Cattle on Pasture: Minerals, Grass Tenany, Bloat, and Fly Control 

I am a retired physician who lives in British Columbia Canada. I have never been on a farm but watch all your videos because they are interesting and it keeps my mind off all the terrible things I see on the news. You have a great personality and seem like a very genuine person who has a passion for farming. Thank you so much for all the work you put into creating, editing, and publishing your videos.

G’day mate indeed. Just gone 1am here, now I have to up for another twenty minutes and catch up on cows, flies, chooks and lots more. Have a great day Pete.

The older I get the more I seem to be watching you and working horses with Jim. Growing up on a dairy farm just south of you with no tractor but 2 work horses brings back the happiest years of my life. Thank you ,as you both answer questions I never got to ask Dad. He didn't think his daughter would be interested...they were the best years of my life. Thank you.

Having grown up in rural Kansas, I appreciate your respect for farmers and the challenges they must face and overcome. Very few urban dwellers understand the complexity of modern farming, but your videos do a good job in explaining this reality. Keep up the good work, Pete.

Thank you so much, Pete. It’s been 50 years since I was on the farm and working w my parents, and my Dad would have been stunned at the science. I learned a lot today, and I thank you for that. Have a great day. I missed Ezra today….

When it comes to it, your thorough explanations and extensive knowledge is what truly makes your channel stands out. Thanks for the video!

Those cattle must be SO HAPPY to be on fresh pasture! 🦋🌻

Love your videos. I'm a fourth generation northern Indiana cattle. ,grain and hat farmer. Even so I always learn something new or reminded of something old from your videos. Thanks

I really like Pete's logic, evidence, and science-based approach to his work.

There are people who know and people who actually know!! Proof is always in the product!! I think it is ironic how much we try to make everything in life more efficient and traps us in inefficiencies. Faster growing breeds have tragic consequences and artificially fertilizing your forage has adverse affects. Every time we disrupt the circle we tend to make a mess of it. Several small farms working at a natural rate seems ironically more efficient!! Great video!!

Good information Pete! Never gets old to see you and your cows on the field!🤗❤🤗 thank you!

It looks like "Peanut" is getting along real nice with the herd. I bet she enjoys the fields better than the little cage she had to be in. Thanks Pete & Mrs. for all that you do and share with us.

Cattle are on pasture! Nice video Pete, lots of good information too.

I live in the UK and I'm in Costa watching your lovely videos it's the best to watch on a lovely day and thank you

I just watched part 1 ad 2 of the house renovation . Your father and his brothers ,your uncles helping caught me off guard emotionally .That was neat to see. Also, the world does need to find some self pride and one way you can achieve that is by starting small projects . I wish our public schools would bring back some of those classes like wood shop, mechanics ,and farming, but what do I know . Thank you for the post

I enjoy watching and hearing about wisdoms learned on the job of someone who enjoys and finds his work exciting! That work may never relate to what I do but the positivity is infectious and rare in our world. Thank you!

Your right about how farming has changed, growing up I remember moving the cows from 1 pasture to another, putting out the salt licks and running bailed hay out to the cows. But from all the information you are putting out I don't remember any of the problems about the nutrition. Times have changed, it was much simpler 50 years ago.

Interesting video Pete. I love to see the cows out on the grass..so peaceful for them.

Hello Peter. We had beautiful weather today in Smithfield, Rhode Island. Love listening to you talk about you animals. Enjoy the sunshine and be well.

As for garlic, I know it works on black flies (small no see um like biters ) and mosquitoes on humans. When I was younger I used to hike in the White Mountains with friends every couple of weeks for quite a few years. We found if we ate raw garlic we did not get bitten by the black flies and Mosquitoes. It was amazing the difference. They would still swarm around us, but never landed or bit. When we would come back from our trips though, people would comment on the smell...ha, ha. But beef and garlic, a recipe in the making. Your fields look beautiful and do your cattle. Keep up the good work.

Very interesting and informative - I love your videos and feel I learn so much from them. Hope you keep posting them!

