How to treat a cow against gadflies and horse flies at home

Already at the end of March, livestock breeders prepare cows for the summer period. The animals' diet is changed and they are treated against helminths. Blood-sucking insects are carriers of various infectious diseases. Both cows and stalls need to be treated for insects. First of all, they adhere to the rules of hygiene and sanitary standards for keeping cattle. The barns are cleaned in the morning and evening. They are washed and disinfected. The animals themselves are also treated, using repellents that repel insects and insecticides that have a detrimental effect on midges. The most vulnerable areas on a cow's body are the eyes and udder. How to smear a cow's udder against midges so that bites do not reduce milk production and cause mastitis.

How to treat a cow against gadflies and horse flies

Means for such a fight can be divided into several types:

1. The use of repellents helps repel insects. As a result, they should stop approaching cattle.
2. The action of insecticides is organized in a different way. They are designed to kill blood-sucking insects.

On a note! This need arises with the onset of a warm period. If this is not taken care of in time, it is never too late to take the necessary measures.

In addition to those mentioned, you can consider medications that help fight itching after a bite. Some means are indirect. These include the need to comply with appropriate hygiene rules for cattle.

Folk remedies can also be used in this area, but their effectiveness is less than that of repellents from a veterinary pharmacy.

How to treat a cow against gadflies and horse flies

In this capacity the following can be used:

1. Diesel fuel.
2. Processing with machine oil.
3. Birch tar.
4. Some other products that, when applied, have a strong odor that repels insects.

Their validity period is such that they can only be used as long as they retain a strong and pungent odor.

Interesting! Here's how to treat cattle against gadflies: tar can be purchased at a pharmacy, or you can also go to a specialized store for this. Typically, an oil or water solution is used to control insects. To apply it, use a sprayer.

There is another form of its use. If animals are bathed with tar soap, this can also help in the fight against blood-sucking insects. This could be a fly repellent for cows.

However, the option under consideration has an unpleasant side effect: if tar was used, this may affect the formation of the appropriate flavor in the milk.

Additionally, this horsefly remedy for cows only works for a very limited time. As a rule, no later than four hours later, the effect of using tar disappears.

To combat insects, some farmers use diesel fuel. This product is effective due to its pungent and unpleasant odor. Unfortunately, if applied, the smell affects not only the flying bloodsuckers, but also the cow itself. Due to this circumstance, it is not recommended to use diesel fuel too often for this purpose.

On a note! Typically, this substance is coated on various areas of the skin of cattle. It is believed that it is necessary to treat only that part of the body where the cow cannot fan herself with her tail. This is how you can treat cows against gadflies.

The listed folk remedies have an important drawback: it is not recommended to smear the udder with them. Here is an example of a folk remedy that can help in this case: for this purpose, it is recommended to mix one part of shampoo with two parts of vegetable oil. At the same time, you can take any shampoo and oil that you have in the house. Instead of shampoo, if it is more convenient, it is permissible to use bath foam.

Important! You need to mix thoroughly. It is necessary to obtain a homogeneous mass with which the cows will be processed. This mixture can be used to lubricate the entire animal and, in particular, the udder.

After the cow comes from the pasture, you need to wash off the composition with warm water.

This mixture can be used to lubricate the entire animal and, in particular, the udder. After the cow comes from the pasture, you need to wash off the composition with warm water.

The effectiveness of the method in question is approximately 80-90%. The composition repels gray horse flies, yellow flies, mosquitoes, midges and other insects. It is not very effective against botflies, but they bite during the hottest period of the day, and during the morning and evening hours they usually do not fly. This solution should be smeared on the udder, on the face, behind the ears, “under the armpits” of the cow. Some people add vinegar to this composition, which increases the effect of this product.

Sometimes there is a need to soften the consequences of a bite and remove the itching. In this case, the following procedure may help:

1. The bite site is smeared with honey.
2. Cover with cabbage leaf.
3. Wrap in cellophane.

On a note! This remedy not only softens the effects of bites, but also helps soften the skin of the udder during mastitis.

