A few years ago, there wasn’t much data available about the use of garlic in livestock feed to repel flies.

There was, however, scattered information online about producers who had used garlic powder to successfully reduce the insect load — a source of significant stress that can affect animal production.

From there, word of mouth spread and soon more and more Western Canadian producers began to ask for the addition of garlic to their mineral program.

The Ruminant Nutritionists at Co-op heard the calls but wanted to ensure that producers weren’t incurring an unnecessary expense, which is why they began testing different garlic products at locations in Saskatchewan and Alberta in 2014.

“As nutritionists, we’re science-based and there was nothing in the science that said this should work,” said Amanda Van De Kerckhove, a Ruminant Nutritionist with Federated Co-operatives Limited.

“However, the anecdotal evidence we received from our customers showed that it did.”

Put to the test

In their trials, a team from Co-op, which included Amanda Van De Kerckhove, observed the best results with a product derived from pure garlic oil, finding evidence of improved mineral intake.

The trial encouraged the team to create Co-op’s summer mineral program, which consists of a full range of beef cattle minerals and premixes containing garlic.

One of those products — CO-OP^® Beef Cattle 2:1 Summer Mineral — was also included in a 2017 trial conducted by the Saskatchewan Ministry of Agriculture. That study found average fly counts fell from 158 to 67 flies per cow when cattle were fed the summer mineral with garlic. The trial also found a greater intake of the summer mineral — an average of 113 grams per day compared to 45 grams per day of a trace mineral product without garlic.

New options for tricky situations

Van De Kerckhove said some producers are now using the summer mineral products to maintain mineral intake in adverse conditions that would typically reduce consumption, including periods of hot weather.

That’s important, because forage and grain alone can’t provide adequate levels of vitamins and minerals for cattle. Year-round, balanced mineral nutrition will bolster your herd’s immune and reproductive systems, resulting in a healthier herd, increased conception rates, quicker returns to estrus and improved growth rates.

“Some people use salt to drive mineral intake, but if water or forage is high in sodium, they aren’t going to be driven by that, so then you need to come up with a different idea,” said Van De Kerckhove.

 “This garlic product has been a good way to drive and maintain mineral intake.”

Since introducing its summer mineral program, which can safely be fed year round, Co-op has also added a garlic product to its weather-resistant 20-kilogram pressed beef mineral blocks. A molasses-based mineral tub with garlic is also available.