. These reports will then be used to determine the profitability of each animal as compared to others in your herd.
The ability to increase the value of your cattle through special Kattle Trail sales will also be made available to you. The involvement of satellite sales, local sale barns and quality feedlots will assure you a financial benefit by being associated with KATTLE Trail.
Summary
Sowder Seed Co. and Min Mix Minerals have a long history of service to ranchers in southern Kansas and surrounding states. Our goal has always been simple - To provide the best products at extremely competitive prices with service that no one else can match.
We welcome the opportunity to visit with each of you about your particular needs. Contact us through our web site by filling out the ranch questionnaire or by contacting us directly at 1-800-530-5442 or Email at [email protected] or [email protected]