Advice from experienced livestock breeders

A good folk way to combat blood-sucking insects is to use herbal infusions. This method has the advantage that it does not have a negative effect on the cow and cannot affect the quality of the milk.

To prepare infusions, you can use mint, tansy, bay or wormwood. You can take these plants in arbitrary combinations. They can not only repel insects, but also treat bites.

When choosing the right options for bloodsucker control to protect your pets, a variety of methods can be used. They all have their own characteristics that you need to know in order to make the right choice.

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Video: SAVING ANIMALS FROM FLIES, MOSQUITOES, TICKS

– tar treatment – ​​water and oil solutions. You simply coat the cow with this mixture according to the principle “while it stinks, it helps.”

– treatment of ASD fraction III (aqueous solution)

– diesel fuel, engine oil waste

– spraying cows with an infusion of strong-smelling herbs – laurel, tansy, wormwood, mint.

In general, anything that has a sharp, unpleasant odor that can scare insects away from cows is useful. Unfortunately, folk remedies for ticks for cows only work for a very short time (several hours).

Of course, using folk remedies to protect animals from bloodsuckers, midges, and midges, you will not be able to get the same effect as from using medications, but if there are no veterinary pharmacies nearby, we suggest using the following methods. In any case, the treated animals will be protected for some time from annoying insects.

Cows and other animals can be treated against ticks with aqueous and oil tar solutions. The smell will repel annoying insects. You just need to coat the cow systematically with these products.

Use a mixture of vegetable oil and shampoo (2/1). To get rid of parasites, cows can be sprayed and wiped with decoctions of medicinal strong-smelling herbs. Prepare a decoction of wormwood, tansy, mint, laurel, and other plants.

Diarrhea, decreased productivity, increased temperature, and other symptoms may indicate the development of diseases, the presence of an infection in the body caused by blood-sucking insects. Therefore, isolate the cow from the general herd and consult a veterinarian regarding treatment.

There are no specialized remedies for gadflies, so livestock breeders usually use broad-spectrum chemicals. For example, these could be:

1. Amidophos. The product is an emulsion of oily consistency, insoluble in water. The percentage of active substance content is 25%. Amidofos is effective against larvae that live in the skin of animals. Its application is to water the torso on both sides of the spine. Amidophos is administered to reindeer by injection. This product should not be used on milk-producing cattle because the toxic substance accumulates in the body. The slaughter of animals for meat is permitted no earlier than 30 days after processing.
2. Chlorophos. It is a white powder that dissolves well in water. The concentration of the active substance is from 65 to 97%. To combat the gadfly, use an 8 percent solution. It is used, like amidovos, by watering the body of the animal. For one individual, 200 ml of the prepared preparation is enough. This procedure is usually carried out in early autumn. To destroy the subcutaneous gadfly, hypodermin-chlorophos is used.
3. "Anti-fly". This is a yellow solution whose active ingredient is cyfluthrin. Fights against many insects that plague farm livestock, including gadflies and horse flies. It is prohibited to use for young calves and animals whose body weight does not exceed 300 kg. Contraindications include the presence of wounds and other injuries. After application to the skin, the substance is distributed over the surface of the body, in a small dosage into the skin. Has a long lasting effect.
4. Hexamide is available in the form of a solution or paste. They are used to make an emulsion that has a subtle yellow tint.
5. Polychlorpinene is a dark liquid with a thick consistency. The concentration of the active substance that repels parasites is 65%. Also contains oil and emulsifier. This drug is not suitable for dairy cows, and slaughter for meat is allowed a month after the animal has been treated. Effective against blood-sucking insects and scabies mites.

