Attendees of a dung beetle workshop investigate a cow pie on Thursday, Aug. 24, 2023, near Pine River, Minnesota. Michael Johnson / Agweek
DUNG BEETLES PLAY AN ESSENTIAL ROLE IN YOUR PASTURE’S ECOSYSTEM By Michael Johnson | Agweek PINE RIVER, Minn. — On a cloud covered August afternoon, a group of about 20 farmers, ranchers, scientists and just plain curious folks had their eyes to the ground as they shoveled through cow pie after cow pie. “Pick up the crust, flip it over … if it moves grab it,” Roger Moon explained as the group dug in around him. Moon knows cow pats and what resides in them better than most after more than 40 years of research work on the steamy subject. Moon is professor emeritus of veterinary entomology with the University of Minnesota’s College of Food, Agricultural and Natural Resource Sciences in St. Paul. The attendees searched through three different paddocks on the rotational pastures owned by Thomas Stattelman of the Stattleman Angus Ranch outside of Pine River. Each of the paddocks were grazed about a week apart and those digging into the dung could catch a glimpse of what critters remained in each of the aging cow pies. “If you can find like one of these little balls, pick it up,” Moon said unabashedly holding some dung with his bare hands. “It’s easy to see the burrowing holes in the bottom Page 36 – West Central Tribune – November 2023
and that’s a sign that dung beetles are working that dung and taking it down into the soil below. That’s a good thing. “Look for the signs of insects even if you can’t find the insects,” he added. “Holes mean beetles, basically.” The presence of beetles, which eat and carve out caverns through the drying dung, means that the dung is being processed. The beetles help to break up that dung faster than it would without them. That’s important on these pastures. The dung needs to break up and absorb into the soil so the ground is clear of manure and free to go back to growing a plethora of forage for the cattle. Attendees like Kelly Anderson, a grazing and livestock specialist with the Minnesota Department of Agriculture, dug in and began finding some dung beetles, their tunnels — and a whole lot of other creatures. Maggots, earthworms, various flies and larvae all were finding a meal among the “meadow muffins,” as Moon affectionately calls them. “This one is probably old enough that a fly or something came in, laid an egg, and the larvae has already hatched and flown away,” Anderson said. While the average person, including many on this tour, don’t put much
