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Fly Control Will Pay
for Its Investment
With the
blooming of flowers, warm weather and green grass comes a pest that is
very costly to the cattle industry. External parasites such as flies and
mosquitoes cost the cattle industry billions of dollars each year in lost
performance.
Flies can
reduce weaning weights in calves by as much as 5% when compared to calves
on farms that have an external parasite control program in place. Also,
flies can reduce brood cow weight, reduce grazing time, reduce milk
production and be the cause of/or help spread disease such as mastitis and
pinkeye.
There are
several products available to use as a control for flies. While sprays,
back rubbers, and fly tags are all available and will assist in your
management program, I would like to discuss two options available in a
mineral program as a means of effective fly control. These products are
available in mineral supplements and blocks with larvicides and insect
growth regulators. Let’s look at each product and its mode of action to
assist you in making a good decision for fly control this summer.
A larvicide
(such as Rabon), as the name implies, affects the fly larvae in the manure
of cattle and horses. When fed this product, it passes through the
digestive system into the animal’s manure where it kills fly larvae on
contact shortly after fly eggs hatch. This product is not effective
against existing adult flies and should be fed early in the spring and
continue to be fed throughout the summer and into the fall until cold
weather restricts fly activity. It has been shown to be effective in the
prevention of horn flies, face flies, houseflies, and stable flies. When
used in conjunction with other management practices, it will assist in
achieving optimum fly control. This product is available in both a loose
mineral and a mineral block and can be purchased at special pricing
through your local Co-op. It is safe for all stages of cattle and horse
production.
Another
product available to you is an insect growth regulator (IGR), such as S-methoprene.
An insect growth regulator affects the development of the fly itself,
which will lead to sterile flies that cannot reproduce. This product is to
be fed continuously during the fly season to prevent the breeding of horn
flies only in the manure of treated cattle. It is also available in a
loose mineral or supplement block and is completely safe to feed to all
classes of cattle. As with a larvacide, it may take from three to five
weeks for an effect on the adult horn fly population to be observed. An
IGR also has no effect on adult horn flies.
I visited
with several farms that utilize one of these two methods as a fly control
program. While not 100% effective, producers comment that both products
work well as a control program and it is up to the individual producer to
decide the product that will work best for their operation. Also, remember
that the most effective results come from a program that has implemented
other manage-ment practices as well as providing these products on a
consistent free choice basis.
We have
both a larvacide and insect growth regulator available to you at your
local Co-op. We also have a wide range of other products available to
assist you in a total management program. While these products will add
initial cost to your program, the additional weight gain, disease
reduction, and added performance will more than pay for your initial
investment, plus you can ride around the pasture with the window down
without fear of being overrun by flies.
If I can
help you in any way, please feel free to contact me at jimmyh@alafarm.com.
Jimmy
Hughes is AFC’s animal nutritionist.
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