Some folk remedies have proven themselves in the prevention and control of gadflies. Most of them have a repellent effect

But it is important to take into account that the effect of such drugs is very short, because the substances quickly erode, and it is necessary to treat premises or livestock with them on average every 5 days

1. In the simplest cologne, which has an affordable price, clove powder is diluted (it can be ground in a coffee grinder). This composition is infused for 10 days.
2. A solution of liquid soap in 4.5 liters of water. They can be used to treat animals without harm to their health.
3. Gadflies are repelled by the smell of mint, lemon ammonia or soap.

You should not rely solely on folk remedies. If the problem of cattle infestation by gadflies is acute, then to achieve results it is necessary to use other, more effective means.

How to understand that an animal needs help?

We talked about the means of protecting cattle from horse flies and gadflies. Now let's touch on another important point. It concerns the fact that any livestock breeder needs to monitor the condition of the livestock. Let's say you notice that there are a lot of gadflies and horse flies. The livestock was immediately treated with effective means. After this, insects began to pester your animals less.

But before the use of repellents and insecticides, a cow or bull could get badly bitten. Gadflies could have time to lay eggs, and the larvae could penetrate their bodies. Therefore, animals need to be examined regularly. The following symptoms should especially alert you:

1. Cattle behave restlessly in the pasture.
2. Cattle lose weight sharply.
3. There is a drop in milk yield.
4. On the body of animals there are swelling and painful conditions in individual skin areas, as well as hard formations (ulcers) on the back and lower back, with tiny holes.
5. The wool is constantly dirty (as a rule, the reason is abundant discharge of pus from the nodules, where the larvae of the gadfly sit).

Traps

Ready

In a specialized store you can purchase the following species, which are excellent at luring horse flies:

• Trap for large insects. This is a fairly large structure, which is designed specifically for large insects. Approaching the trap, the insect ends up in a metal compartment, from which it then cannot escape.
• Flycatcher paper. This is a special tape for catching flies and other insects, which is coated with a sticky astringent glue that binds the insect.
• Light trap. The main operating principle of this structure is light, which attracts horseflies. Then the insect can either stick to the trap or die from an electrical discharge.
• Trap package. In such a bag they put food for horse flies, which get inside and after that can no longer get out.

Homemade

You can make a trap for horseflies yourself. All you need to do is show a little skill. Let's talk about two of the simplest and most effective designs.

Ball and chair

In a place where there are especially many horse flies, hang a stool or chair on the ceiling or on a tree. Tie a ball or ball of a dark color with a rope to a chair so that it dangles freely under it. Wrap the sides and bottom of the chair with adhesive tape. Every few hours you will have to go to the trap and spin the ball. Horseflies are very attracted to a moving dark spot. But when they fly to it and realize that there is nothing interesting here, they will immediately begin to rise upward, where the sticky tape awaits them.

Bell

Based on the principle of the previous structure, it is possible to make another, more voluminous structure, which is called the “Bell”.

Folk remedies

Some farmers and livestock breeders try not to use chemicals. How do they cope with insects? Folk remedies come to their aid. Here are a few of the most popular ones:

1. Soap combined with vegetable oil. A solution is prepared from these ingredients. Optimal proportions: 1 bar of laundry soap and 150 ml of regular vegetable oil. The resulting mixture is thoroughly sprayed onto the cattle. As a result, the oil covers the animal’s skin with a protective film, through which it is more difficult for insects to smell their prey. Well, the smell of laundry soap acts as a repellent, repelling horseflies and gadflies. How effective is this remedy at home? Let's just say that if there are few parasitic flies and bloodsuckers, then it is quite capable of protecting a small population.
2. Diesel fuel and engine oil recovery. Fuel and lubricants have an unpleasant and even toxic odor. It also repels insects. Rub diesel fuel and the mixture on the udder, neck, areas behind the ears, and croup. This folk remedy does not help for long – a maximum of 2-4 hours. After which horseflies and spiders begin to pester the animals again. But it is not recommended to frequently treat cattle with diesel fuel or exhaust. For example, a cow also senses an unpleasant odor emanating from them, and therefore feels discomfort when used frequently. This may negatively affect the taste of the milk.
3. Infusions of fragrant herbs. There are many options. The principle of operation of all of them is aimed at scaring off insects with their pungent aroma. To prepare infusions, take mint, tansy, laurel, wormwood, etc. Such means of protecting cattle from horse flies and gadflies have several advantages. Firstly, they can also be used to treat wounds and bites. Secondly, herbal infusions are harmless and do not have a negative effect on the animal, the taste of milk or meat.
4. Tar. Its oil or water solution is used. Also, sometimes animals are simply washed with tar soap. The protective effect usually does not exceed a couple of hours, and then provided there is no contact with water. So tar does not always save and only for a short period of time.

