A Cattle Producer’s Path to Strong Herd Health and Nutrition
Growing up in Alabama, Nick Patterson, DVM, says his family ran what you’d describe as a typical southeastern cow-calf operation. Both of his parents had jobs off the farm, but they still managed to do their own hay and raise about 40 head. “I always like to tell folks we didn’t have fishing boats or hunting desires. We wanted to raise cattle, and so it was a way of life,” he says.
Those early days on the farm also set Nick on his career path. He used to watch the veterinarians who came out to help his dad and uncle, and something about their work stuck with him. “I thought vet school might be a good path for me because I’ve always loved beef cattle,” he says.
And it was. Nick attended Auburn University and graduated in 2006 with a degree in animal science. He later graduated from their College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010.
Today, Nick is a veterinarian and cattle producer who operates Acres of Grace Farms with his wife, April, in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee. The couple’s herd of Akaushi cows, also known as red Wagyu, is split evenly between spring and fall calving, with most of the calves going into branded beef programs.
While Nick says he doesn’t necessarily practice veterinary medicine every day because of the farming operation and other businesses, he’s still connected to the bovine veterinary world, keeps up on new research and truly enjoys being part of the beef industry.
“Pursuing my DVM helped me home in on that animal-human connection in different ways,” he says. “Where life has taken me today is being able to raise animals that wind up in the food chain. And the fact of the matter is, I really think that us being farmers and caretakers of land and animals allows other people to thrive in the things that they want to do.”
“I was exposed to Accuration® for the first time back then, because for a whole lot of those producers, it was a vital part of their farm in bull and female performance. It stuck in my mind,” he says.
Fast forward, and Nick started working with his local Purina sales specialist, Alyssa Clements. As it turns out, they’d already known each other for years. “Alyssa knew me before I married my now-wife,” Nick says. “She was one of our summer workers at the business my wife’s family had, and I kept up with her when she was in school. I know the quality and caliber of person that Alyssa is. If she’s working for Purina, and it’s something she believes in, then I know it’s a high-quality product.”
Alyssa grew up around the agriculture industry. Her grandparents and parents were heavily involved in health care, and as she tells it, they always told her to go be a vet. But she loved nutrition and forage, so she decided to get a master’s in ruminant nutrition and found her own path. When she finished school, she returned home and eventually landed a job with Purina as a livestock production specialist. With her husband, she also runs a cow-calf operation.
“For my day job, I work with Nick and his family and many other producers across the state,” she says. “Everyone has a unique cattle operation, and I’m glad I get to be a part of that and help them make decisions that best meet their goals.”
Another thing that stuck with him is that because cow body weights have increased so significantly, there has also been an incredible increase in cattle nutritional needs. “I don’t think some producers realize exactly how much the need has increased,” Nick says. “I think having nutritional products out all the time has really helped bridge that gap.”
For producers hesitant to add supplements, especially given the high cost of inputs, Nick offers this advice: “The current market is telling us to invest in our nutritional programs for our cattle,” he says. “I mean, that’s just point blank. We’ve never seen prices like this. And it looks like every extra calf now is a lot of money in the bank.”
About three years ago, Nick began introducing Accuration® Range Liquid 10% Fat into the herd. It’s since become a staple offered year-round. “I was a little hesitant of that up front,” he says. “I thought, we’ll feed it when we need it. But we keep it out year-round for nearly every group, and I’ve seen really nice results. If you come and look at my first-calf heifers today, they’re in the best shape that they’ve ever been, even with some good-sized calves on them.”
Alyssa says Purina’s Accuration® with Intake Modifying Technology® in creep or starter feeds helps calves snack eat. Then, the liquid and tub products are for mature cows and older heifers. “With the liquid, you can put more out at one time, and it’s a little bit easier for the producer from a labor and space standpoint, especially if you have hillier pastures, smaller areas or maybe a group of 25 cows,” she says.
Nick says they’ve used Wind and Rain® Mineral for two years and that it’s lived up to its name and withstands Tennessee’s weather. Plus, his cattle like it.
This year, Nick also used Wind & Rain® All-Season 4 ProCycle® CX8™ Mineral Tubs for the first time. He bought a pallet, put the tubs out and said the cattle really enjoyed them.
“I think one of the things that sets producers apart is their focus on nutrition and their focus on the little things,” Nick says. “What I like about the Purina products is they have that same level of detail that I look for.”
And while Nick says he does some off-the-wall things on his operation, Alyssa has always been able to find something to help in specific situations. For him, she’s the person he can always turn to for nutritional advice. And in his opinion, every operation needs someone like that.
“When I call Alyssa, she knows off the top of her head, ‘Hey, here’s your best nutritional advice, here’s the price of corn related to Accuration® and here’s where this goes,’” he says. “That’s because she’s passionate about the industry, and she’s also a producer herself. I know that if I call her, she has my operation’s best interests in mind.”
Those early days on the farm also set Nick on his career path. He used to watch the veterinarians who came out to help his dad and uncle, and something about their work stuck with him. “I thought vet school might be a good path for me because I’ve always loved beef cattle,” he says.
