Fly Program

[YoungBlood]

So here I am with my first Heifer and here I am with my first fly problem, I beleive that this little criters have been identified as "Horn Flies". All I know is that they are the blood sucking type and that I really have no desire to loose my own blood so I canot imagine that my cattle would like it either, what is the best way to go about this, I understand that there are "fly programs" and what are the most effective, understanding that my heifer is within a larger crowd. Throughout my research I have also learned that you should start treatment at about 200-300 flies, and I am at that point. I need somehting that is going to work quickly nd effectively any advice will be most appreciated.


YoungBlood

 

[la4angus]

VitaFerm has a new (to my knowledge) supplement out that will take care of the horn flies.
check out their web site http://www.biozymeinc.com.
You should use this for all of your cattle. It kills the larva before they have a chance to do any harm.
Other feed companies something similar.

 

[Anonymous]

I went to the local farm center the other day and they carry a mineral that contains IGR (insect growth regulator). They said the horn fly larvae grows in the manure. The IGR kills the larvae before they can mature. They said it will control horn flies, but not totally get rid them. A pamphlet they had said that flies that aren't controlled can get as much as a gallon of blood from a single cow in only a month. It also said that the IGR will not harm the water or kill fish. It is used in some countries for mosquito control in drinking water. I am using a High Magnesium IGR mineral.

 

[D.R. Cattle]

IGR's are excellent regulators of horn flies, after all you will be offering mineral anyway. Just make sure it doesn't kill the dung beetles.

 

[dun]

Flycontrol isn't a one step process. The larvacides are good, the one we use is included in the loose mineral, but you also require some method of deterring them from actaully bothering the cattle. We use walk through arches with insecticide mops so that the animal has to pass through it to get to water. That discourages the flys and the larvacide helps control the flys in the larva stage. Both of these go hand-in-hand with manure managment. Mounds of manure also need to be controlled. Rotational grazing helps to spread the manure around. Free range poultry will also help to scatter the piles and will eat the larva that aren't totally affected by the larvacide. It doesn't matter if it's free range chickens, Guineas, pea fowl our wild turkeys or quail. The pats need to be broken up and spread around. Even coons, possums, or some other type of scavanging animal can help.
But no matter what you do, you'll never be totally free of them. It's claimed that face/horn flys only travel several hundred feet, but if you have a neighbor that doesn't also have a fly control program, you can make a serious dent but you;re fighting at best a holding action.

dun

So here I am with my first Heifer and here I am with my first fly problem, I beleive that this little criters have been identified as "Horn Flies". All I know is that they are the blood sucking type and that I really have no desire to loose my own blood so I canot imagine that my cattle would like it either, what is the best way to go about this, I understand that there are "fly programs" and what are the most effective, understanding that my heifer is within a larger crowd. Throughout my research I have also learned that you should start treatment at about 200-300 flies, and I am at that point. I need somehting that is going to work quickly nd effectively any advice will be most appreciated.


YoungBlood