How can you treat a barn?

The same products are often used to treat the barn as to repel insects from the animals themselves. Among purchased drugs, aerosols and water-soluble emulsions are considered the most popular, but in their absence, you can always choose one of the effective folk remedies. Let's look at each option more carefully.

Purchased drugs

The above-mentioned products called “Acrodex”, “Centaur”, “Extrasol” and some others are considered good representatives of the aerosol group, but even the best drugs cannot provide a long-lasting effect. Spraying is carried out in a well-ventilated room, after which it is closed for several hours.

Of course, animals must be absent at this time. On average per 10 sq. m of barn, about 2 liters of working fluid are consumed, so in some cases the use of aerosol preparations cannot be called a cost-effective solution.

Among the compositions aimed at killing flies indoors, it is worth highlighting “Flybyte” and “Agita”. They effectively eliminate flies (they contain their sex hormone), but they cannot cope with other insects, so during processing you will have to combine different compositions.

Find out how to herd a cow in a pasture, how to stop a cow from butting, and what a barn should be like.

“Flybyte” is presented in the form of small yellow granules, which, unlike the previous version, are not dissolved, but are simply laid out in the barn, in areas with a large concentration of insects.

Before processing, be sure to clean the barn

It is also possible to prepare a paste, for which 10 g of the drug is mixed with 8 grams of water or syrup. The resulting mixture is generously lubricated with walls, doors and slopes in rooms with animals. The result of this treatment lasts for 3–4 weeks, the main thing is to periodically moisten the applied paste.

Did you know? The most expensive beef in the world is the meat of Japanese Wagyu cows. During life, they are provided with ideal care, including rubbing the body with sake, so after slaughter, for 200 g of sirloin in Europe they ask for more than $100.

For any type of treatment (even if you just whitewashed the walls), it is worth ventilating the room for several hours and only after that returning the animals.

Folk remedies

Traditional methods of fighting midges in a barn are not able to provide such a long-lasting effect as store-bought drugs, but still, they often turn out to be simply irreplaceable in an emergency situation.

Among the most common solutions to the problem are hanging collections of strong-smelling herbs in the room and fumigating the space with smoke. Among the suitable plants, it is worth noting mint, lemon balm, laurel and tansy, bouquets of which are desirable to hang even in the most remote corners of the barn.

As for smoke treatment, long-burning materials such as damp branches, thyrsus or manure are usually used for these purposes. They are simply set on fire in an empty bucket and left in the barn for a while, and to enhance the effect, you can use several buckets at once.

Important! The key to the well-being of animals is cleanliness in the premises. Therefore, before taking on chemicals or folk remedies against annoying insects, try to carry out regular cleaning and disinfection

In a clean environment, insects are less comfortable than in a dirty home, and cows will be much more comfortable.

Flies and other various insects are not such harmless creatures as they might seem, so if you see that a cow is suffering from their annoying attention, it is better to immediately buy and apply one of the above remedies, thereby saving her from suffering.

Folk remedies

The use of chemicals cannot guarantee complete safety for humans and the animals themselves, so simple recipes for home remedies are used. To protect cows, it is not necessary to buy expensive drugs; you can make do with the means available in every home.

