Flies

CritterLover · #1 09/19/06, 09:52 AM

Does anyone know if fly spray formulated for horses is safe to use on goats? It hasn't been an issue because we've gone so long with no rain but after just 3/4" over the weekend, the poor horses were covered yesterday and I'm sure they are bugging the goats, too. Any one have any advice?

fishhead · #2 09/19/06, 10:27 AM

Our farm store carries goat spray. It's either permethrin or the other form. I can't remember which.

I bought a gallon, tried it once and haven't used it since. The goats just licked it off.

AnnaS · #3 09/19/06, 02:06 PM

It would be safe for the goats to use a horse fly spray- especially a permethian/pyrethium based one. If you are milking, I would buy a spray approved for dairy cows in milk so you don't end up with residue in your milk.

Jcran · #4 09/19/06, 03:19 PM

I bought this WONDERFUL smelling marigold fly spray from EQYSS or some company name like that; seems to work ok and is supposedly nontoxic; uses the stuff that kills/repels bugs that occurs in marigolds. It is EXPENSIVE but goes a long way and we all smell good.

fishhead · #5 09/19/06, 03:35 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by Jcran

I bought this WONDERFUL smelling marigold fly spray from EQYSS or some company name like that; seems to work ok and is supposedly nontoxic; uses the stuff that kills/repels bugs that occurs in marigolds. It is EXPENSIVE but goes a long way and we all smell good.

I believe that is pyrethium. Permethrin is the synthetic form. It IS toxic but natural.

Idahoe · #6 09/19/06, 05:56 PM

The flies we've had this summer makes me want to throw up. Since it doesn't get truly dry here ever, I decided to go commando on them. The feedstore had a spray (they sold out of course) safe for milking animals, but my real purpose is to stop them from the beginning. I've heard good things about diatomacious earth (DE) killing maggots when added to goat or poultry feed. Others know a lot more than I do, but that's how I'd deal with it.

fishhead · #7 09/19/06, 08:05 PM

Free ranging chickens should help too.

I put up 50+ tree swallow nests on my dikes (50' apart). They are incredible fliers and seem to really put a dent in the fly and mosquito population because when the flock leaves the number of bugs goes up dramatically.

TexCountryWoman · #8 09/19/06, 11:08 PM

Quote:

Originally Posted by CritterLover

Does anyone know if fly spray formulated for horses is safe to use on goats? It hasn't been an issue because we've gone so long with no rain but after just 3/4" over the weekend, the poor horses were covered yesterday and I'm sure they are bugging the goats, too. Any one have any advice?

Hey neighbor! We got 1 1/2 inches!

I know what you mean about the flies. The drought killed off all the flies, grasshoppers, fire ants and the last snake I saw was a rattler I blew away early in the season. UNREAL that the bugs even disappeared! like an appocalypse around here.

After the WONDREFUL rain we got, our horses had flies on them too, don't know whre they came from...I used the very last squirt of fly spray on the old horse who had flies the worse. I already threw away the spray bottle but i think it was a milder type of stuff as mentioned in the above posts. I have never used any sort of fly spray on my goats, they have never had flies.

I use Muscovie ducks for fly control around the barnyard, flies are one of their favorite foods and they do a better job than chickens.

CritterLover · #9 09/20/06, 08:49 AM

I have a friend in Smithville, an hour away that got over 4 inches. We can't buy rain here. I'm beginning to lose trees. But with the little precious rain we did get, the flies are horrible. I use fly predators and they were working great but then it dried up again and I guess they did too. It takes me about a week to get them as I order them over the Internet but they do work as long as I keep the fly spray away from them. I just need sonething to use until they come in. I use the stinky traps in the barn when they get bad but I cna only stand the smell for a few days and then I have to get rid of the traps. The goats are ok, just shaking their ears a lot and biting at their sides when a bunch land on them. They aren't phased by it but I think the horses are irritated. The flies do a number on their midlines!

TexCountryWoman · #10 09/20/06, 02:13 PM

We lost a Live Oak that we planted 5 yrs ago. i couldn't believe it. It was well established and healthy. We have two Cottonwoods that are about 80 ft tall that lost most their leaves and nearly died. We have a shallow water well, just 32 feet deep that almost ran dry and we did not have enough water to water trees...we barely had enough for the livestock as the 4 ponds went dry months and months ago.

My husband is buying a new thing of fly spray for the horses today at the feedstore in Rockdale, the town where he works i don't know what kind he is getting. I'll read the label and see what kind of livestock it is safe for when he gets home.

My goats are not affected by flies. Especially their ears....they have none...LOL!

fishhead · #11 09/20/06, 03:15 PM

My goats seemed to cover themselves in dust and that helped with the flies.

dbarjacres · #12 09/20/06, 04:10 PM

I would guess almost any horse spray would work for goats as goats seem to have fairly tough hides and horses are soooo sensitive to stuff. I would try Ultrashield in the black bottle, that's gentle and approved for dogs and it works very well (on horses and donkeys anyway) or another natural one is Equisect, which I used on my week old baby donkeys this year and no problems at all. The Eqyss (Marigold I think is the "type", Eqyss the brand) is supposed to be great too, but haven't tried it.

There is a cattle pour on approved for goats, Sylence or Cylence, something like that.