Mineral Supplementation and Fly Control | Regenerative Ranching

[@dlmsarge8329]

I really appreciate you taking the time to go into the details of your fly control program. Differences in geographic location, herd size and genetics dictate that producers stay flexible in how they manage their operations and how they find solutions that work for them. Thanks for adding to that pool of knowledge!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

You’re welcome!

[@Joe-Mamasixtyninefourtwenty]

Hi Cliff, i enjoy your videos, i would like to share a modification to the rubber flap style mineral feeder and the mineral i use. Firstly, 30 days before the last frost, i start feeding out mineral with a product called "clarifly" in it. Clarifly, like altosid is an IGR, which stops the fly life cycle at the larval stage. It has worked wonders for me this year, the fly load on the cattle has been reduced signifigantly, to where each cow is carrying on average of 10 hornflies and 5 or 6 face flys or less. To combat face flies i took my rubber flap lid off of my bull feeder, and ordered a roll of industrial grade felt, which is highly abrasion resistant. I cut the felt out in a circle and attatched it to the rubber flap. The felt wicks in an organic fly control product i use from crystal creek, basically a mix of different organic essential oils. As the cattle lift the flap to lick the mineral their face and neck is getting a nice slick of the mineral oil based fly spray which stays on the skin for an extended period, the flys wont land on oily surfaces, or at least ALOT less so. Since i have employed these two strategies my cows are less stressed, and graze more in the heat of the day. Next year i intend on implementing the long "back rubber" style fly control products with the same organic essential oil mixture, where i can to hang in bedding/loafing zones or high traffic areas like on the walkout of a barn, or entrance to a water circle or mineral site. The cows will notice the relief they get from it and start using them when they see them. The con to these in a rotational grazing set up is that not all paddocks have a great place to hang them. Thanks for sharing, and hopefully what i shared can help you and your cows too!

[@downbntout]

To me that ripping and chewing is the very definition of peace

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Agreed!

[@matthewdickson7838]

Excellent stock man fabulous videos 👍👍🐃🐃🐂🐂

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thanks Matthew!

[@hart796]

Thanks for answering how many times a cow poops a day at Greg Judy’s Grazing School! Nice job!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Hahahaha 😂. I can tell you exactly how many times a horse does but I was thinking back to my vet school days and thought it may be a trick question, so I blinked! 😂😂

[@randybutler4772]

Thank you for sharing.🐂

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thank you for watching!! Much appreciated!

[@ryanforbes3021]

My mineral feeder is like a combination of your weather vane and your bull feeder. It works well and is easy to move and the cows haven't been able to upset it

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Send me a picture if you can. My email is [e-mail]. Thanks!

[@ryanforbes3021]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher I'll try, I'm not super techy but I'm sure I can get help from someone who is.

[@garywoods148]

We started using Garlic salt blocks this year. I had to spray my cows twice this year on the garlic, last year without the garlic I sprayed at least 5 times. It seems to help.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Good information! I hate flies 😡

[@CedarOutpost]

My local feed co-op sells Cinnagar IGR (cinnamon and garlic.) It has made a big difference for me.

[@Traveler1959]

I’ve read that some fly control will impact soil health.. such as earth worms and good bacteria.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

They say this product won’t but I only have the info Purina puts out online to go by. When the flies are at their worst here, the animals suffer tremendously. May be a slight trade off but worth it to me when they have no where to hide from them.

[@williambryan2804]

I know a family up near Dallas that has a ranch. They use the wind and rain fly control too. I was told a few years after they started using it their fire ants were gone. They credited this to the wind and rain. Makes me wonder what it does to other things like dung beetles.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Thanks for that info. So far, I’ve been watching and I see no effect on the dung beetles. Purina’s research that’s online indicates it doesn’t affect ding beetles. I will update you if that appears to change.