Tar

A proven old remedy that can be bought at a pharmacy or specialty store. Use an oil or water solution. For the product to start working, spray the cow against gadflies with a solution from a container using a spray bottle. You can also bathe animals using tar soap. The cost of 1 bottle is about 60 rubles. The use of tar can negatively affect the taste of milk, so this method of getting rid of gadfly and horsefly bites is used very rarely.

If there is only one or two cows on the farm, then tar can be considered effective, but for larger livestock it will be necessary to look for more extensive methods. After treatment, the effect lasts no more than 3-4 hours. This is the maximum, provided there is complete absence of contact with water.

Folk remedies to repel gadflies and horse flies

Soap and vegetable oil

For a liter of water, you need to dissolve 1 bar of laundry soap and add 100-150 ml of regular vegetable oil. Spray the body of cows with the prepared product. The oil coats the skin with a protective film and reduces the spread of odor.

Diesel fuel

An effective folk remedy for cows against gadflies and horse flies due to its strong, intrusive odor. The cow also feels it, so with frequent use the animal will feel discomfort. You need to coat with diesel fuel those areas of the body where the cow's tail does not reach. In nature, the animal itself drives away biting insects with its help.

We tried a lot of folk remedies to protect cows from gadflies and horse flies. The herbs helped, but not for long. Then we tried diesel fuel. They rubbed the udder, neck, and areas behind the ears. For the first 2 hours the bloodsuckers didn’t even fly up. Then they gradually reopened their hunt. I can conclude that diesel fuel really does repel gadflies and horse flies, but only for a very short time.

Herbal infusions

Getting rid of gadflies and horse flies using herbal infusions is completely safe and does not affect the quality of milk. In order to prepare them, you can use any type of plant separately or in combination. Laurel, tansy, mint or wormwood will help repel blood-sucking pests.

Thus, to find the ideal remedy for cattle against gadflies and horseflies, you will have to try various options. The problem cannot be ignored, since the attack of pests will affect not only the general condition of the cows, but also the quality and quantity of milk yield.

How to protect cattle from blood-sucking insects

The fight against ticks, gadflies, mosquitoes, flies, and other types of ectoparasites requires an integrated approach. Today, the pet products market offers a large selection of antiparasitic complex veterinary preparations with systemic action.

In the fight against bloodsuckers in veterinary medicine they use:

• repellents, insecticides;
• alternative medicine;
• complex antiparasitic agents;
• pharmaceutical drugs.

Important! Large farms also use chemical methods of protection against ticks, horseflies, midges, and flies. Cattle are treated with Cydectin, Suminak-5, sulfidophos-20, Diazinon

These means can remove ectoparasites not only from the surface of the animal’s body, but also use them to treat barns.

Measures to combat B. calcaratus, demodicosis, ixodid ticks consist of the destruction of bloodsuckers that parasitize cattle by bathing, spraying, wiping the animals with acaricidal-insecticidal agents, which are produced in solutions, aerosols, and sprays.

The cows are sprayed on special sites equipped with absorption pits. Particular care should be taken to treat favorite places where ticks are localized (udder, perineal area, limbs). Spray cattle once a week or once a month, depending on the product used. It is best to treat cows in the morning, immediately after milking. Subsequent milking is carried out after thoroughly washing the teats and udder with warm water.

Treating cows against ectoparasites

Additionally, measures are being taken to exterminate ectoparasites in places where they occur in large numbers. For this purpose, chemical methods of protection are most often used (spraying pastures, disinfection in barns, premises in which farm animals are kept).

To treat ticks in cattle and cutaneous acarosis in veterinary medicine, the following products are used, which are produced in the form of aerosols:

1. Akrodex.
2. Dermatosol.
3. Byticol.
4. Aversect.
5. Entomozan.
6. Sanofly.
7. Butox.
8. Creopir.
9. Sebacil.
10. Tactician.
11. Ectomin.

