McGee213288
Well-known member
We have some rubs, but I don't really like them to much. I need some new ideas.. 
Sooooooo...What do Ya'll do for Fly & Skeeter control???
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jodywy
Well-known member
got to get rid of the frost before the skeeters come out
loomixguy
Well-known member
IGR for the flies............drought for the skeeters..........
bverellen
Well-known member
Mostly we just have to suck it up, mosquitos and flies are only here for about 11 1/2 months......
You could alsways try breeding for a little more ear.
bart.
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You could alsways try breeding for a little more ear.
bart.
<><
McGee213288
Well-known member
:lol: :lol: ....Ya'll are NOT helping....We run Brangus...but even the eared cows get eatin' ...We have 2 creeks that run thru the property so if drought kills the skeeters...everything else is dead too... :shock: ...What is IGR???...and I REALLY don't see how you northern folks do it... :???:
Kato
Well-known member
Dectomax will keep the flies off for about a month. Fly tags work Ok, but you have to change which variety you use or the bugs get immune.
Somebody once invented a fly trap that people used to talk about quite a bit. It was made of screen, and was like a small room the cow walked through that had strips of canvas or whatever hanging in the doorway that knocked the flies off the cow's back. Then they flew up, like flies always do, and they couldn't find their way out so they died. It was meant to be set up in a gateway leading to the water, so the cattle had to go through it.
I've never seen one in person, but apparently they worked. Anybody else heard of this? There may even be plans on the internet somewhere. I'd like to know how they turned out.
Somebody once invented a fly trap that people used to talk about quite a bit. It was made of screen, and was like a small room the cow walked through that had strips of canvas or whatever hanging in the doorway that knocked the flies off the cow's back. Then they flew up, like flies always do, and they couldn't find their way out so they died. It was meant to be set up in a gateway leading to the water, so the cattle had to go through it.
I've never seen one in person, but apparently they worked. Anybody else heard of this? There may even be plans on the internet somewhere. I'd like to know how they turned out.
OldDog/NewTricks
Well-known member
Off the net.
WALK THROUGH HORN FLY TRAP FOR PASTURED CATTLE
by Lee Townsend, Extension Entomologist
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture
Horn flies are bloodsucking insects that can be seen on the backs and sides of beef and dairy cattle during most of the summer. These flies spend virtually all of their time on animals. They use a tubular mouthpart to pierce the skin and get a blood meal. While horn flies take only small quantities at a time, they feed frequently throughout the day. Irritation and feeding by horn flies, especially on yearling cattle, results in reduced weight gain during horn fly season. University of Kentucky research has shown differences in the range of 12 pounds per head resulting from horn fly control.
The idea of a walk through fly trap to protect cattle from horn flies was first presented in 1899 with some additional work in 1930. The development of insecticide resistant horn flies in some areas, plus interest in non-chemical fly control, spurred reinvestigation of fly traps. This fact sheet presents general information on the trap and research results from field tests at the University of Missouri. It is a guide for people considering the use of alternative types of fly control. Specific plans are available from the Agricultural Engineering Plan Service, Room 205, Agricultural Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. Ask for plan 1-904-C-6, "Fly Trap". The retail price of materials is estimated at about $300. Wear and tear was low in field tests so a trap should last for several seasons.
How It Works
The trap reduces the numbers of flies on the animals as they move through it. Ideally, the tunnel-like trap should be placed where animals can pass through it several times a day. Flies are brushed off of the animals while they are in the device. The trap functions somewhat like a minnow trap. The flies move through the angled side slats to light and are trapped between the slats and the outer screened sides of the trap. It is easy to move into the collecting area but very difficult to get out. Horn flies die naturally after a short time off of the animal. Dead flies that accumulate in the trap can be removed but scavenger insects will do an effective cleanup job if the trap is not cleaned.
Effectiveness
Cattle passed freely through the trap, leaving behind many of the horn flies that were on them. Animals using the trap had an average of 50% to 70% fewer horn flies during Missouri field trials than untreated animals. On some evaluation dates, reductions were as high as 90%. Horn fly control on nearby herds wearing insecticide impregnated ear tags averaged 88% to 98% during the tests. While the trap caught some face flies, it did not result in any effective reduction in fly numbers per head. Very small numbers of stable flies and horse flies were caught in the traps but the traps do not provide effective control of these species.
Placement
As with dust bags and back rubbers, placement of fly traps is important. They should be located where the animals must pass through then regularly. Pathways to water, feed, or mineral supplements are ideal. The outside area around the trap should be fenced to exclude cows. This will reduce damage to trap screening and framework.
WALK THROUGH HORN FLY TRAP FOR PASTURED CATTLE
by Lee Townsend, Extension Entomologist
University of Kentucky College of Agriculture
Horn flies are bloodsucking insects that can be seen on the backs and sides of beef and dairy cattle during most of the summer. These flies spend virtually all of their time on animals. They use a tubular mouthpart to pierce the skin and get a blood meal. While horn flies take only small quantities at a time, they feed frequently throughout the day. Irritation and feeding by horn flies, especially on yearling cattle, results in reduced weight gain during horn fly season. University of Kentucky research has shown differences in the range of 12 pounds per head resulting from horn fly control.
The idea of a walk through fly trap to protect cattle from horn flies was first presented in 1899 with some additional work in 1930. The development of insecticide resistant horn flies in some areas, plus interest in non-chemical fly control, spurred reinvestigation of fly traps. This fact sheet presents general information on the trap and research results from field tests at the University of Missouri. It is a guide for people considering the use of alternative types of fly control. Specific plans are available from the Agricultural Engineering Plan Service, Room 205, Agricultural Engineering, University of Missouri, Columbia, MO 65211. Ask for plan 1-904-C-6, "Fly Trap". The retail price of materials is estimated at about $300. Wear and tear was low in field tests so a trap should last for several seasons.
