Riomax^® 3-in-1 Fall and Winter Combo Tub

 By Steve Weisman

 Let’s paint a picture of what fall looks like for ranchers across this continent. Lots going on. Fall roundup. Cows coming home from summer pastures. Calves being weaned. Fall shots. Harvest getting wrapped up. Pasture quality declining as the grass cures out.

Then of course, along with the beautiful crisp autumn mornings comes the sure reminder that the harshness of winter is just around the corner. What that means for ranchers is that they must adapt to the current conditions, and also the preparation for the coming months to get their cattle into the best body condition possible before winter.
If the cattle are not in the best body condition going into winter, then it becomes a “catch-up game” and nobody likes to play that kind of game. Trevor Greenfield, founder and owner of Rio Nutrition (https://rionutrition.net), says, “No one likes playing the catch-up game because it’s hard to play and worse yet extremely cost prohibitive. If the cattle go into winter in good body condition, the battle is half won!”

Riomax^® 3-in-1 Protein, Digestion, Mineral Tubs
Greenfield notes that it is important to choose the right tools in the toolbox to ensure “we are getting the job done at the right price. With that said, we want to introduce Riomax^® 3 in 1 combo tub which includes all the natural protein, your digestion package and all your minerals – everything is in there. There is no need to feed any free choice minerals.”
This enables the rancher to put out a single tub that will do the following:
• Help the cattle better utilize the forage that they are on
• Provide the cattle adequate protein supplementation using direct-fed all-natural protein as well as indirect-fed protein coming from the power of Nutrizorb™. Nutrizorb™ is a 16-component digestion powerhouse made up of yeast, MOS, enzymes and probiotics, and it increases the TDN value of your forages significantly
• Provide boosted levels of a complete mineral pack, including 100% rumen-bypass trace minerals
Imagine for a moment… Jake, a tall, weathered rancher, donned in well-worn Wrangler jeans, a western shirt and a sweat-stained hat, walking into a feed store. He asks Bob, the cheery-faced guy behind the counter for protein tubs – no different to what the industry has used for the past 40 years. There’s a brief yet potent silence.  
Now the easy-going character behind the counter does not respond as usual. He proposes something quite different. He clearly explains how the Riomax^® tubs, while lower in protein, are infused with Nutrizorb™, which in turn is the catalyst to unlocking the forages to deliver far more protein out of the cow’s diet than a protein tub could ever provide. He uses a well-oiled phrase that the Rio team members have said for years – “Get more out of what you’ve already got.” Nutrizorb™ uses cutting edge yeast, enzyme and probiotic technology to help that cow better digest and break down those forages. “It’s a game changer, and this science just plain works” says Bob from the relative comfort of the forklift seat. He loads Jake and Jake drives away feeling good. He’s going to be paying the same or less per day than he used to, but he’s getting a whole lot more bang for his buck.
Greenfield adds, “We’re not changing the forages or the cow. Instead, we are changing the way the cow uses the forages.” With the power of Nutrizorb™, the Riomax^® 3-in-1 combo tub essentially unlocks the protein, the energy and the nutrients. In the actual words of Professor Alfredo DiCostanzo at the University of Minnesota in his research of the efficacy of Nutrizorb™, “Nutrizorb™ helps ranchers get more out of less.” His studies show Nutrizorb™ increasing the TDN (total digestible nutrients) by 3 percentage points across the board, something he had never witnessed in over 20 years of research work.
Bottom line is with the Riomax® 3 in 1 combo tub, ranchers are finding that they are getting more nutrient uptake. Cows are running more efficient, which is leading to these tangible measurables:
• Increased weaning weights
• Lower input costs
• Hay and forage savings – cows are typically satisfied with less
• Increased carrying capacity – better land base utilization
To quote one of Rio Nutrition’s South Dakota dealers, “Your tubs are more expensive upfront than one of the leading brands of lick tubs, but when you do the math, Riomax® tubs cost my customers considerably less to feed.” This helps ranchers get the most possible out of their resources, while giving the cows the absolute highest chance of reproductive success. Doing all of that at a lower cost per head per day than all the traditional tub options on the market. Greenfield explains, “When ranchers ask about Riomax^® being more upfront, our dealers explain that Riomax® tubs are way more concentrated, which simply means there are way more feedings per tub, is all. In fact, Riomax® lasts up to three times longer than other brands on the market. And that means less fuel and less wear and tear on equipment and less labor!”
A lot of folks have had bad experience in the past with high consumption on lick tubs, which is a risk the rancher faces. At Rio Nutrition, we want to do everything we can to eliminate those risks. “With the COSTGUARD Guarantee Program, we offer a consumption guarantee on the Riomax^® lick tubs. It gives ranchers complete peace of mind and enables them to forecast their actual input costs. If the situation is such that consumption is higher than the recommended intake on the tag, we will provide ranchers with FREE product to compensate the overconsumption. As a result, Rio takes the risk completely off of your shoulders, and off of the dealer’s shoulders!”

Introducing  Riomax^® dealer network
For the past 16 years, Rio Nutrition team members have worked hard to build a business that covers all the United States and Canada, and a strong brand that is recognized by results-driven ranchers across this continent. With the growth of the company, however, Rio Nutrition has established a dealer network Greenfield explains, “In order to uphold and maintain an excellent customer experience, we really needed to develop a strong dealer network. The product is right there local now, so ranchers can run to town and grab a few tubs at a time at their convenience. They love it. It also ensures that a rancher’s feed dollar is kept local.”
Greenfield is pleasantly surprised at the overwhelmingly positive response from our rancher customers. “We went to the rancher customers and asked them who they would recommend for potential dealers. They helped us connect with dealerships that align to our values. This helped us establish so many dealers in a short space of time…and it’s just like a hand in a glove!” He notes that they already has over 100 dealer locations.  

The Dealer Model
So, over the last few months, Rio Nutrition has shifted to going through dealers, with a goal to work 100 percent through a dealer network. Greenfield says, “We want to assure you as the rancher that nothing is changing besides our route to market…our science, our quality, our passion and our integrity, none of that changes.”
Greenfield’s goal has been to develop a dealer model that works for both ranchers and dealers. Greenfield explains, “Our marketing team will continue to reach out to ranchers. From there, our Customer Care Team, a group of very knowledgeable, down-home, caring individuals becomes involved. When ranchers call in, surprise…they don’t have to press  1 for English, they get a real genuine person”. The Customer Care Team has a meaningful conversation with the rancher to understand their specific needs, the pain points and what the conditions are for that particular area of country. From there, they will make recommendations; go over pricing and cost-to-feed so that the rancher has all of the information needed.”
By doing this, the rancher has a complete understanding and can go to the dealer to get the right product. The goal is for everybody to be successful. Greenfield concludes, “We want it to be a win – win – win situation. Good for the rancher, first off, good for the dealer and good for the Riomax^® brand. Everybody is a winner.”
So, as a personal touch from Greenfield, he invites ranchers that are looking for ways to cut input costs while boosting performance this fall/winter to please get in touch with our team. “We absolutely can help you! Give us a call to find your nearest dealer – and if by chance there are no dealers in your area yet, we will still take care of you! And for potential dealers reading this article, do give us a call on 844-375-9080.”