Sanofly

Considering that the causative agent of cutaneous acarosis is localized and develops directly under the skin, it is very difficult to destroy. In the fight against ticks and blood-sucking ectoparasites, you can use a solution of chlorophos 1–2%, 0.05% benzophosphate emulsion. Good results are shown after treating animals with Acrodex and Dermatozol. In case of severe infestation, veterinarians use injections of Ivermek and Pharmacin when treating ticks in cows.

For the purpose of prevention, a veterinary drug called “Biofly pur-on” has proven itself very well in the treatment of acaridosis. The tick repellent for cattle has a pronounced acaricidal, insecticidal, and repellent effect. Provides lasting protection against ticks, gadflies, midges, and mosquitoes. Available in the form of a transparent oily liquid of light yellow color. The drug is applied to the withers of the cow and to the croup area. The effect after use lasts from 4 to 6 weeks. Can be used for calving cows. This drug is contraindicated for calves.

Acaricidal-insecticidal preparations belong to the group of moderately toxic drugs, therefore, if the drug is not selected correctly, adverse symptoms may develop if the recommended dosages are not followed. Therefore, the treatment regimen, medications, and frequency of use of veterinary medications should be prescribed by the attending veterinarian. Therapeutic therapy is selected individually in each specific case.

Most antiparasitic veterinary drugs are diluted in water before use for cattle. Therefore, read the instructions carefully before treating animals. Always use only freshly prepared solution.

Water-soluble products can also be used to treat barns and premises where farm animals are kept.

Aerosols, sprays

As already noted, for therapeutic and prophylactic purposes, insecticidal aerosols and sprays are very often used to treat animals.

The most effective remedies for ticks, midges, midges, horse flies:

1. Alezan.
2. Extrasol.
3. Oksarep.
4. Centaur.

Spray Extrazol Sprays
are very convenient to use, but, like water-soluble insecticidal and acaricidal preparations, they do not have a prolonged effect. Therefore, treatment of cows must be carried out systematically, adhering to the frequency and dosage specified in the instructions.

Bees, wasps, bumblebees

A place stung by a bee (or other stinging insect) instantly, literally before our eyes, becomes red and swollen. The most dangerous are bites to the face, neck, and lymph node area.

(in the armpits): Quincke's edema may develop and anaphylactic shock may occur.

First thing after being stung by a bee, wasp or bumblebee

, you need to try to remove the insect sting from the wound. At the same time, you need to try not to squeeze the poison into the wound. If there is no sting, simply squeeze the poison out of the wound and treat the bite site with any antiseptic. It would be a good idea to take an antihistamine and, if you feel unwell, consult a doctor.

Prevention measures.

Bees, wasps and bumblebees love everything bright and sweet. So if you are going on a picnic, and there are a lot of stinging insects in the place where it will be held, do not get carried away with clothes with “flashy” colors, and keep food in special closed containers.

What to do if there are gadflies and horse flies at your dacha?

Gadflies and horseflies are very often confused, and they are classified as flies that are very annoying, bite painfully and unpleasantly. But this is not entirely true, horseflies bite, and gadflies rarely pester humans.

Horseflies are large (up to 3 cm) blood-sucking flying insects.

So a female can drink up to 20 mg of blood in one approach, this is more than 60-70 mosquitoes, and the most unpleasant thing is that with a bite they can introduce various infections, for example, polio, anthrax, tularemia. The bites themselves are very painful and often swell greatly. Only females bite, and only after they are fertilized; males feed on plant nectar and sugary secretions of other insects. A hungry female, in order to preserve and feed her offspring, attacks humans and animals from early morning until the end of twilight; they are active not only in sunny weather, they hunt even in rain. In addition to humans, they are also interested in large livestock, but they do not neglect small animals and even birds. At the moment of sucking, the insect does not perceive any threat, as if going blind, hence the name, although while searching for a victim they can find it at a distance of up to 1000 m.

