Garlic in mineral for fly control?

[aj]

Dealer here is selling mineral with garlic in it. I think it is Suthers. Anybody tried it for fly control?

 

[Gargan]

I know vitaferm makes a mineral they call "heat" that also has garlic in it for fly control.  It has a lot of good reviews. 

 

[Doc]

I know vitaferm makes a mineral they call "heat" that also has garlic in it for fly control.  It has a lot of good reviews.

I thought the garlic was in it to help with fescue toxicity?

 

[Gargan]

Doc, I know that is a big part of "heats" purpose is to help with managing fescue intake, but I think the added garlic is mainly for fly control during summer months.

 

[aj]

I wasn't clear on how it works. Does the cow put off a garlic odor? Or does the garlic keep flies out of the cow pie?

 

[Steve123]

From Vitaferm's website:

VitaFerm® HEAT® is a line of vitamin and mineral supplements for beef cattle used to reduce heat stress during temperatures of 70 degrees and above, or anytime cattle are grazing fescue. Contains the Amaferm® advantage and Capsaicin, both research-proven to lower body temperature, which can improve conception rates by maintaining pregnancy. Includes garlic, a natural insect repellent.

 

[Steve123]

Sorry,  I tried to highlight the garlic part and made it almost impossible to read.

VitaFerm® HEAT® is a line of vitamin and mineral supplements for beef cattle used to reduce heat stress during temperatures of 70 degrees and above, or anytime cattle are grazing fescue. Contains the Amaferm® advantage and Capsaicin, both research-proven to lower body temperature, which can improve conception rates by maintaining pregnancy. Includes garlic, a natural insect repellent.

 

[aj]

Thanks.

 

[aj]

One article I read.........garlic doesn't reduce fly numbers but the flies don't land on the cattle as much. I assume the flies woudn't develop a resistance to Garlic? Maybe flies from Italy would dig garlic.

 

[Gargan]

Momma Mia

 

[rf21970]

I have fed and will feed again this summer the VF minerals with HEAT. Outstanding products and the benefits of HEAT and Amafirm are visible in the cattle. As for the garlic I really couldn't tell any difference one way or the other from a fly control standpoint.

 

[CAB]

I'm not saying that this is not a great product, but what I will say, as far as there being much validity to any of the reviews we see anymore, I believe about zero percent of them. The companies are writing their own reviews or hiring people to do so. There is little doubt about that.

 

[RyanChandler]

Good post CAB.

I’ll take it farther and say all these products are complete shit.  Not because they’re not made with quality ingredients or because they don’t fulfill their claims, but rather because they disguise and conceal the inferior specimens within your cowherd.  Imagine that paying money out of your pocket to conceal problem animals.  It makes no sense whatsoever.    Find cows that can cut it on whatever nutritional profile your farm offers and quit wasting your money on these products.  I want to know which of my cows are no good- impossible to do when there’s  a band aid thrown at every short coming.

 

[beebe]

Good point.

 

[aj]

Kit Pharo has a theory that some cows are genetically resistant to flys...........if memory serves........more hair follicles per square inch. Xbar.......are thinking along those lines. I would agree that flies may become resistant to IGR and other chemical. Since garlic is natural.........this interests me.  I guess my brother used used the heat product here in Kansas last summer and he thought it made a difference.

 

[simba]

Quite a few people in our area started using mineral with garlic in it last summer and from what I’ve heard they seemed happy. We’re hoping the company we use will add it to their tubs so we can try it out. Last year the flies were unbelievably bad.

 

[mark tenenbaum]

I agree with all you people up north-Just like the cattle are stouter and have more hair to suvive days that may be 70 below zero windchill-that environment produces some of the worst bugs-especially flies and mosquitos on GODS GREEN EARTH-They will literally carry you away-Best fishing probably in the world for coldwater pike,muskees,smallies and trout-But the horror stories Ive heard and the little I experienced have me convinced-As far as some cows being genetically resistant to flies-I aint seen em yet unless someone came up with some kind of perfume O0

 

[aj]

A fly resistant cow isn't available but some studies are being done. It involves fly counting on cows.....etc etc.