08/08/2025
Fly control.
Flies get bad in the summer. They make life miserable for cattle and for the humans trying to handle those cattle.
There are many methods of fly control that are used regularly on large herds of range cattle. While those work with cattle who are more regularly handled, we have many options available for tame cattle that don’t exactly work on nearly feral herds that spend their summers out to pasture.
Some methods that work for herds of cattle can be brought into confinement nicely. Fly control blocks are listed as safe for milking cows. It is up to the individual to decide how comfortable they are with the chemicals. Fly rubs are maybe not as useful for cattle that will be handled. The protection relies on pesticide being applied to their backs when they rub. Then if we scratch or groom the cattle the insecticide rubs off onto us. Not a favorite thing for me personally.
Tame cows allow us to try insect control methods used on other tame animals like horses. There are fly sprays. When a cow has food available teaching her to accept being sprayed is generally easier than with a horse.
Fly sheets for horses can be ordered to fit a cow, just like winter blankets cant. Fly boots also fit across species, although they tend to get a bit nasty on the hind legs.
Fly masks made especially for cattle are available both from large tack companies and custom made off sites like etsy. There is also a pattern available to help you make your own fly mask special just for your cow. You can find a fly mask pattern here: https://www.flickr.com/photos/4everjcows/albums/72157715065571141/
Providing dusty areas for cattle to stand in and friends to stand with helps cattle to fight flies naturally. Barns to go in are a favorite of some cattle. Barns can create their own fly problems if not kept clean and dry. Keeping manure cleaned up helps slow the breeding of flies. Fly catchers will fill up quickly providing a satisfying, if disgusting method of reducing numbers around the corral.
Encouraging natural fly predators will cut numbers considerably. Those big spider webs are your friend! Spiders eat flies, mosquitoes, and all other types of insects. While not fun to walk into, spider webs are a great fly control tool.
If you are able, building good environments for dragon flies to live will encourage yet another fly predator. Dragon flies are natures supper predator. They can eat hundreds of flies, mosquitoes, midges, and other insects every day! Dragonfly larvae need water to hatch. They will overwinter in water tanks, if the tanks have water year round. Ponds and other clean water sources are even better. The larvae need a way to crawl out of the water and something to hang onto while their wings expand and dry. Watching a dragonfly crawl out of the water and transform from larvae into a flying insect is a wonderful and amazing thing. Then you have the added benefit of them eating bugs. Dragonflies are a win all the way around.
What is your favorite fly control method?
