Question about medicated minerals

[angus9259]

The IGR helps a lot. But you have to start early so the flys don't have a running start. Even starting late will help just not as much as if you get them early on. You know it's coming. BUT there is no silver bullet. IGR needs to be used in conjunction with other fly control. We use mops that are self replenishing from a reservoir that has Permectrin and diesel.

We also rotate pastures and do what we can to prevent muddy/wet/damp spots. Early spring when we do the sring workup we pour them with Boss, that will give you a couple of weeks for the stuff to start being effective. The only time they don;t get the IGR is in the winter.

If you rotantionally graze - do you move the mop from field to field or do all your pastures have the same centrally located waterer?

 

[AdamsCreek]

I give mine right now mineral. I change the "color" when the grass changes color. Like this time of year I'm usually switching from emerald to bronze. I can't tell that it does anything for flies.

Interesting. I know nothing about this line of minerals and didn't realize they change "color" with seasons (I assume bronze is late summer/fall?)

That's how I understood it. Feed bronze through November and switch to gold for higher magnesium until it's time to go back to emerald.

 

[dun]

If you rotantionally graze - do you move the mop from field to field or do all your pastures have the same centrally located waterer?

We have two central waterpoints that services several individual paddocks. Other waterpoints are for indivdual paddocks, for those we move the move to the entry for each one. A couple of paddocks we build a temp waterpoint.

 

[Lucky_P]

CTC won't do anything for flies.
*May* help decrease problems with footrot, pinkeye, anaplasmosis... but I wouldn't count on it totally preventing any of those.

 

[jedstivers]

The IGR is for the flies. The same chemical that the IGR is is also used to control mosquito larve in drinking water and will control fleas in your house. It a Insect Growth Regulator, they never become adults and reproduce.

 

[js1234]

The IGR is for the flies. The same chemical that the IGR is is also used to control mosquito larve in drinking water and will control fleas in your house. It a Insect Growth Regulator, they never become adults and reproduce.

Yes.
We were a cooperating ranch for some of the tests on IGR in a feed through supplement. I was very skeptical and frankly didn't think the benefit justified the cost. I was pleasantly surprised by the results within the operation when various benchmarks were used against the test herd and placebo herd we provided.

 

[angus9259]

The IGR is for the flies. The same chemical that the IGR is is also used to control mosquito larve in drinking water and will control fleas in your house. It a Insect Growth Regulator, they never become adults and reproduce.

Yes.
We were a cooperating ranch for some of the tests on IGR in a feed through supplement. I was very skeptical and frankly didn't think the benefit justified the cost. I was pleasantly surprised by the results within the operation when various benchmarks were used against the test herd and placebo herd we provided.

How important was the accuracy of the intake amount for efficacy? In a mineral supplement can they get way more or way less than they need based on their need for mineral? We all know mineral consumption can vary based on season, feed values, etc...

 

[Fire Sweep Ranch]

The IGR is for the flies. The same chemical that the IGR is is also used to control mosquito larve in drinking water and will control fleas in your house. It a Insect Growth Regulator, they never become adults and reproduce.

Yes.
We were a cooperating ranch for some of the tests on IGR in a feed through supplement. I was very skeptical and frankly didn't think the benefit justified the cost. I was pleasantly surprised by the results within the operation when various benchmarks were used against the test herd and placebo herd we provided.

We have used IGR in our mineral for two years now, and there is a definite difference for us. We have almost no fly problems, two years in a row now. We feed Vitaferm, and switch to the IGR formula around Feb, and stick with it until about October. They make the mineral with high Mag and IGR, which we go to for a few months in the spring, then just switch to the IGR for the fly months. We also put out loose salt on the other side of the mineral feeder. The cows will consume twice the amount of salt compared to the mineral, which is fine, because salt is a lot cheaper than the mineral and if that is what they need why feed it in the mineral to make them eat more?

 

[js1234]

The IGR is for the flies. The same chemical that the IGR is is also used to control mosquito larve in drinking water and will control fleas in your house. It a Insect Growth Regulator, they never become adults and reproduce.

Yes.
We were a cooperating ranch for some of the tests on IGR in a feed through supplement. I was very skeptical and frankly didn't think the benefit justified the cost. I was pleasantly surprised by the results within the operation when various benchmarks were used against the test herd and placebo herd we provided.

How important was the accuracy of the intake amount for efficacy? In a mineral supplement can they get way more or way less than they need based on their need for mineral? We all know mineral consumption can vary based on season, feed values, etc...

it of course can be and is an issue in cows who may be bullied or for other reasons not allowed to consume product. i would say the bigger issue is keeping it consistently available at the appropriate times. the thing to remember is that its isn't medication in the sense that your treating each animal but rather that you are using the cows as a delivery system for the IGR which will reduce the total number of larvae that survives to become flies. I'm sure someone better versed than me can answer in more detail but that what I have gleaned from the study and our subsequent use afterward.

 

[TexasBred]

How important was the accuracy of the intake amount for efficacy? In a mineral supplement can they get way more or way less than they need based on their need for mineral? We all know mineral consumption can vary based on season, feed values, etc...

Like anything fed free choice there is always the few that get more than they need and some that may not get as much as they need on any given day. Think long term and if the mineral is palatable all should get the amount of mineral they need and at the same time get the amount of needed IGR to be effective assuming the mineral is formulated with the proper amount of IGR and a brand that is effective.