Flies are thick, horrible, eating my poor heifer alive

[chronic66]

Never quit seen them this bad. Biting flies. Probably stable flies. I've tried a few bug sprays. I want something that lasts longer and more effective and inexpensive. Any ideas? Thanks.

[agmantoo]

The flies on the animals back or head? Cydectin will give some immediate relief but will not last very long. You can feed an IGR (insect growth regulator) product that will stop the flies from maturing in the manure. There are insecticide treated ear tags that will give some relief. Flies are a problem here this year also. Start observing the heifer for pinkeye as that is likely to surface with the heavy fly infestation. I am unaware of anything that is a true fix,sorry.

[chronic66]

thanks agmantoo. I will indeed give her eyes a good looking at tomarrow and in the future as time goes by.

[gwithrow]

Ultra Sabre works very well...the very small amount you use for each is amazing...however it only lasts a couple of weeks....so I space it out...it does mean they have to go through the chute just so I can get it right on each one...it is a pour on...but when the flies are really terrible it is worth it so they get some relief and we look forward to Fall.....it is difficult to use a rub as the cows are not in one place long enough for it to be effective....this is one summer I will be glad to see move on

[SCRancher]

I use fly ear tags, lasts 3-5 months typically. I have also this year started using pour on wormer Ivomec. Yes that's what I thought why a wormer for fly control - my vet suggested it is what he uses on his cows, lasts for a couple of months.

My biggest concern when treating for flys is I don't want to kill off my dung beetle population so I DON'T use an IGR if I can help it because from what I understand it also stops the dung beetle larve from maturing thus killing off your dung beetle population.

[MO_cows]

We use a rub, a pyrethrin insecticide concentrate mixed with diesel fuel. With "face flips" hanging from the rub. The cattle learn the rub helps them and they intentionally use it. Just have to force them at first by making them go thru it to get to water or pasture. It doesn't get to their belly or legs, but it helps.

We are fortunate this year to have a small flock of cattle egrets visiting, they are a big help with horse flies. They don't come every year, don't know why.

Anybody had success with the fly predator bugs you can buy?

[nosqrls]

Guinea fowl help with flies and ticks. and any other bugs you may have.

[G. Seddon]

Yes, guineas are great, will keep ticks under control, but they are hard to raise. They need to have a safe place to roost at night. Some people object to their wackiness and noise.

I've used fly predators, but did not reorder this year. They probably are more successful when you don't have poultry gobbling them up.

There's no real easy solution to the fly problem. I use insecticidal ear tags and they work well on most flies. Keeping grass short, manure cleanup (in areas where the cattle are confined), and pinkeye vaccines all help. Haven't ever had a fly rub. Our cows have horns, and I can just see them flying through the pasture with that thing draped over their heads.

There's no perfect solution to the fly issue.

[CountryMom22]

For the pink eye issue: Could you use something like a fly mask for a horse? It might need to be modified, and probably would be too expensive if you had a lot of cows, but for one or two, it might be doable.

Hope this helps. Just trying not to reinvent the wheel, you know?

Good Luck!

[kycrawler]

I use a garden sprayer with permectrin and just a squirt of dish soap in it . Throw some grain infeed bunk and walk around and spray them all . The permectrin also gets rid of the ticks on them as well I have a rubber hanging from the mineral feeder as well but it mainly just gets their faces