That was the most in depth discussion on the possible maladies that can occur when cattle are put out on pasture I have seen. I don't farm, not do I plan to, but I can absolutely appreciate your going into what can cause the symptoms, and ways to help prevent them from happening in the first place. Thanks Pete.

G'day mate, never miss your posts Pete. Always informative and from the heart. Cheers, from 'Down Under'

Thank you for the interesting discussion. I don't think you realize just how far reaching your discussions are and how educational they are. I also appreciate that you use science based evidence to drive your decisions.

I love how you not only say that you don't like a particular thing, but WHY you don't like it. It is extremely informative. Legend. As an Australian, I feel like I should says it is pronounced more like "gid-ay", an excellent attempt though mate. ;)

Thanks Pete once again for sharing your thoughts. I'm glad you have an open mind for trying things then passing the results to us.

G’day Pete from Australia. Love the channel and the varied topics you cover.

I love your channel Pete!! I am always learning something new. Thank you for always making your channel interesting and always including your viewers!!

G’day mate. Good intro. You got it. I’m sure your other Aussie viewers enjoyed that intro, as I did.

I give my horse powdered garlic as a regular supplement for fly control as well as its a natural antibiotic that doesnt destroy good bacteria in his gut. Love watching your show. Its relaxing and informative. I know more about cows, chickens, pigs & tractors now than ever!! Thank you!!

🐼 Big Bear Hugs from a 68 yr old grandma in Kirby, Texas, USA 🐼 ❤ 🎀 ❤ 🎀

I'm appreciative of the info. As a non farmer, I think we reference other channels to try and make sense of the variety of information. And better to share the source. Thx Pete.

Another interesting video and a good tutorial in many ways thanks for that Pete. Funny with your reference to G'day Mate and from the land Down Under. I have a friend of mine who lives north of my about 90 miles and we email each other daily and we oft times refer to our locations as "Northern Siberia" for his location to "From Down Under" here at my location. because I'm south of him. Human humor! at least we think so. have a G'day Mate!. ECF

Pete, you pronounce Lilac like I do! Grew up in Michigan. Have lived in Indiana for 50 years, and they pronounce the letter "a" in lilac with a long a vowel sound. Sounds like fingernails on a chalk board to me! My Mom is English and I thought maybe I had picked up her accent with just one word - lilac lol. Anyways this proves I listened through your talk about all the cows tummy issues when they eat the first grass of the spring. Speaking of the cows - could you do a little video with the cows just munching grass in the field? No talking just grazing. So peaceful.

Great video, love the info. I grew up in OH and appreciate smart farmers!

I just love the way you teach me different things Pete you are a very good teacher the thank you. .🐐🐐🐐

You learn… on the fly. How did that not become one of Pete’s jokes for the day.

Man I love this channel and all you do and teach me thank you sir

Great video of multiple topics...fit together nicely and very interesting nutrient discussion on bovine ruminant digestion. I learned from this. Have a great day and say hey to Hil.

It was great seeing you at the auction! Thanks for another great video. You have been valued member of our farm since we adopted a herd of 20 Black Angus Cattle.

Hello from Wisconsin. I enjoy watching your videos. They take me back to my childhood growing up on a small farm. Good luck finding something to control the fly population. That is one thing I don’t miss about living on the farm.

Thanks for sharing this information!! Always happy to see a new video out.

Pete you missed the perfect opportunity for telling people the joke "that you saw a house fly once."

Great video, I love learning something new each day and today you gave me a months worth.

G'day Pete, Good morning from South Australia. Livestock have the same requirements here. Thanks for yet another great video. I always enjoy watching you on the other side of the planet . We are in really looking for good rain to get our pasture growing before the winter when it all slows down, but the animals stay on the pasture all year. Your pasture looks amazing. Keep up the great work. Cheers Dave

We used some jar traps last year. Not only were the flys attracted to them, but the steers were too. They Kept messing with them. Hang them where the cows can't reach them. You will be amazed at how many flies you catch in them.

such great information Pete, thank you for taking the time to explain all this.

