Flies are a costly nuisance to beef and dairy producers.  Losses come from energy exerted for tail swatting, head throwing, and leg raising, from staying bunched instead of eating, and most economically important from actual blood loss from the fly bites.  Altosid, the active ingredient in IGR products, can be added to grain mixes and minerals to reduce fly populations.  Altosid is a very safe ingredient.  It is a hormone that works in the manure to prevent a fly hatch from progressing through the pupa stage.  It will mainly affect the population of horn flies and face flies, which are the species that cause the most economic damage.  Use of altosid will not take all the flies off the cows back, but it will decrease the population of the most costly flies enough to keep them more comfortable and make you a profit.  This program is most effective when alternative hatching areas such as spilled feed and unhauled manure aren’t available.  Contact us for details on floor stocked products or to formulate custom products. 

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D&B Formulator B2880:   To be used by dairy and beef producers desiring the benefits of a quality, highly fortified general purpose mixing mineral.  This mineral provides a high concentration of trace minerals and vitamins which allows for low inclusion rate usage.  Mix D&B Formulator B2880 with grain or other feed at 2 to 4 ounces per head per day to provide 180 to 360 mg of Bovatec per head per day to growing/finishing beef cattle or dairy heifers.  D&B Formulator B2880 also provides the additional benefit of yeast to stimulate microbial growth/production in the rumen for improved nutrient digestibility.  D&B Formulator B2880 - Ideally suited for easy and economic on farm mixing!
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WHAT PHOSPHORUS LEVEL SHOULD MY MINERAL HAVE? 

Although all minerals are essential for bovine health, phosphorus has long been considered the most basic need supplied by the mineral package.  Often 12-12 mineral (12% calcium, 12% phosphorus) is the primary mineral that producers feed.  As you know, the higher the level of phosphorus the higher the cost of the mineral.  Most of the year a lower phosphorus level, such as 6% or 8%, will do a good job of supplying needs. Cows only have an actual taste for salt and phosphorus.  If the phosphorus level is high enough to shut down consumption, it also shuts down intake of other essentials like vitamins and trace minerals.