Ozark Akerz Regenerative Farm
  • Home
  • About
  • Our Farm
    • Our Animals
    • Graze Against The Machine
    • News
    • Photos
    • Our Hot Sauce
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Heritage Pineywoods Beef
    • Order Heritage Pineywoods Beef
    • What Customers Are Saying
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • For Educators
    • Get Creative
  • Subscribe To Our Newsletter
  • Contact
Ozark Akerz
regenerative farm

BLOG

How Dung Beetles Save Farms Money And Improve Animal Welfare

7/19/2023

12 Comments

 

How Dung Beetles Improve Health Of Regenerative Farms

Dung beetle rolling a ball of dung
Dung beetles are the strongest animals in the world. They can pull 1,141 times their body weight. That’s like a human pulling six fully loaded double-decker buses. They are found on every continent except for Antarctica.

Unlike the dung beetles I watched with curiosity as a kid in Rhodesia (now Zimbabwe) that would roll a ball of elephant dung much larger than themselves, the dung beetles in North Carolina are mainly tunneling (lay eggs in the soil beneath the cow pat) or dwelling (lay eggs in the cow pat). Tunneling dung beetles are the most beneficial to soil and pasture by acting as living feritlizers. By burying cow poo as food for their young, they aerate, introduce organic matter, and cycle the nutrients that are present in cow dung to the soil. The dwelling beetles have the additional benefit that they compete for manure with horn flies that can irritate the cows.

Natures Fertilizers

Dung beetles are great for pastures.Studies have shown Japanese Millet yields increased 81% and crude protein in bearded wheatgrass increased by 118% when dung beetles were present compared to cow dung alone. Another study has shown that you’d have to apply 200 lbs of Nitrogen per acre to see similar yields of coastal bermudagrass with dung beetle activity. At January 2021 average Nitrogen prices, a healthy dung beetle population would equate to a saving of $88/acre. With our 25 acres of fescue pastures (fescue has  similar fertilization requirements to bermudagrass), that equates to a saving of $2,200 each year. Let’s reduce that by 1/3 and say $1465/year because even if we didn’t have dung beetles we would have still have dung. My neighbors that have large commercial chicken houses would debate this. They use their chicken litter to fertilize their cattle pasture for free. My counter argument is that you must get deep in debt to build one 600ft commercial chicken house (most build 2 or more).

When we did our first soil sample after moving here in 2014, the analysis by NCSU indicated the soil had high levels of Zinc and Copper from chicken litter that had been used as fertilizer. They advised not to fertilize with chicken litter anymore because high rates had been shown to stunt root growth over time, making the plants less resilient during periods of drought.

Relying on our dung beetle pasture network, we don’t buy fertilizer. If we did, I would ask the following questions of farms I was considering buying manure-based fertilizer from:

  1. What do you feed your animals?
  2. What treatments/medications do you apply to keep the flock healthy?
  3. Has the bedding (straw, wood shavings, rice hulls etc) you spread in the chicken house been sprayed or treated with any herbicides or other chemicals?

What goes in must come out, in this case onto pastures, and these questions will give me the information to decide if the fertilizer has anything in it that does not belong in the soil, in the plants, in the animals that eat the plants and in the people that we provide food for.
Cow pat on lush green grass

Balancing Cattle welfare and Dung Beetle welfare.

Controlling flies around cattle herds helps decrease the chance of disease spread and increase the general comfort of cattle. Ear tags infused with insecticides or pour-on treatments (similar to flea control applications in dogs and cats) are  widely used for fly control. The problem is both kill dung beetles when excreted through dung, although ear tags seem to kill fewer in the short term than pour-ons. Persistent use of either, however, can negatively affect long-term dung beetle populations.  Pyrethroid, which is a natural extract of chrysanthemum flowers, can be equally devastating to dung beetle populations.

As I mentioned previously, a healthy dung beetle population competes for the same manure as flies. Fly control leads to dung beetle death which leads to fewer beetles competing with flies which in turn leads to more flies and  more insecticides to control them. As you can see, insecticide use becomes a vicious cycle. Conversely, our dung beetle population is very healthy because we don't use insecticides. We have seen anecdotal evidence of lower populations of horn flies over the seasons, although without some kind of controlled testing it’s hard to say what the season-on-season impact is.

When fly pressure is at it’s highest, we use a product called Ecto-Phyte which is a combination aromatic compounds and essential oils that creates a vapor around the cattle that acts as a shield. It’s not cheap, but we are using less of it each year and keeping the dung beetles safe as well. Of course the Pineywoods don’t like the smell and according to Sue it’s quite a comical watching me sneak up on or chase the herd to get close enough to spray them!

