Summer 2020 Newsletter

Flies can Spread Disease:
– Pink Eye (Face Flies)
– Mastitis Bacteria (Horn Flies, Stable Flies, House Flies)
– Anaplasmosis Bacteria (Horn Flies, Stable Flies)
– Stress & Animal Discomfort from Horn Flies increase:
– Heart Rate
– Respiration Rate
– Rectal Temperature
– Dramatic increased water intake/urine output
– Decreased Performance from horn flies results in poor nitrogen retention
– Studies have shown 20 lb. improvement in calf weaning weights by controlling     flies

Altosid or Clarifly:

Choose Altosid:
•Horn Flies are the predominant problem
•Considered a Growth Regulator not a Larvicide (Natural feel)
•History of Altosid and Happy with the results
•Cost sensitive customers

Choose Clarifly:
•Problems with additional fly species, grazing hay feeding
grounds
•History of Pink Eye and face flies are part of the issue
•Looking for a product that is also labeled for Equine

Horn flies are the most pervasive and costly external parasite of cattle in North America. They’re small, black flies, approximately four millimeters long. Infestation levels can increase rapidly – up to 4,000 flies per animal in untreated herds. At their peak, horn flies remain on cattle throughout the day and night. They can generally be found on the backs of cattle, often clustering on the animals’ midlines and spreading down their sides.

Adult horn flies are a biting insects that take 20 to 40 blood meals per day. Resulting stress interrupts the grazing patterns of cattle, causing them to go off feed and expend energy in an attempt to dislodge the flies. According to university research, calves from badly infested herds gain weight more slowly than uninfested calves and are lighter at weaning by 10 to 25 lbs. If severe infestations are left untreated, cows can go out of condition during the critical breeding period. Horn flies can also cause beef mastitis and hinder future milk production of heifers.