Wormer blocks

[3MR]

I have a question. I wormed my cows (Shots) this spring. Some of them arent gaining like they should on this grass. I am going to put out the wormer blocks.

The blocks say th ecattle need to be accustomed to eating blocks prior to putting out the medicated ones. Are they looking at this from the standpoint that they wont eat enough of the medicated ones if they arent. Or that they will go through them too fast.

My cows will go throught these blocks very fast, one to two days, three tops. The wormer block says it should be a three day treatment. If I put non medicated ones out they will go through them just as fast and I dont see them slowing down just becasue they are getting them more often.

I occasionaly feed blocks and the cattle certainly know what they are.

Thoughts?

 

[Engler]

Blocks? Are we talking 50 pounders like salt and/or mineral or are we talking cubes?

If it's the cubes you'll have to feed every day for 3 days, if the blocks read on.

First I'll state my bias-I don't like blocks. Most of the time the cows will wear through their tounge before they get enough good from the block. But with that said I'll take a run at your question.

"My cows will go throught these blocks very fast, one to two days, three tops."

How many cows & how many blocks? As a rule cows will regulate their mineral intake to get what they need. In my experience most of the loose minerals that I've been around say that the cows will eat 4 oz/head/day once they are leveled out. If they are short on mineral X they'll tank on the as fed mineral and sometimes eat 3 to 4 times the recomended amount for a period of time to get to where they need on mineral X then level out.

If the cows only get mineral on occasion then they are probably short on something and they are hitting the blocks hard to cover the shortfall.

Second option-they are craving salt. My neighbor had a handful of cows (5?) that were going through 1#/cow/day of mineral for 45 days. When he talked to the feed dealer he said to put out salt in addition to the mineral. The salt in the carrier for the mineral was what the cows were after, not the mineral. Cows went back to the recomended dose almost overnight.

Option 3-the cows are bored. For our show heifers we put in a salt block for them to lick/chew on. If the cows don't have to work for nutrition then they have way to much time to get into trouble-test fences, cows sucking other cows, and possibly chewing on a block for something to do.

Just some things to consider.

 

[MikeC]

The Safeguard 50# blocks are excellent.

I use them once every year.[/b]

 

[3MR]

The Safeguard 50# blocks are excellent.

I use them once every year.[/b]

Thats what they are.

They werent cheap, 28 dollars each, but I figured the 300 bucks I laid out for them was well worth the trouble saved.

I went ahead and put them out.

 

[Brute 23]

How do those blocks work?

I see where MikeC put once a year. Do you only put X amount of blocks per X amount of cows a year? or is it something you always keep out like mineral and salt?

 

[3MR]

I actually bought them becasue I remembered about Mike C talking about them in the past.

The label says one block will treat 16, 500 pound bovine. They must consume a certain amount within three days for it to be efective. Once they consume the required amount you are supposed to remove the blocks. with my cows there wont be anything left of those blocks in three days. Thats for sure!

 

[MikeC]

I let the mineral run out for a couple of weeks, then put the blocks in the mineral feeder.

The blocks are sweet, taste good to them, but have a limiter so they won't eat too much.

They will eat enough if you put enough out.

No need to keep them out there all year.

Acording to the fecal samples we took, they work better than the injectable or "pour-on".

http://www.drugs.com/vet/safe-guard-med ... block.html

 

[3MR]

I have read the fine print. I used the injections in the spring. Im not happy with the results, my fault im sure. I am trying the blocks because of their ease of use and the fact Mike C, as well as others who have used them, spoke highly of them.

I cant control exaclty how much the will consume. Im guessing they will consume over the required amount, just knowing how much my cows like the molasses blocks. I have put out one block for every 8 cows. This is twice the required amount, but works out lbs wise. If I have any left after three days I will remove them.

If it works, great. If it doesnt lesson learned, but with everything else I have to do around here I think its a minimal gamble well worth taking just to save the time and stress of running them all through the shoot again.

 

[Brute 23]

If you put the blocks out and you see some that you still think may be wormy I would assume you could run them through and still pour it on'em right?

I am way behind on working cattle and I would like to give the blocks a try.

 

[FROGHOLLOWFARM]

I have used blocks before and they seem to work pretty good.
Safeguard also has a range cube and topdresser.I think the range cubes may be the best way,you can regulate it a little better but you still have to feed the 3 days.We had one of there reps speak at a cattlemans meeting,seems like a good product the little bit I have used so far,I am going to use the drench this fall.

 

[quartermeter]

I put the safeguard worm block out for 4 cows. Only one licked on it. Should I cut it up into small pieces and let them chew on it?? I took it up after 3 days. Not much of it was gone.

 

[Bigfoot]

I put the safeguard worm block out for 4 cows. Only one licked on it. Should I cut it up into small pieces and let them chew on it?? I took it up after 3 days. Not much of it was gone.

I doubt cutting it up would help. Safeguard is a good product. No more head than you are working, I might would put some liquid safeguard on some sweet feed. Same results, and easy to do.

 

[quartermeter]

I put the safeguard worm block out for 4 cows. Only one licked on it. Should I cut it up into small pieces and let them chew on it?? I took it up after 3 days. Not much of it was gone.

I doubt cutting it up would help. Safeguard is a good product. No more head than you are working, I might would put some liquid safeguard on some sweet feed. Same results, and easy to do.

I have 12 but I have 4 young heifers separated. I have 7 cows and a bull and they didn't eat on the block either. Guess I'm feeding them too good. By liquid safeguard do you mean the DRENCH wormer type you use the mouth GUN with? I could do that but I need to get these 2 blocks eaten up. I think I'll take a saws all and cut them up and then bus them up and put them in some corn.

Thanks for the quick reply. Great site. Jim

 

[skyhightree1]

I use pour on rarely.. Shots mostly and blocks depending on how much time I have to fool with the cattle but when i want them to lick the blocks like crazy i go to the dollar store and buy a bunch of molasses and pour it on the blocks in a trough.

 

[wacocowboy]

I have used the Safeguard blocks during the summer. Mine ate it up no problem and never had trouble with any getting wormy. I wouldn't use it as my main wormer but works pretty good as a boost between the Spring and Fall when I work them.

 

[bird dog]

How do you know all the cows are getting some? That was what I was concerned with. When I used a couple of them on about 10 cows the dominant cows would stand and lick them while the less dominant ones would stand around and watch. The herd would move on and all cows would go with them. When the herd moved back through a day or so later, the same thing would happen.

 

[wacocowboy]

How do you know all the cows are getting some? That was what I was concerned with. When I used a couple of them on about 10 cows the dominant cows would stand and lick them while the less dominant ones would stand around and watch. The herd would move on and all cows would go with them. When the herd moved back through a day or so later, the same thing would happen.

I put mine in a small pasture so the herd couldn't move to far away so once the alpha cows got some the other cows rotated in.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Just curious to see how the blocks performed. I have a pasture that I lease and not much there as far as facilities. I had planned on hauling a round pen over and gathering the cows up and hauling to the main farm for worming. But if these blocks work that would save me a lot of time and trouble!

 

[skyhightree1]

My issues were getting the cows to use the block but after I chipped it with a hatchet and then they ate it up cattle seemed to do really well I have used them and will continue to do so I never did a formal exam for worms just based my results off the conditioning of the cattle prior and after.

 

[midTN_Brangusman]

Thanks Sky im going to give it a try!