In addition to flies, cattle occasionally get gastrointestinal parasites which require treatment. A product such as Ivermectin which treats both parasites and flies kills dung beetles. In this respect we are fortunate to raise Pineywoods Cattle. They have not lost their ability to graze for medicine. We have quite a few black walnut trees growing at the edge of the woods that they have access to and it is not uncommon to witness them taking a bite of the leaves, branches or bark. Black Walnut contains the natural anti-parasitic, juglone, that helps control gastrointestinal worms. We have not been able to find any research that indicates juglone has an adverse impact on dung beetles, but judging by the dozens of walnut fly larvae we find feeding on the rotted hulls of walnuts, it’s unlikely to have any long-term impact on dung beetle populations, especially considering the limited amount of black walnut the cattle eat.

Rootin' around poo for science and love

One of my future projects is to figure out how to count dung beetle populations so we can start measuring population health over time and secondarily relate populations to the nutrient levels in soil samples. I've tried to document beetle activity in the past by uncovering the top of cow patties so I could photograph them. I have yet to get one photo.  As soon as I open one up the beetles immediately bury into the ground. I'm going to have to recruit Sue for help this summer, I reckon if she can open up the patty and I can focus solely on the photo I might have a chance.

I'm sure Sue won't be able to resist her offer of help, especially after I show her this wonderful Valentines card I made for her in the pasture (see below). I don't know how she puts up with me...
Cow patty with a heart drawn in it
Be My Valentine Sue-Baby!
Update
I made contact with Kelly Gill at Xerces Society, they focus on invertebrate conservation. She forwarded me information on how to scout for and document dung beetle populations (and other insects) in a more scientific fashion. It's actually a lot easier than I expected, using pitfall traps and a this worksheet. We will begin using this method in 2024, but will put a little cow poo in the trap instead of leaves and dirt. Check back for results.

Read also:

6 Questions to Ask Farmers to determine how your food is grown and raised
Cleetus the Chicken Retires
A woamn wearing a Graze Againt The Machine t-shirt stands next to a young man in a wheelchair
Get you Graze Against The Machine t-shirt
12 Comments
Shaun
2/10/2021 12:44:41 pm

Fascinating stuff! I assume the beetles scatter when lifting the cow pie because of the light? What if you did it at night with a flash? Love the valentines message! No beetles were harmed in the making of it I hope :)

Reply
Ozark Akerz
12/18/2021 09:39:13 am

Shaun,

We connected with Xerces Society and they provided us with a more scientific yet surprisingly simple way to scout for and document ground dwelling insect populations. Check out the update at the bottom of the blog for more info.

Reply
Gavin Wall
12/18/2021 04:07:39 pm

I've been a dung beetle enthusiast for over 30 years in Aust. Happy to provide information on my experience.

Reply
Ozark Akerz
12/19/2021 08:06:31 am

Gavin, I have connected with you on LI, sounds like you have a lot of knowledge to share. Looking forward to speaking soon.

Reply
Gavin Wall
12/19/2021 02:41:49 pm

I accidentally unsubscribed from your blog. Hope this will get me back.
I'm more than happy to provide information on dung beetles.

FoxFarm link
1/17/2023 04:15:51 pm

the most beneficial to soil and pasture health. By burying cow poo as food for their young, they aerate, introduce organic matter, and cycle the nutrients that are present in cow dung to the soil. The dwelling beetles have the additional benefit that they compete for manure with horn flies that can irritate the cows.
Thnaks

Reply
Traci Rickert link
5/3/2023 12:27:31 am

Would love an update on this...Ectophyte is no longer made so I have been trying out some homeage fly spray solutions for my cattle but it's only a temporary relief at best. Been creating a bunch of fly traps to help with their fly pressure. Do any of the ingredients in the homemade solutions (vinegar, essential oils, cooking oil, dish soap or shampoo) hurt dung beetles? We see them but they aren't in an abundance so I am worried this is hurting them...please advise if you are using something that works. Thanks!

Reply
Gavin Wall
5/3/2023 03:45:08 am

Traci

I would anticipate that your suggested homemade solution should not have a negative impact on dung beetle numbers.
You mention that you are not seeing numbers of dung beetles. It will depend on the season and what species you have in residence.
You should see activity in the form of soil from the tunnels if you have tunnelers, or when you scrape away the dung there will be numerous small holes in the ground.
In hot weather, the beetles will leave a crust on the top of the dung pat for protection from the sun and birds. When numbers build up considerably they will scarify the dung pat dry in no time – this is especially so for newly emerged beetles. I’ve seen the ground covered for about 2 m around each fresh dung pat, just like swarming bees.
There are winter active and summer active just as there are night flies and day flies, these include, ball rollers and tunnelers.
Certain species prefer tropical conditions and others cooler temperate.
When you build up sufficient numbers you will not, or should not, have any flies.
One way to bulk up numbers is to set up a dung beetle nursery where you contain and feed the beetles during their active season. A raised metal graden bed covered with shade cloth will surfice.
This takes some effort but at least you will bulk up numbers and keep them contained until you can do a release.
Ideally, you required several different species so you cover each of your seasons.
What species do you have at present?