[@candiediacon6015]

Just found you channel a few weeks age. We own a small ranch in NE Oklahoma and are working on changing to regenerative practices. Thank you for your content. Could you talk about pinkeye prevention. We have had a couple of years of pinkeye issues.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Here are the steps that will help reduce pinkeye: • Control face flies. • Maintain an irritant-free environment. • Minimize exposure to the bacteria that causes pinkeye - M. bovis and M. bovoculi. • Consider vaccinating. I haven’t had a case of pinkeye on my place in the 33 years I have been here. I have bad face flies but my cattle all have pigment around their eyes. Don’t know if that helps prevent it or not. What breed of cattle do you have?

[@leelindsay5618]

That bullfeeder or mineral feeder is like a mini-freechoice feeder. Have you thought about doing a trial of 3 different mineral mixes? Or perhaps mineral in one and other supplements like garlic or Redmans in the other 2? Do you have any bird houses for any types of birds around your property? Have you considered renting pasture access to someone who would be interested in running chickens a few days behind your cattle?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Great ideas! I need to try garlic and Redman’s for sure. Was just looking to see if tree swallows nest this far south! I think the chickens is to labor intensive for me at present. Thanks!

[@myironman3697]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher I may be repeating what you two have already mentioned but Redmond's has a "new" product that's just fine sea salt and garlic added. You may try "Redmond's 10 fine with Garlic" in one, Wind and Rain in another, and any other trace/macro minerals you find lacking in your soil in the third bin. That way it's not quite as cost prohibitive as the 16-choice but your animals still have the ability to get everything they need and keep their fly load down.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Going to do it!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Great idea. Will do it! I sourced the Redman’s locally.

[@HectorPerez-tb8hn]

tree swallow and guineas are another way to control flies invasion !! having Guineas around the cattle manure do help a lot !!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

That’s great! I have trouble keeping the guineas from getting eaten by predators!

[@HectorPerez-tb8hn]

@@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher land or flying predators ?

[@downbntout]

Mount that hooded min feeder on a pallet with skids under it?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Already in the works! Great minds think alike!

[@robertromero3314]

Cliff do you feed this all summer?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Yes sir, I do. Start before it warms up in the Spring.

[@joehairston4159]

As a Veterinarian, it sounds like you subscribe to the theory that cows will preferentially eat the minerals that they need, is that correct? I have heard some folks say that the cows have no idea what minerals they are lacking,, they are only interested in the salt. I would like to hear your opinion. Thanks, excellent videos!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I ascribe to your second statement. I think salt in the minerals drives and limits their consumption. There is an excellent article about this in an online publication called Onpasture. It’s a online subscription. Here’s the link but not sure you will be able to open without paying: onpasture.com/2014/10/27/can-animals-figure-out-what-minerals-they-need/

[@canalroadadventures5079]

I'm guessing that you have fire ants. How do you deal with them? Here in Florida on my property (with no livestock), there is a mound about every 10-15 ft.

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I had terrible fire ants this year early in the spring. As the year developed, the taller grass seemed to choke most out it seemed. They are indeed a horrible nuisance but I think regenerative practices can help control them.

[@jerrylansbury9558]

Use a little fuel oil and pour it around the mound..... half cup will do. End of the ants !

[@Traveler1959]

As a vet, don’t you get a kickback for promoting Purina products ?

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

Lol, I wish I did! I’ve never gotten a kickback for anything except for hard work!!

[@davemi00]

If I were in your shoes, I’d want to ease the fly problem too !

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

They make the cattle miserable and they definitely affect their condition cause they are fighting the flies while trying to graze. Sometimes you gotta do what you gotta do.

[@schoolofknox1345]

Wouldn't trade ranch life for anything but, man, those flies are aggravating sometimes!

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

They will make you nuts!!

[@jerrylansbury9558]

My gosh..... If my dairy cows would have had to eat this forage........they would have went dry...and Id be broke ! Greg Judy went broke milking cows too ! Provide the cows with something " green " Much more milk production and a fatter calf at the end of the year !

[@cliffhonnasregenerativerancher]

I don’t know a good way to provide the ideal forage. What is ideal probably varies greatly depending on region of the country. I suppose that’s why we don’t have any dairies in this part of the country. Fortunately, beef cows do quite well on this “less than ideal” forage.