This past spring, my son and I installed an Easy Way Cattle Oiler. We installed the oiler at the highest traffic location for our Longhorn Cattle. The oiler is filled with 5 gallons of kerosene mixed with 8 ounces of 10% permethrin. Permethrin is used for 2 years and then the third year the 5 gallons of kerosene is mixed with 1 quart of 57% malathion. The insect repellent is rotated like this every three years to avoid resistance. For 20 head of cattle, one mixture of 5 gallons has lasted the whole summer. There is a marked reduction of flies on my cattle this summer. We also give are cattle mineral tubs with Altosid during the warm season. An example of a product with Altosid is Purina’s Wind and Rain® Fly Control with Altosid. Horn flies cause cattle stress. A moderate horn fly population (500 per animal) will suck 7 cc of blood per day. Typical weight loss is estimated at 15 to 50 pounds per yearling. Also, a 10- to 15-pound weaning weight advantage results when good horn fly control is used (from www.sweetpro.com/how-to-fly.html). Altosid passes through a cows digestive system and works by preventing horn fly larvae from hatching.
|
AuthorAndrew Stickler & Mitchell C. Stickler: the goal of this website is to assist those who are considering raising livestock for the first time. Archives
September 2020
|