And it was. Nick attended Auburn University and graduated in 2006 with a degree in animal science. He later graduated from their College of Veterinary Medicine in 2010.
Today, Nick is a veterinarian and cattle producer who operates Acres of Grace Farms with his wife, April, in Red Boiling Springs, Tennessee. The couple’s herd of Akaushi cows, also known as red Wagyu, is split evenly between spring and fall calving, with most of the calves going into branded beef programs.
While Nick says he doesn’t necessarily practice veterinary medicine every day because of the farming operation and other businesses, he’s still connected to the bovine veterinary world, keeps up on new research and truly enjoys being part of the beef industry.
“Pursuing my DVM helped me home in on that animal-human connection in different ways,” he says. “Where life has taken me today is being able to raise animals that wind up in the food chain. And the fact of the matter is, I really think that us being farmers and caretakers of land and animals allows other people to thrive in the things that they want to do.”
Partnering with Purina
Nick remembers seeing the Purina checkboard in 2005. At the time, he took a semester off from college and was traveling the country with an ultrasound technician for several large cattle operations.“I was exposed to Accuration® for the first time back then, because for a whole lot of those producers, it was a vital part of their farm in bull and female performance. It stuck in my mind,” he says.
Fast forward, and Nick started working with his local Purina sales specialist, Alyssa Clements. As it turns out, they’d already known each other for years. “Alyssa knew me before I married my now-wife,” Nick says. “She was one of our summer workers at the business my wife’s family had, and I kept up with her when she was in school. I know the quality and caliber of person that Alyssa is. If she’s working for Purina, and it’s something she believes in, then I know it’s a high-quality product.”
Alyssa grew up around the agriculture industry. Her grandparents and parents were heavily involved in health care, and as she tells it, they always told her to go be a vet. But she loved nutrition and forage, so she decided to get a master’s in ruminant nutrition and found her own path. When she finished school, she returned home and eventually landed a job with Purina as a livestock production specialist. With her husband, she also runs a cow-calf operation.
“For my day job, I work with Nick and his family and many other producers across the state,” she says. “Everyone has a unique cattle operation, and I’m glad I get to be a part of that and help them make decisions that best meet their goals.”
Using Cattle Nutrition to Gain Every Advantage
Last fall, Nick attended a nutrition summit at the Purina Animal Nutrition Center in Gray Summit, Missouri. One of his main takeaways was that while Purina’s products started in the lab, they were finalized out in the real world, on real cattle, with real producers. “That’s what I really appreciate,” says Nick.Another thing that stuck with him is that because cow body weights have increased so significantly, there has also been an incredible increase in cattle nutritional needs. “I don’t think some producers realize exactly how much the need has increased,” Nick says. “I think having nutritional products out all the time has really helped bridge that gap.”
For producers hesitant to add supplements, especially given the high cost of inputs, Nick offers this advice: “The current market is telling us to invest in our nutritional programs for our cattle,” he says. “I mean, that’s just point blank. We’ve never seen prices like this. And it looks like every extra calf now is a lot of money in the bank.”
About three years ago, Nick began introducing Accuration® Range Liquid 10% Fat into the herd. It’s since become a staple offered year-round. “I was a little hesitant of that up front,” he says. “I thought, we’ll feed it when we need it. But we keep it out year-round for nearly every group, and I’ve seen really nice results. If you come and look at my first-calf heifers today, they’re in the best shape that they’ve ever been, even with some good-sized calves on them.”
Alyssa says Purina’s Accuration® with Intake Modifying Technology® in creep or starter feeds helps calves snack eat. Then, the liquid and tub products are for mature cows and older heifers. “With the liquid, you can put more out at one time, and it’s a little bit easier for the producer from a labor and space standpoint, especially if you have hillier pastures, smaller areas or maybe a group of 25 cows,” she says.
Why Cattle Mineral Programs Matter
In his experience as a veterinarian, Nick says some people in the Southeast want to take calves off their mothers, give them a lower-quality input upfront and then expect them to gain 3 – 3.5 pounds a day. “As weaned calves, they’re not going to do that without priming that system ahead of time,” he says. “In a perfect world, we’ve definitely had a good mineral program at least 60 days in advance of weaning.”Nick says they’ve used Wind and Rain® Mineral for two years and that it’s lived up to its name and withstands Tennessee’s weather. Plus, his cattle like it.
This year, Nick also used Wind & Rain® All-Season 4 ProCycle® CX8™ Mineral Tubs for the first time. He bought a pallet, put the tubs out and said the cattle really enjoyed them.
“I think one of the things that sets producers apart is their focus on nutrition and their focus on the little things,” Nick says. “What I like about the Purina products is they have that same level of detail that I look for.”
And while Nick says he does some off-the-wall things on his operation, Alyssa has always been able to find something to help in specific situations. For him, she’s the person he can always turn to for nutritional advice. And in his opinion, every operation needs someone like that.
“When I call Alyssa, she knows off the top of her head, ‘Hey, here’s your best nutritional advice, here’s the price of corn related to Accuration® and here’s where this goes,’” he says. “That’s because she’s passionate about the industry, and she’s also a producer herself. I know that if I call her, she has my operation’s best interests in mind.”
