We were recently contacted by an upstate South Carolina rancher about our use of Ecto-phyte and Neem oil for external parasite control. He asked what type of oil we mix with the Ecto-phyte and water, do we mix Neem oil and Ecto-phyte together, do we rotate the use of these topicals, is Neem used exclusively for lice and mite control and what mixing ratio do we use for the Neem oil spray.

My answers to him were as follows. We dissolved all natural liquid soap flakes in water and added it to the Ecto-phyte mix. Most of the time though, Don just shook the spray canister as he sprayed the cattle. We did mix the Neem oil and Ecto-phyte a few times, however now we just use the Neem for lice. If we notice a cow has hair loss due to lice, we put Neem on a disposable cloth and rub it on the affected area. This clears up the problem very quickly. We did rotate the use of these topicals, however we rarely use either now. Instead, we rely on our salt mix. As mentioned above, Neem oil is occasionally used for lice, however we did use it for flies as well by putting it on a cloth and making a swipe down the face. I couldn’t remember the mixing ratio of the Neem spray since we now douse a cloth straight out of the jug and apply it, however if we used it more often, we would mix it with water to make the oil last longer.

Now days, we mostly rely on our salt and mineral mixes for external and internal parasite control in conjunction with rotational grazing. The above topicals work until the animal sweats it off or it rains. I believe that the cattle do need access to the salt mix all the time for it to be effective though.

This rancher also asked about our mineral mix. He was adding diatomaceous earth to his mineral mix but was concerned that it would harm dung beetles, dung feeders and the fly predators that he applies to the manure piles so he asked about our experience adding diatomaceous earth to our salt mix. He also asked what role garlic powder played in our parasite control and how vinegar was administered in the mineral mix.

We use a custom salt mix that includes diatomaceous earth. Every once in a while, I scrape the top off of a manure pile and see that there are beetles/feeders in it. We seem to only have one type of dung beetle in the pasture, the dweller. The garlic is for external parasites and the sulfur of the garlic is secreted through the skin and eye fluids. The vinegar is in powder form, however I have heard from other producers that they pour vinegar directly in water tanks over a series of days.

Is this rancher’s concern about using diatomaceous earth in salt or mineral mixes unfounded? Diatomaceous earth is the fossilized remains of diatom shells. These shells are crushed and result in an abrasive, fine dust. Apparently this fine, abrasive dust pierces the bodies of internal parasites which makes them dehydrate and die. The concern is what does the dust do to the hosts internal organ linings and does the dust harm beneficial beetles living in, and off of, manure piles. If I understand correctly, diatomaceous earth comes in different grades and the lower grades can pass harmlessly through cattle. After passing through cattle or other animals, diatomaceous earth then becomes harmless to manure inhabitants. What are your thoughts? Do you use diatomaceous earth and also have a dung beetle population? If so, what type of beetle do you have? Dwellers, tunnelers or rollers? What other insects are inhabiting the manure in your pastures?

About a week ago, Mason sold a bull to some folks in the Holliday area. We thought the day might end with one of our bulls being sold though. The buyers started looking at the entire group and asked if a younger one, ours, was for sell. Well, yes he was. So the three of them talked among themselves until Mason’s bull came up to sniff them. One of the buyers held out his hand and got a lick on the fingers. The buyer beside him said, “We’ll take that one.” The deal was sealed. A good disposition in an animal is a plus and we have none that are aggressive or that will run off at the first sight of us. I, personally, like to walk among the cattle once a day just to look them over. They get used to this interaction and are easy for us, and new owners, to handle.

My only complaint about our herd bull is that he keeps producing bull calves. In the past two years, only two heifer calves have hit the ground. This scenario makes for slow replenishing within a herd so Don and I made a four hour trip to a Red Angus sanctioned sale. Before considering the trip though, we combed through the shiny sale catalog, narrowed down the prospects to nineteen and contacted the sellers with our standard questions. What type of forage are the cattle on? Have they ever had creep feed, feed supplements or grain? What type of vaccinations have they had? What is their current frame score? Are the cattle on a mineral program? Based on the answers, our prospects dropped to seven.

Don and I arrived at the sale a few hours early to get up close and personal with these girls and take a good look at them – front to back and top to bottom. Our prospects then narrowed to two bred heifers which are now doing a meet and greet across the fence from the main herd.

So why did we choose these two heifers? They have moderate frames and good dispositions. We believe they have a good glandular system and will produce adequate milk for the heifer calves they are carrying. Their body and leg structure is good. They weren’t grained to reach their current potential. And, that pretty red color is a lovely compliment to our green pastures.

The calves are coming up on ten months of age. The age at which we wean them from the mamma cows. This morning we gave them their first round of vaccinations. In two more weeks, the calves will be put in a pasture adjacent to one with the cows and in another two weeks, the calves will receive their booster shots. The weaning process will be complete.

Weaning time is a prime example of our low key, low cost management practice. After coffee and sausage this morning, we called the cows and calves up, flaked out some hay in the working area and let the group mill around while we set up a catch pen. A short alley runs between the working area and the catch chute in which the calves are allowed to walk in and out of. This makes it easier to run one calf in the chute when another exits out the front. No loud noises or chasing around the pen required. Low key.

The low cost comes in by performing the vaccinations ourselves. I would encourage anyone to practice this. I would advise studying the practice first though. Speak to and watch your veterinarian. Understand the correlation between weight and dosage. Get a feel for subdural injection as opposed to intramuscular. Know the proper storage and handling of vaccines, syringes and needles. And when that last needle is properly disposed of, give yourself a pat on the back for that do-it-yourself attitude.