What to do if you are bitten by a horsefly

Before they start sucking blood, horseflies make several tests in search of the sweet spot, usually make a few circles and then attack. Horseflies love moisture, so they often settle near bodies of water, even artificial and very small ones, they often fly as if they are jumping right on the surface of the water, they prefer a wet body, so only those who have swam or sweated are at risk. Not active indoors or in the dark. If the horsefly does bite, the bite site should be rinsed well with water, preferably with an antiseptic; the swelling can be removed by applying ice or something cold; for relief, you can also wipe with a soda solution or potato pulp. It is also better to take an antiallergic drug.

Gadflies are a danger to animals

How to get rid of these biting flying insects?

You can use ready-made light traps on the site, you can hang adhesive tape on the lamp yourself, it is better to keep the site and your animals clean, make a good drainage system so that there is no standing water, use repellents. But if these insects are still very annoying, we recommend that you carry out a comprehensive treatment of the area; gadflies and horseflies, no less dangerous ticks, as well as garden pests will no longer bother you. Order treatment from certified exterminators from the Green-Profi company!

With the onset of summer, residents of rural and suburban areas have problems in the form of annoying buzzing and flying guests. The most unpleasant of them are horseflies, which look like a fly, but are much larger in size. Their particular harm lies in the fact that they bite very painfully and drink a large amount of blood - tens of times more than mosquitoes. Horseflies attack animals much more often than people, thereby causing great damage to agriculture.

The fight against horse flies can be of two types: protective and large-scale (destruction and reduction of the insect population). To protect against horse flies, people wear thick fabric clothing that covers the entire body and a hat with a protective net, which is not very convenient in the hot season.

Various sprays, creams, aerosols and gels are also used to repel insects.

A more radical method of combating horseflies is to use large-scale means and techniques. Horseflies are survived from the area by creating conditions for them in which they cannot survive: swamps are dried out, small bodies of water are disposed of, and the banks of large bodies of water are cleared of vegetation. This significantly reduces the places where the pest can live and reproduce. Modern chemicals, various traps and traditional methods are also used.

Chemicals

Among the ready-made chemicals for protection against horseflies, you can choose products based on such active ingredients as:

• organophosphates;
• organochlorine;
• pyrethroids.

They all work equally well, but it is important to remember that insects can develop resistance over time. For this reason, it is advisable not to use one drug for a long time, but to change them periodically

Animal protection

Since it is not always possible to get rid of all horseflies using a trap alone, especially when there is a large concentration of them, it is therefore sometimes possible to treat the animals themselves with a chemical preparation. The insecticide should be poured into a sprayer and distributed evenly over the animal’s body. It happens that horses and cows get scared of the spray bottle; in such cases, the drug can be applied to their body using a sponge. Do not forget to wear rubber gloves when working with the product and avoid any contact of the insecticide with the skin.

In order to make life easier for livestock and horses without the use of hazardous substances, it is enough to follow the following rules:

• the places in which they are located must always be clean - periodically remove manure, clean channels for drinking water and replace the old flooring with a new one;
• do not pour drinking water for animals into buckets and basins; it is better to ensure that there are good drainage systems - this way you can avoid stagnation of water;
• if there is a pond or swimming pool near places where animals are constantly located, then during the period of active movement of horse flies, try to cover them with film;
• periodically mow tall grass - this way insects will be deprived of cool, damp places for breeding;
• try to ensure that the animals are constantly under shady shelters - most often they suffer from insect attacks on the street, so on a hot day they will be more comfortable in a closed stable or barn;
• If possible, put nets on the ears of horses and cows, protect their faces with masks, you can also hang special tapes that repel bloodsuckers directly on the body;
• castration is carried out exclusively in winter - at this time there are practically no horseflies and they will not irritate the animals’ already painful wounds.

Territory defense

How to get rid of horse flies on the site? To treat the area, it is allowed to use any chemical from the list above. Before applying insecticide, all animals should be removed from the barn. Cattle may need to spend some time outdoors after treatment. In short, read the instructions.

