Fly Control, Flies Love Cattle

For more information see www.easywaycattlecare.com/walkway.php

     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.  ​