How It Works
The trap reduces the numbers of flies on the animals as they move through it. Ideally, the tunnel-like trap should be placed where animals can pass through it several times a day. Flies are brushed off of the animals while they are in the device. The trap functions somewhat like a minnow trap. The flies move through the angled side slats to light and are trapped between the slats and the outer screened sides of the trap. It is easy to move into the collecting area but very difficult to get out. Horn flies die naturally after a short time off of the animal. Dead flies that accumulate in the trap can be removed but scavenger insects will do an effective cleanup job if the trap is not cleaned.
Effectiveness
Cattle passed freely through the trap, leaving behind many of the horn flies that were on them. Animals using the trap had an average of 50% to 70% fewer horn flies during Missouri field trials than untreated animals. On some evaluation dates, reductions were as high as 90%. Horn fly control on nearby herds wearing insecticide impregnated ear tags averaged 88% to 98% during the tests. While the trap caught some face flies, it did not result in any effective reduction in fly numbers per head. Very small numbers of stable flies and horse flies were caught in the traps but the traps do not provide effective control of these species.
Placement
As with dust bags and back rubbers, placement of fly traps is important. They should be located where the animals must pass through then regularly. Pathways to water, feed, or mineral supplements are ideal. The outside area around the trap should be fenced to exclude cows. This will reduce damage to trap screening and framework.
McGee213288
Well-known member
Hmmmmmmmmmmmmmmmm....
cowhunter
Well-known member
They got some mineral down here that has somethin that keeps the flys from maturein in the cowpies. They say the flys leave the cow to the pies to lay eggs then goes back. Its expencive. I've never used it. There bad this year. For some reason down here, there ruff on black cattle.
Frank in West Dakota
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McGee213288 said:
Insect Growth Regulator, CHS has a mineral you can buy with that in it. Some guys have used that around here, and have liked it, says it works good.
What'd ya mean, ya don't see how we northern folks do it? What are we doin'? :lol: :wink:
McGee213288
Well-known member
:lol: :lol: ...Livin' in the COLD!!!!!!!!!!!!!!..BBBBBBBBBBBBBBBRRR!!...got below 70 the other day and I had to put on some sleeves...
Big Muddy rancher
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Frank in West Dakota said:
Vigortone uses it as well as a few other companies.
jodywy
Well-known member
a clear 26 degree morning up here in the moutains...
Will G
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www.horselineproducts.com
Faster horses
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Vigortone has a new product called Cinnagar, contains Cinnamon and
Garlic and the findings so far have been good for fly control. I don't know
the whole story yet, if it just repels flies, or kills them.
IGR works on horn flies by interrupting the life cycle of the fly. The eggs hatch prematurely, can't
fly and die. You need to put it out when the weather is 65 degrees for a few days and then
leave it out til the first frost. That way there is much less
winter carryover and you don't have many flies from that first hatch
in the spring. It works and if you are running yearlings, it's cheaper
than fly tags. Flies don't become immune to it like they do the chemical
in fly tags. You will still see some flies, but if the cattle stop bunching up
during the day, you know it is keeping the fly load down so that the
cattle aren't bothered by them.
Garlic and the findings so far have been good for fly control. I don't know
the whole story yet, if it just repels flies, or kills them.
IGR works on horn flies by interrupting the life cycle of the fly. The eggs hatch prematurely, can't
fly and die. You need to put it out when the weather is 65 degrees for a few days and then
leave it out til the first frost. That way there is much less
winter carryover and you don't have many flies from that first hatch
in the spring. It works and if you are running yearlings, it's cheaper
than fly tags. Flies don't become immune to it like they do the chemical
in fly tags. You will still see some flies, but if the cattle stop bunching up
during the day, you know it is keeping the fly load down so that the
cattle aren't bothered by them.
the_jersey_lilly_2000
Well-known member
Silver said:
So your sayin......we should breed for longer more bigger swatters on the tails? :wink:
That so sounded like a Soapweed answer you gave hehe.
I've noticed the flies seem to be worse this year here too.
the_jersey_lilly_2000 said:
We are fortunate in this climate that flies are not a major problem, and as long as we AND the neighbours keep up with Ivomec or similar, the cows can take care of what's left. I think it better to breed for longer tails than bigger ones :wink: :lol:
I try to time my branding so I can pour with generic ivermectin when the flies are at their worst. I also keep out rubs with lintox and diesel.
The rub works pretty good on yearlings because they're curious about it and like to play with it. But for a cowherd, I'm not sure the rub helps much except with bulls - they think it's something else you put out there for them to tear up, so they get a lot of it on them.
Rotating pastures at the right time helps me more than anything.
The rub works pretty good on yearlings because they're curious about it and like to play with it. But for a cowherd, I'm not sure the rub helps much except with bulls - they think it's something else you put out there for them to tear up, so they get a lot of it on them.
Rotating pastures at the right time helps me more than anything.
Steve
Well-known member
this is might help out Cowhunter down in Florida.. but not sure how it would work out west.. easy to build... and it works well,, we use them locally it works on biting flies such as horse flies and greenheads.
http://www.greenheadflytraps.com/Assembly_Instructions.html
Part one fly trap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hom5xLO8pbE
Part two.. shows how and where flies can be caught
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDGNuaAOlB8&feature=related
part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LukUOQbZqhc&feature=related
http://www.greenheadflytraps.com/Assembly_Instructions.html
Part one fly trap
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hom5xLO8pbE
Part two.. shows how and where flies can be caught
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=nDGNuaAOlB8&feature=related
part 3
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=LukUOQbZqhc&feature=related