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Ralgro Q. What is Ralgro? A. Ralgro is a brand of zeranol implants from Intervet/Schering-Plough Animal Health. Zeranol is an anabolic agent, which stimulates weight gain and improves feed efficiency in cattle. Q. How does zeranol work? A. Zeranol stimulates the pituitary gland of the animal to produce increased amounts of somatotropin, the animal’s own natural growth-promoting agent. Zeranol IS NOT an estrogen, which is found in other implants. Q. What is the difference between zeranol implants and implants containing estrogen? A. Both compounds stimulate the pituitary gland. However:
Zeranol, therefore, is not only safe and effective – it is convenient. Q. What is the effect of zeranol on carcass quality? A. Independent studies (data on file) show high quality grade and high return on investment with zeranol used as the initial implant. Because zeranol is not believed to directly affect the muscle tissue, zeranol has repeatedly demonstrated a minimal quality grade effect even though it improves average daily gain and feed efficiency. Q. Can Ralgro implants be used in replacement heifers? A. Yes. Ralgro implants are approved for use in replacement heifers between one month of age and weaning. Q. What other cattle may be implanted with Ralgro? A. Suckling beef calves Ralgro implants are not approved for use in bulls intended for reproduction or dairy cattle. Q. What is the dosage of Ralgro implants? A. Ralgro implants are packaged in round cartridges containing 24 doses. Each dose is three small pellets containing 36 mg of zeranol. The dose is the same for heifers, steers and calves. Q. What gains can I expect? A. Weaning weights of both steer and heifer calves have been increased 20 to 35 pounds. * Weights of growing cattle on pasture have been increased 25 to 30 pounds. * Feedlot cattle have added an
extra 40 to 45 pounds during normal feeding periods, with 10 percent improvement
in feed conversion. * Q. How is Ralgro implanted? A. Optimal absorption of Ralgro implants are dependent on proper placement of the implanted pellets, made simple with the easy-to-use Ralogun® pellet injector. The Ralogun is one of the most reliable implant devices in the industry. Its small needle diameter reduces tissue trauma and increases the likelihood of proper placement, contributing to the effectiveness of the implant. The Ralogun comes with a lifetime guarantee. Q. What care should be taken when storing Ralgro implants? A. Ralgro implants have an excellent shelf life of five years without refrigeration, under dry conditions. Store Ralgro implants out of children’s reach. Ralgro Magnum Q. How does Ralgro Magnum differ from Ralgro? A. Ralgro Magnum implants brand provide the optimal dose of zeranol for high performance in feedyard steers. Ralgro Magnum implants are available in a 10-dose strip, each dose consisting of six pellets containing a total of 72 mg of zeranol. Q. What cattle may be implanted with Ralgro Magnum? A. Feedlot steers may be implanted. Ralgro Magnum is not recommended for feedlot heifers, pasture cattle–including calves, cows, heifers, and bulls intended for reproduction–or dairy cattle. Q. How is Ralgro Magnum Implanted? A. For Ralgro Magnum implants, use the Dur-A-Tract® delivery system. It combines the dependability of the Ralogun with the safety of a retractable needle. Once the Dur-A-Tract needle is inserted, a trigger squeeze retracts the needle and deposits the implant pellets subcutaneously in a straight, smooth line. The gun is non-cocking and requires only one pull to activate, so more steers can be implanted in less time. The Dur-A-Tract system features the same small needle as the Ralogun and is packaged in a hard, plastic storage case.
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