I never had much luck with fly ear tags. Just my experience. I use back rubs. I have a small pen here at the house where I raise replacements. I treat the pen where I feed and have a rub they have to walk under to get to the feed. Fly's are bad but not too bad. The regular herd just gets the back rubs.
Flys Flys Flys
- Thread starter rusco
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Tod Dague
Well-known member
We used fly parasite for several years with good success and didn't put out near as many as that website recommended. After the first year we took down our back rubber. My in-laws were having a big problem with flies so I put some out at their place and it has had a dramatic effect. I will need to put out more at heir place next year tough.Dre":285plw8e said:
dcara
Well-known member
In previouse years (and this year) I used fly traps hung around the feeding area and loafing shed. The fly traps are the milk jug kind in which you put attractant and water which I have to refill/recharge about every 2 months. I also rake out the feeding and loafing areas once a week. I think these efforts help keep the fly population down quite a bit. However, last year (a very wet year) I still had probably close to 100 flies/cow on bad days, much less on other days. This year ( a very dry year) I started using one tag per head plus keeping up the traps and clean out efforts. Haven't seen more than about 20 flies/cow yet this year and the overall fly population around the feeding and loafing areas is way way down. Not sure how much of this improvement is tag related and how much is weather related.
I tried those milk jug fly catchers. I built some and put the attractant in them and they maybe caught two or three flies. So I get curious and buy one of those fancy store one's with the trick lid on it just to see. It catch's gnats and no flies. I finally just bought some spray and spray the area where I feed the replacements. I walk around them while they eat and spray them sometimes also. The cattle in the field just get the back rub's like I said.
Bottom line is I either have real smart flies or those stupid traps don't work. :x
Bottom line is I either have real smart flies or those stupid traps don't work. :x
dcara
Well-known member
I guess I spoke to soon. In the space of about 3 days I went from almost no flys to probably over 400 per calf. The only difference is that we got a little rain.
flaboy":1ao8nqvo said:
They sure work here! I've got 3 of them out, combined with predators, and fly bait. I have to dump and re-bait them about once a week, but we have a feed-lot about 1/2 to 3/4's of mile south of us. The only draw-back to the fly traps that I can see (smell would probably be a better word) is that they stink to high heaven when it comes time to dump them. I use the Captivator's.
Crowderfarms
Well-known member
Msscamp, I had the mis-fortune of having one of those fly traps explode on me. Wife had one tie strapped to panel, and was letting some calves out and one I wanted to keep in slammed the panel and man talk about a stink. Was just getting ready to leave for work. Needless to say, I was a little late to work that morning.I could smell it all day. Bout took a shower in Clorox. 
Crowderfarms":17n3bszt said:Msscamp, I had the mis-fortune of having one of those fly traps explode on me. Wife had one tie strapped to panel, and was letting some calves out and one I wanted to keep in slammed the panel and man talk about a stink. Was just getting ready to leave for work. Needless to say, I was a little late to work that morning.I could smell it all day. Bout took a shower in Clorox.
Bless your heart! I can only imagine. :shock:
I'll bet you were, and I can't say as I blame you for entertaining thought of Clorox! YUK!!! I have never, in my whole entire life, smelled anything that stinks as bad as the fly traps do. I would take an abcess or dead animal any day of the week! But, I cannot even begin to imagine how many hundreds of thousands of flys I trap each week. Each female fly lays 500 eggs, apprx 10-20 % of which hatch. Think of the flies I'm eliminating (I shouldn't say 'I'm', I should say the traps are eliminating). That in itself makes it possible to deal with the smell. One small trick I have learned about dumping fly-traps - if you have irrigation, dump them in a field row while the water is running (added bonus - the dead flies make excellent fertilizer, at least according to the literature that comes with the traps). They are whisked away so fast, you usually can't smell them. Plus, the water is coming out of the pipe so fast and hard that it will literally scrub the trap jar - inside and out - and refill with little to no problems as long as you have a good hold on it. Otherwise, you may be chasing the trap!!
Crowderfarms
Well-known member
Those traps work great....BUT sometimes I wonder if they dont attract flies from out of the area.The pure stinch of them reminds me of only one thing....My-EX wifes cooking. :shock:
Medic24
Well-known member
Yup, we use those fly traps as well. keep about half a dozen hung up all summer......supposed to be disposable, but I just drilled a one inch hole in the top of the plastic bell, and drain them out...........then I recharge with milk or calf poop, or both...so yummy.... anyway, just simply cover the hole with some duct tape after you refill and hang it... works pretty darn good.
But was wondering.. anyone make any home made traps that work as well? :cboy:
anyway, just simply cover the hole with some duct tape after you refill and hang it... works pretty darn good.But was wondering.. anyone make any home made traps that work as well? :cboy:
flaboy":1d7jh0pa said:
msscamp":1d7jh0pa said:
Yep the one I got was a Captivator. Put that smelly stuff in and the flies wouldn't come near them. I guess they smelled too bad. :lol: I just spray the area now and the replacements are getting used to me spraying them while they eat.
