Keep Flies off your Horses

Are you looking forward to the warmer weather and longer days at the barn? Well, you’re not the only one.  Flies are awaiting their favorite time of year, when they get to make your barn & sheds their new summer vacation home. Specifically, a horse fly can ruin your day with your animals as they aggressively seek their blood meal for the day. The horse fly can be an extreme nuisance to your livestock as they have the potential to transmit diseases.

According to the Texas A&M Agrilife Extension, “Heavy attacks can lead to reductions in weight gains of beef cattle, reduced milk yield, reduced fed utilization efficiencies and hide damage from the puncture wounds. Horses under attack will be irritable and distracted by trying to avoid from being bitten.The adult flies serve as vectors for many disease agents (viruses, bacteria, protozoans and nematodes) of animals.”

FLY CONTROL

Don’t let the flies take over your facility or livestock! There are many options to get them to BUZZ OFF!

• Manure Management –  Muck out stalls DAILY, especially in the summer. Where is your manure pile? Make sure it is not close to the barn or where your animals are grazing during the day.
• Fly Repellent- Spray your livestock daily, especially after you bathe or rinse your animal. Make sure you remove excess water after bathing before spraying fly repellent.
• Fly Masks & Sheets- Great for keeping the flies from aggravating their ears and eyes (especially if they are goopy). Fly sheets are also beneficial to keep the flies from biting around their shoulders and neck.
• Fly Spray Systems- Install an insect control spraying system in your barn that automatically sprays throughout the day preventing flies even when you are not at the barn.
• Feed- Thru Fly Repellant Products- Get an early start and stop the development of House flies and Stable flies in the manure of treated horses.

New Braunfels Feed & Supply has a variety of fly control products like Pyranha, Ultra Shield, TriTec, Bronco, Permethrin and our feed thru products include Simplifly, Solitude and Equitrol.​  Keep your animals healthy and happy this season!