I think we all need to have a little scientist in us, do our own research, most good farmers I know are always trying to find better ways to do things on their farms and that does not mean just dumping on more chemicals. Looking forward to seeing what works for you on your farm Pete.

👍👍👍👍 Thanks for sharing, Pete. Enjoy your explanations. Take care.

Pete, i must say, this vid was incredibly interesting. very well thought out and delivered. thanks.

I love your videos! I learn so much and appreciate you sharing your knowledge.

Thanks for your time in this Video. 😎

Always excellent content. I was going to suggest placing a sticky trap on the reverse side of that bulletin board. You beat me to it. I always look forward to your posts!

Thanks for another great video Pete!!!!your a smart man!!!

Good morning Pete I always look forward to your video and can't wait to meet you speaking of flies I've worked in a Dairy Barn in the summer for 4 years off and on with polyurethane foam in the new state-of-the-art Dairy barns I can tell you the fly staxup 3in thick come September when it starts to get cold so they stay warm all over your equipment all over the red iron those flies irritate the cattle so much

It's G'Day mate how ya goin. then never seen the the sun shine brighter, then you talk Aussie

Hey Pete good afternoon. I'm looking forward to seeing your videos this year.

Hey, my question got tabled (parasitic wasps). Good seein' little Peanut doing well.

We used a couple big jar devices years ago on the farm that were called The Big Stinkey to control flies. You would insert a piece of raw meat and then add water to the gallon size jar. The meat would rot and draw the flies into the jar and trap them. The device worked very well and eventually filled up and had to be dumped and then started over again which wasn't a pleasant chore for anyone with a weak stomach. I know these were killing thousands of flies but our cattle were still aggravated by flies. Thinking back maybe the jars were actually drawing flies in that normally wouldn't have been there, who knows?

G'day mate to you too Pete. One thing though that some of our American brethren get it wrong is "Aussie" . It has a "Z" sound and not an "S". Great video as always. God bless.

I hate seeing any flies on my cattle, but like anything on a farm, it’s all about balance. If we have no or very low flies, then we’ll end up with too many in the long run because the beneficials that counteract flies will fail to thrive. I’m also heavier on legumes than most would be comfortable with, but I grow grain and graze on the same ground, as well as having dedicated pasture and silvopasture. I custom graze dry dairy cattle and go through a process of gradually increasing their exposure. I really need those legumes in my fertility package, even if it’s to support grass and brassica cover crop growth. Whether they use it or not, free choice minerals are essential not only for their dietary needs, but it’s another data point to use along with soil and tissue testing. If they are taking in, what they are taking in, and where they take it in, is all information we use to determine soil health and what amendment packages to apply. It’s so much more reassuring to spend that money with multiple sources of data to analyze. Thanks for another great video. Another RU-vidr Farmer is going to be going to college right near where you market. “Kates Ag.” I hope you two collaborate one day.

Love your holistic approach with the inclusion of kelp and rationale of organic fertilizer in pasturage. Awesome teaching moment for forage content and pasture management. I have brewed fly bait using yeast and ammonium carbonate. Works well in bottle flytraps. I have a recipe I’m happy to share - requires a gallon jug and an airlock. Thanks for your channel.

Pete, we are already in the 90 degree weather down there in Louisiana. We have some that's doing first cutting of hay here.

Thanks for sharing Pete. We are trying the wasps this year on our farm. It’s too early to say if it is making a difference or not. Certainly makes a difference in the bank account lol. They are pretty quick and easy to use. Only takes me about 5-10 minutes to go put them out around key places once a month. We also have been using fly paper hanging in the barn where our goats have access to and it sure does fill up fast. That alone was not enough last season. I definitely think your on the right path using multiple different methods. Thanks again. We always enjoy watching all of your videos.

Used the yellow sheets in the seed starting room to control fungus gnats. Worked great. Found the sheets laying flat caught a bit more flies than vertical per side. But on the plus side, I was able to hang them with both sides exposed.