Reply
Traci Rickert link
5/4/2023 11:54:15 pm

Thank you so much Gavin for the reply! We are in south central Texas if that helps...I don't know the scientific names but we have tunnelers (because I see the sand piles around the patties) and rollers (not as many of those). Saw several rainbow scarabs as well but not sure which type they are.
However, I see just as many flies on the patties as well so I definitely need more dung beetles. I broke down and used some insecticide today on a few of them (the bull especially) because the pressure was so intense (literally what appeared to be like a thousand on just the one bull!). It had Pyrethrin and Piperonyl Butoxide ...sad that I had to do it but some of the cows were really suffering and the homeade solutions are so very temporary. I have even been trying to do garlic infused oil on bovine rubs as well as creating infused jalapenos/ginger and basil in the homemade solutions hoping to get closer to the Ectophyte. Never thought about creating a nursery...will do some more research and see about that. Any other thoughts would be greatly appreciated!

Gavin
5/5/2023 12:44:14 am

Traci
I fully understand the dilemma you are in with the flies.
They can create havoc for the cattle – I’ve seen them in Texas and up in South Dakota literally drive the cattle into the corner.
Unfortunately, Pyrethrin is not dung beetle-friendly.
Fly traps may reduce numbers slightly.
Have you tried Cydectin pour-on? It is dung beetle-friendly.
I don’t have an organic solution to your fly problem other than this link may help https://www.beefmagazine.com/livestock/how-use-garlic-powder-fly-control-your-herd
Gavin

Reply
Traci Rickert
5/5/2023 09:44:13 am

Thank you Gavin! We have used Cydectin (knowing it was a different subgroup of ML's) but I did notice after we used it there was a drop in dung beetle presence so it definitely still seems to have some effect on them but noticed the flies are right back on them after a week (I am sure the Cydectin pour on stays longer in the system to knock down the internal parasites). I was going to stick with cydectin but use during the winter months only when the dung beetle population isn't as great. Thank you for the article on garlic...will read that and see what i can add to the routine :) Hoping the tide will change and we have more dung beetles to help keep the flies at bay.

Reply
Camden Sissy link
2/5/2025 05:02:38 pm

Lovee this

Reply



Leave a Reply.

    Farmer Sue
    Farmer Sue
    Farmer Mike
    Farmer Mike

    RSS Feed

    Categories

    All
    Activism
    Anniversary
    Article
    BBQ
    Beef Jerky
    Biodiversity
    Bulls
    Calendar
    Carbon Capture
    Chefs
    Chickens
    Christmas
    Climate
    Conservation
    Country Living
    Dung Beetles
    Farm Animals
    Farming
    Farnhouse
    Food Forest
    Forest Management
    Gardening
    Gatmstreets
    Give The Power Back
    Graze Against The Machine
    Health
    Herbs
    Heritage Breeds
    History
    Holidays
    Hot Sauce
    Humor
    Hunger
    Indigenous
    Language
    Liver
    Livestock Conservancy
    Marinade
    Medicine
    Pasture Health
    Peppers
    Photography
    Pineywoods Beef
    Pineywoods Cattle
    Plants
    Poetry
    Possums
    Radishes
    Rage Against The Machine
    Recipes
    Regenerative Farming
    Roast
    Runes
    Soil
    Steak
    Stories
    Sustainable
    Tomatoes
    Trees
    Vegetables
    Video

    Archives

    March 2025
    October 2024
    September 2024
    April 2024
    February 2024
    July 2023
    June 2023
    May 2023
    January 2023
    July 2022
    May 2022
    April 2022
    March 2022
    February 2022
    January 2022
    December 2021
    November 2021
    October 2021
    August 2021
    April 2021
    March 2021
    January 2021
    December 2020
    October 2020
    August 2020
    July 2020
    March 2020
    October 2018
    August 2018
    April 2016
    September 2015
    July 2015
    May 2015
    April 2015
    March 2015
    January 2015
    December 2014
    September 2014


    Check out our YouTube channel

    Copyright © Turboxark Inc 2014-2024 - Terms of Use
Copyright © Turbozark Inc 2014-2025 - Terms of Use
Turbozark Inc does not consent to any AI technology using our information or data on this website or any other platform.  This website contains our Intellectual Property, our labor and our data. We have never consented to Artificial Intelligence using it.

  • Home
  • About
  • Our Farm
    • Our Animals
    • Graze Against The Machine
    • News
    • Photos
    • Our Hot Sauce
  • Blog
  • Shop
  • Heritage Pineywoods Beef
    • Order Heritage Pineywoods Beef
    • What Customers Are Saying
  • Resources
    • Videos
    • For Educators
    • Get Creative
  • Subscribe To Our Newsletter
  • Contact