Another fly control thread

[TNtrout23]

So I joined last year with to gather insight on how to help me get the most out of my small herd.

2 things I'm still trying to get figured out is keeping a healthy summer and winter pasture. I know little about grasses other than fertilizing water and sun

My other big issue is fly control. I did try the minerals with igr last year with very minimal difference. So I hung up a back rubber which I do think helped but they tore it apart fairly quick and the stuffing was everywhere. I'm almost certain my neighbor has zero fly control on his herd so I've read that the igr will not help in those instances. Does anyone have any homemade rubbers that don't come apart so easily. I understand a cow is a large animal and nothing is going to last forever but maybe y'all have some tricks that I'm not thinking of.

The fly bags you get at tractor supply work very well but you gotta have a stomach of steel to get around them after a week or 2 in the summer. They get RANK!!

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

 

[TCRanch]

If your neighbor has essentially zero fly control, you're gonna have to double your efforts. Welcome to my world! Fly tags haven't worked for me, IGR didn't seem to make an impact. Tried the back rubber probably 12 years ago and they simply wouldn't use it - even moving it to a few different locations. If you have a small enough herd, your best bet is probably to just go through and spray them on an as-needed basis.

 

[TNtrout23]

View attachment 27487

More information please. Hard for me to read the word after cattle. Nice uni strut btw. Electrician is my full time job.

 

[TNtrout23]

If your neighbor has essentially zero fly control, you're gonna have to double your efforts. Welcome to my world! Fly tags haven't worked for me, IGR didn't seem to make an impact. Tried the back rubber probably 12 years ago and they simply wouldn't use it - even moving it to a few different locations. If you have a small enough herd, your best bet is probably to just go through and spray them on an as-needed basis.

The used the back rubber I had and I had it in a corner where the spring water comes off the mountain and I made it to where they have to go through it. After they got used to it they loved it. Just didn't last very long

 

[moses388]

More information please. Hard for me to read the word after cattle. Nice uni strut btw. Electrician is my full time job.

Looks like it says "Cattle Curtain." Cattle Curtain {click here}

 

[SBMF 2015]

Flies travel less than 1/4 mile from where they are hatched.
If you can justify the expense just use Long Range. The flies just disappear.

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

Just remember to read injectable directions. Not for use with polycarbonate syringe material.

 

[Mrcopier]

Looks like the first 2 characters are CL

 

[Mountaintown Creek Ranch]

Yes it is called Cattle curtain.
Used to be around $200... probably $400 now.
You can make your own, PVC, end caps, rope and connectors.
Fill it with Mineral oil and fly control product. (Or used motor oil if you are old school)
I mix in additives to make it thicker and also added small hose clamp on each rope (wick) which slows the drip down.

 

[DNelson]

I use this Pro ap Back Rubber. with the strips. one is three years old and still usable. I recharge it with a portable pressure sprayer every couple weeks. Less than $50 plus the 2.5 gallon back rubber pour on solution. I have it at the entrance back into the small pasture where I have the water tank.

 

[DNelson]

So I joined last year with to gather insight on how to help me get the most out of my small herd.

2 things I'm still trying to get figured out is keeping a healthy summer and winter pasture. I know little about grasses other than fertilizing water and sun

My other big issue is fly control. I did try the minerals with igr last year with very minimal difference. So I hung up a back rubber which I do think helped but they tore it apart fairly quick and the stuffing was everywhere. I'm almost certain my neighbor has zero fly control on his herd so I've read that the igr will not help in those instances. Does anyone have any homemade rubbers that don't come apart so easily. I understand a cow is a large animal and nothing is going to last forever but maybe y'all have some tricks that I'm not thinking of.

The fly bags you get at tractor supply work very well but you gotta have a stomach of steel to get around them after a week or 2 in the summer. They get RANK!!

definitely stay upwind from those fly bags!

 

[MurraysMutts]

I just feed every now and then and spray em good with a pump up sprayer.

Works for me

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

Fly tags in both ears and spray them when they are close to the house and I'm around.

Used to feed mineral with IGR but then my manure pies would last on the ground forever. No worms, grubs, or bugs would touch them.

 

[EasTex]

I just feed every now and then and spray em good with a pump up sprayer.

Works for me

That's what I do. Stand in the back of my lowboy trailer, throw out some cubes, sprayer with 10% permethrin in one hand, cold Coors Light in the other. Good times for all!

 

[faster horses]

In regard to IGR being effective--you must put it out early, before the first hatch of flies.
Leave it out until after it freezes. Leaving it out for that length of time will keep the flies from overwintering and you will have less of a fly load the next spring. The mineral needs to be palatable too, so that cattle consume it. Vigortone makes Heavy Cow IGR product for 1400# cows. That has made a difference.
McNess has a product with Rabon that is effective. But both these products have to be consumed at enough level to work.
I'm sorry you didn't feel it worked for you. Our customers gain 20# on WW by using it.
I've researched Rabon and it looks to me like it works on other species of flies besides Horn Flies. It's an old product. IGR (Altosid) or Rabon will NOT hurt dung beetles.

IGR is specifically to control Horn Flies. There is no way to get rid of ALL the flies.
Using 2 different methods works well. If cattle aren't bunched up during the day,
your fly control is working, even if you still see flies.

Hope this helps.

 

[chevytaHOE5674]

IGR may not hurt dung Beatles but it stopped all earth worm activity in my manure pies. Without worms and fly larve the birds had no reason to touch the manure and break it down. I honestly had 2 year old manure patties that you could pickup like potatoes chips. I was having to drag pastures to break up the manure as it would actually choke out the grass underneath.

Quit using mineral with IGR and once again a manure pie doesn't last more than a few weeks before the bugs and birds have it broke down. No need for any labor to deal with manure on pastures.

As for gaining WW when using an IGR, I have noticed zero difference in rate of gain when using fly tags, a pour on, and occasional spraying vs the IGR.

 

[kdhansen]

Yes it is called Cattle curtain.
Used to be around $200... probably $400 now.
You can make your own, PVC, end caps, rope and connectors.
Fill it with Mineral oil and fly control product. (Or used motor oil if you are old school)
I mix in additives to make it thicker and also added small hose clamp on each rope (wick) which slows the drip down.

How wide are each "curtain"? (Couldn't seem to find dimensions on website)

 

[coachg]

I started using igr mineral with garlic last summer. Could tell a big difference for most of the season. Down towards the fall #'s pick back up , so I'll give it another try this summer. Jury still out on the garlic mineral.

 

[Dave]

I use 20 +/- degrees with regular snow. I haven't seen a fly in close to 5 months.

Where they go for the summer they aren't going to get sprayed. Neighbors have cows so IGR probably wont work. A dust bag on several thousand acres, getting them to walk through it not going to work. Long Range is about the only option. Trouble is putting the cows through the chute to give them a shot. That is a lot of cows which would take a lot of time.