High Octane Golden Ticket

Overview

Golden Ticket is Purina’s flagship bloom supplement and the centerpiece of the final 6-8 weeks of any competitive show program. Its extruded nugget format is calorie-dense and highly palatable, making it effective even for finicky eaters. The formulation combines Tasco (a brown seaweed extract), flaxseed, Peleton live yeast, Zinpro zinc methionine, Lambitine, and Puriferm to support bloom, muscle shape, immune function, and hide/skin quality simultaneously. It can also serve as a creep feed for nursing lambs pre-show or pre-sale.

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Manufacturer Specifications

Guaranteed Analysis

Nutrient	Amount
Crude Protein (min)	16.50%
Non-Protein Nitrogen (min)	1.00%
Lysine (min)	0.85%
Crude Fat (min)	6.00%
Crude Fiber (max)	7.00%
Acid Detergent Fiber (max)	10.00%
Calcium (min/max)	0.70–1.20%
Phosphorus (min)	0.30%
Salt (min/max)	0.51–1.01%
Potassium (min)	0.70%
Selenium (max)	0.30 PPM
Zinc (min)	160 PPM
Vitamin A (min)	10,000 IU/lb

Key Ingredients / Active Components

Ingredient	Role
Ground Flaxseed	Omega-3 fatty acids — coat luster, hide quality, skin hydration
Tasco® (Ascophyllum nodosum)	Brown seaweed extract — bloom, immune support, stress response
Peleton® Live Yeast	Rumen health and feed digestibility — supports consistent intake
Zinpro™ Zinc Methionine	Organic zinc — skin cell integrity, hoof health, hide tightness
Lambitine® Plant Extract	Proprietary plant extract — muscle shape and bloom expression
Puriferm® Fungal Enzymes (Aspergillus oryzae and Aspergillus niger)	Fiber and starch digestion — improves feed utilization efficiency
Premium Protein Sources	Muscle synthesis support at lower protein level than Champion Drive
Vitamin/Mineral Fortification	Broad micronutrient base for overall condition and immune function

Official Feeding Rate

• Rate: 4 oz/day (start) building to 48 oz/day at show week
• Introduction: Blend into ration over 10–14 days; do not introduce at full rate
• Species notes: Can be fed as creep feed for nursing lambs and goats. Full feeding chart on product label.

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Show Circuit Use

Sources: Purina Honor Show education articles, Rockingham Cooperative blog, reference show program documentation

How Experienced Feeders Actually Use It

Golden Ticket is the single most commonly referenced supplement in competitive show lamb programs. If feeders are only running one premium energy supplement, this is it. The show circuit typically introduces it at weeks 6-8, builds steadily through weeks 5-3, and peaks at 32–48 oz/day during show week. At peak rate it’s often mixed with rolled oats as a highly palatable topdress to drive intake in the final days. Feeders credit it with producing the “fresh” look that judges respond to in the ring.

Real-World Feeding Rate

• Typical rate: Start 4–8 oz/day at weeks 8-6, build to 32–48 oz/day by show week
• Introduction timeline: 10-14 day blend-in; most feeders add 4 oz every 3-4 days

Common Deviations from Label

Show feeders often run Golden Ticket at 32–48 oz/day in the final week — at the upper end of the label range. This is considered normal practice on the show circuit. Competitive feeders use the full ceiling in show week.

Breed-Specific Notes

Particularly effective for club lambs and crosses where overall freshness and bloom are weighted heavily in judging. For heavily-muscled breeds (Suffolk), feeders are careful not to let it push too much cover and obscure muscle shape — balance with Champion Drive.

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Phase Protocols

Weeks 8–6 | Condition Building Phase

• Rate: 4–8 oz/day
• Purpose: Begin bloom development, introduce palatability boost, start rumen adapting to higher fat

Weeks 5–3 | Fill & Shaping Phase

• Rate: 16–32 oz/day
• Purpose: Drive bloom and cover; main focus of the program at this stage

Weeks 2–1 | Final Prep Phase

• Rate: 32–48 oz/day
• Purpose: Peak bloom push; often mixed with rolled oats as a topdress to maximize palatability and intake

Show Week (Days 5–1)

• Rate: 32–48 oz/day — hold at peak, no changes
• Show morning: Mix with rolled oats as a highly palatable topdress for the morning feeding

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Stacking Protocols

Golden Ticket + Champion Drive: Core combination. Champion Drive handles muscle shape and skin; Golden Ticket handles bloom and energy. Run together from weeks 8 through show day.

Golden Ticket + rolled oats (final week): Classic show circuit move — mix 1:1 as a topdress for maximum palatability on show morning.

Conflict — Golden Ticket + Fitter 35/52: Do not run at full rate simultaneously. Fitter 35/52 work to trim fat; Golden Ticket works to build it. They fight each other. If a lamb is too fat, reduce or pause Golden Ticket and increase Fitter — not both at full rate.

Golden Ticket vs. Power Fuel Extreme: If Golden Ticket alone isn’t building enough cover, add Power Fuel Extreme at a reduced rate alongside. Rolled barley does much of what Power Fuel does at far less cost — try more barley before reaching for Power Fuel.

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Budget Alternatives

• Rolled barley + rolled oats handles most of the energy work at a fraction of the cost
• Golden Ticket’s bloom-specific ingredients (Tasco, Zinpro, live yeast) have no commodity equivalent
• If budget forces a choice, Golden Ticket earns its cost in the final 4-6 weeks — it can be run shorter and harder rather than longer and lighter

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Community Tips

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