# worming and anti-fly suggestions?



## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

Would like to hear what people use on/intheir cattle for worming and also for taking care of flies. 

Is there anything for flies that will work for both cows and equines?


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## Debbie at Bount (Feb 24, 2005)

We use pour on ivomectin. Several times a year plus after delivery of their calves I pour it on them. While they eat grain I pour on. Have 30 cows with ear tags so I just keep tract of the ear tag number in a log. 

Flies are horrible right now in Oklahoma. I think those files are 1 inch long!!! My horses are really being bothered by them. I have a mineral block with a fly repellent in it. I buy at Atwoods. I don't know if it works. I spray the horses with an expensive spray and I also spray some of the cows that come up to me. I have friendly cows!! I feed once in awhile by hand so I can do lots of stuff with them.

Debbie






Doc said:


> Would like to hear what people use on/intheir cattle for worming and also for taking care of flies.
> 
> Is there anything for flies that will work for both cows and equines?


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## BJ (Aug 8, 2004)

We have the vet come in the spring (last week) and give new calves shots and the older cows booster vaccinations. Included in these shots is a shot for worming .....then we don't need to use a pour on. For the flies....it takes consistent use of several products. We use ear tags in BOTH ears, we have a hanging cattle rub with the face flaps that are treated with diesel and a pour-on that they must pass under to get to their minerals. Feeding loose trace minerals helps to deter pink eye problems. We also feed a "fly block" to the cattle and our one horse. By feeding that block the eggs laid by flies in manure will die. Using all of these products together will help to stop they cycle. We have "old" farmers on 2 sides of us who just don't believe in doing anything to prevent flies...if a cow get's pink eye...they just haul it to auction.....no preventative measures taken at all! One old farmer across from us told us last year that he had never seen cattle with so few flies! It will make you cows happier...and healthier  Good Luck! You got to start now to get the best control of these insects!


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## Doc (Jun 5, 2003)

BJ, is a fly block similar to a salt block? I could also do a walk through with flaps, but diesel? I don't know about that or how to do it.



BJ said:


> We have the vet come in the spring (last week) and give new calves shots and the older cows booster vaccinations. Included in these shots is a shot for worming .....then we don't need to use a pour on. For the flies....it takes consistent use of several products. We use ear tags in BOTH ears, we have a hanging cattle rub with the face flaps that are treated with diesel and a pour-on that they must pass under to get to their minerals. Feeding loose trace minerals helps to deter pink eye problems. We also feed a "fly block" to the cattle and our one horse. By feeding that block the eggs laid by flies in manure will die. Using all of these products together will help to stop they cycle. We have "old" farmers on 2 sides of us who just don't believe in doing anything to prevent flies...if a cow get's pink eye...they just haul it to auction.....no preventative measures taken at all! One old farmer across from us told us last year that he had never seen cattle with so few flies! It will make you cows happier...and healthier  Good Luck! You got to start now to get the best control of these insects!


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## genebo (Sep 12, 2004)

Doc said:


> BJ, is a fly block similar to a salt block? I could also do a walk through with flaps, but diesel? I don't know about that or how to do it.


A fly block is similar to the brown mineral blocks. It contains a fly larva killer that passes through the cattle and kills fly larva in the manure. Some contain molasses to encourage the cattle to eat them. I pay up to $16 for a fly block as opposed to around $6 for a mineral block.

The old farmers around here spray diesel fuel on the cattle to discourage flies. I think the theory behind mixing diesel with your back rubber fly chemical is that it will make the back rubber chemical more effective. I'm sure it makes it stick longer and not wash off so quickly.

I have the long tube type back rubber with 5 or 6 strips hanging down to wet their faces. My neighbor has a shorter type that has a reservoir that you fill with insecticide and what looks like a rag mop hanging down from it all the way across. He puts it across a gate that they have to go through to get water. It seems to work better than the one I have. I may change.

Genebo
Paradise Farm


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

I've never heard of fly blocks up here and maybe we can't get them in Canada but could someone give me a brand name so I can start hunting for them. I'd really like to give them a try.


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## Debbie at Bount (Feb 24, 2005)

Wormed 30 head on Sunday......lots of fun.....
Debbie


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

The plans for the rub device I made are here http://www.phwhite.com/
There are also some good ideas for alternate methods shown.


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## PezzoNovante (Jun 11, 2002)

Guess it is time to spray the "guys."

Where is your palce in Oklahoma, Debbie? We are in far north Atoka county.


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## BJ (Aug 8, 2004)

wr said:


> I've never heard of fly blocks up here and maybe we can't get them in Canada but could someone give me a brand name so I can start hunting for them. I'd really like to give them a try.


There are several brands available around here. One made by "MannaPro", another by "Ragland". Anywhere you can purchase salt & mineral blocks or your local feed store should have them available. Our store frequently runs out of them at this time of year as they are quiet popular...and they do help. It stops the fly cycle by killing the eggs flies lay in the manure. Even our horse likes these blocks! Be sure to get the ones that have molasses....it really helps to encourage the livestock to lick it! Also our cattle eat a lot of the loose minerals this time of year. We put the fly block in the mineral feeder with the loose minerals.


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## wr (Aug 10, 2003)

Thanks BJ, I hope they do have them up here. I'll be calling around tomorrow to see what I can find out.


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## agmantoo (May 23, 2003)

I am reluctant to use products that will kill the dung beetles that thrive in the manure. Since I do rotational grazing I want the manure to breakdown as rapidly as possible and the dung beetles are a great help by working the manure into the soil. To my awareness, the fly block ingredients will kill all insects that come in contact with the animal waste.


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## myersfarm (Dec 24, 2004)

i have found for breaking up the manure piles that...wild turkeys do the best job they spread that stuff every where i have 2 flock on my farm and any where near the woods they really do a good job....would never use the blocks afairde it might hurt the turkeys...that really do taste good in the winter time


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## Debbie at Bount (Feb 24, 2005)

PezzoNovante said:


> Guess it is time to spray the "guys."
> 
> Where is your palce in Oklahoma, Debbie? We are in far north Atoka county.


Hi, I am in Pittsburg County. 20 miles into the country west of McAlester in the Hill area. 
Debbie


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## BJ (Aug 8, 2004)

We've got lots of wild turkeys on our place...and yes they do a great job turning over the manure. The chemical in the fly block won't hurt the turkey....it just prevents fly eggs from hatching. These blocks have helped to greatly reduce fly numbers at our farm.


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