I’m glad you mentioned the surfer. I almost got a block. Going to get some Redmond garlic minerals. Giving the trace block and trace minerals. Thanks so much for the knowledge Pete!

Nice piece, Pete. Good on ya', mate . . . Obviously you're still "Learnin' on the FLY' !-)

G'day mate good job Pete 🇦🇺

To make a long story short Cattle just put out on pasture just love it, how ever just watch out which end of the cow you are standing next to.

Great thinking Pete😄😄😄😄

G,day Pete good video about cattle time for smoko now I put the billy on

lol You looked like the very handsome John Cleese when you did your divine Aussie accent, Pete. :)) Great thoughts for the day, thank you! Hope you hit on all the right clues for fly killing! That's a tough one!

Thanks Pete i learned alot from this as a guy who wants a mini Farm, this is a very good tool

Another good job Pete! Trying to learn as much as possible.

g'day pete not bad it good to have a go and you did very well love the channel. as a non farmer myself it good for me to learn the way to grow cattle chickens pigs and also how hard it is to do it. i love tractors too my cousins also collect tractors but they don't really use them as you do keep up the good job I also like the market videos regards nigel western australia

Thanks for another great video, love the hat!

Pete, loved the opening and I have often wondered where you've picked up some of your slang. I've heard you regularly use mate and bugger which I can't say I've heard many other Americans (US) use but is staple Aus/Kiwi.

40 year Redmonds user, 30 years of broadcasting 100lb per acre with amazing results. Free choice lime/ mag and Redmonds and fly predators

G/Day mate, I enjoyed that, thanks .

Theres no better moment in JAFA videyas than "COME ON COWS!!!" I wait all winter for grazing videyas so my wife and I can hear Pete call them cows!! Thx for al you do.

You sound like my favorite mineral and vitamin speakers Dr Joel Wallach and Ben Fuchs

Hi Larry Payne here from the farthest southeast Idaho town of Preston. I've used the Redmond lump salt for the years that I had dairy cows , they always did better and were more vigorous. By the way Redmond is about 200 miles south. It is mined from the ancient sea beds fifteen feet under ground in deposirts that were here supposedly before the west had the Rockies. Either way it is full of flavor and has a good amount of natural occurring minerals. It's the west's version of Himalayan pink salt

Look like you have a few more cows this year. They look great on that fresh grass!

Hey Pete 👋 I am Australian and G'Day mate to you too. What made you feel like you had a bit of aussie in you today? Maybe it's the lovely sunshine you have at the minute! It's the only thing I really miss about Australia now I live in the UK. We get such a lot of grey days here. Well another really interesting video on cattle feed and digestion. So much knowledge!! Thank you so much for sharing it with us. Take care and all the best from the UK. 👍😁☀️

As well as garlic for your beef you could try chili or horseradish. Yum.

Nice video Pete

Thank you for sharing.🐂

I love watching your videos. I learnt a lot from you. Thank you!

This was so helpful!! Thanks!!

Thanks Pete, enjoyed the video, flies and all!

Hello Pete you would think as long as there has been cattle around man we would have things figured out a little better on controlling the flies. Good video have a great day.

Love all Your videos Ihat i have seen thank You

Thanks for all the details. Very interesting to listen this stuff.

You’re practically an Aussie mate😉🇦🇺

In South Africa we mainly use Red Top fly catchers. Sounds like the same principle of your fly catching bottles. You prime it with a non toxic bait /attractant. The red top and rotten smell attracts the flies. A funnel guides them in and prevents them from getting out. The flies then drown in the bait which makes the bait more potent. once full, you dispose of the putrid liquid and prime the trap with new bait. These traps work very well but you will need many of them.

We are all learning “on the fly” 🙄 thx Pete!

Kelp is realy intresting to learn about we had a farmer here in michigan that did white washing in everyones stanchion barns and sold kelp on the side lots of dairy guys fed it free choise .very high in minerals and vitimins

We use the plastic jar fly traps and they work wonderful! The lure does smell so be sure to wear gloves!!

My name is Kevin and I like the cows and your chickens and your pigs

good job thanks