cattle insecticides?

[mesa123]

So my neighbor came out yesterday to see how the heifers were doing that he sold to me. He noticed there were a bunch of flies around their faces so he went home and brought me back two water bottles filled with Malathion. He said to mix one quart of Malathion to 5 gallons of diesel fuel and put that in a sprayer. Then spray the heifers with this stinky mixture. He said they'll stink but the flies will be gone for the summer.

Is this safe to do? I know he's always done it with his cattle but putting diesel fuel on them seem strange.

[linn]

Are yours beef or dairy heifers. If they are dairy heifers, I would read up on safety issues before spraying them with Malathion. It may be perfectly OK. Malathion seems to be an option for a beef cattle spray. DH has fixed up a homemade rub with used motor oil for the beef cows. It is just an old sheet or any large cloth cover, twisted around a chain and hung up between two posts. He then pours used motor oil on the cloth. So far, no ill effects. I don't think I would want it on my milk cows though.

http://www.truenorthspecialty.com/en..._Label_Eng.pdf

[mesa123]

They're beef heifers. So you douse the sheet and they rub it on themselves?

[linn]

That's the idea. To get them to really use it, stretch the rub across an entry way or gateway so they will have to go under it.