The drug is sprayed into the barn, treating all surfaces: walls, rafters, floor, ceiling and cornices

When using the sprayer, make sure that the drug comes out under low pressure. In this case, be extremely careful and try to ensure that the product does not get into drinking water and food.

In addition to the barn, it is also advisable to treat the surrounding area, and the more square meters you spray, the longer the effect will last.

To combat horseflies, you can also use folk remedies. The most common is a solution of liquid soap. To prepare it, dilute a couple of glasses of liquid soap in 9 liters of water. The prepared preparation is sprayed onto horseflies and after a while they die.

The second product is used to spray the area. For this you will need mint mouthwash, lemon soap and lemon ammonia. The components must be mixed in approximately equal proportions and the area treated.

Prevention

It is better to prevent the breeding of gadflies on your site than to deal with its consequences. To prevent insects from attacking farm animals, it is recommended to create conditions unfavorable for the life of parasites:

1. Cleanliness of the place where animals are kept and walked is one of the keys to successful prevention of attacks by gadflies. It is necessary to promptly remove manure and change bedding, clean channels or dishes for washing. Some livestock farmers practice treating manure heaps with broad-spectrum insecticidal preparations.
2. Standing water should not be allowed near animals. If necessary, a good drainage system should be built to ensure the drainage of excess moisture. Buckets of water should be removed after animals drink. If there is a pond on the site, then during the period of active breeding of gadflies it should be covered with film.
3. Tall grass is one of the favorite habitats of horseflies and gadflies. On hot days, they hide in it from the scorching rays of the sun, finding in the shade of plants the moisture necessary for life and reproduction. Therefore, the grass, especially near livestock, needs to be constantly trimmed.
4. It is recommended to castrate animals in the winter season, because wounds after surgery are an easy way for gadfly larvae to enter the body.
5. Livestock should be inspected regularly, if necessary combining this with wool cleaning.

By following these simple tips, you can protect animals from gadfly larvae.

Chemicals

The modern market for the control of harmful insects offers various chemical preparations for the destruction of horse flies. In order for the fight against insects to be successful throughout the entire period, it is recommended to use new drugs each time. This will prevent the pest from becoming accustomed to the chemical. Let's consider the most effective means:

• organophosphates: tetrachlorvinphos, dichlorvos, umaphos and malathion;
• pyrethroids: fenvalerate, S-bioallethrin, cypermethrin, sumithrin, permethrin, tetramethrin, resmethrin;
• organochlorine chemicals: methoxychlor, lindane.

These drugs can be used to treat both pets and various areas.

Treatment of cows from insects

To rid cattle of midges, oils, aerosols, and folk remedies are used. Once a month, the cow's skin is treated with Biofly pur-on. This is an oily liquid. There should be 10 ml of product per individual. The liquid is dripped along a line from the withers to the tail. It is absorbed through the skin and after 12 hours is released throughout the skin, repelling insects. Manufacturers recommend a product to protect against mosquitoes, flies, gadflies, ticks, and midges. Farmers argue that it is better to treat the udder separately. For calves, use Biofly pur-on in an amount of 2 ml.

Once every 2 days, adult cows and calves are treated with a solution of Butox, Sebacil, and Aversect. The preparations are diluted with water: 1 ml per 1 liter of water. There is a liter of solution per head. It is collected in a spray bottle and irrigated the skin of the animal. If the product remains, it can be stored for no more than a day. Then, the product is destroyed.

Aerosols are used for bites. They are sprayed onto the animal. Among aerosols, it is recommended to use “Alezan”, “Centaur”, “Oksarep”. Farmers do not like to use strong chemicals on cows. They prefer to spray aerosols in the barns and apply Biofly Pur-On to the animals.

The udder and area around the eyes are not treated with aerosols or aqueous solutions against insects. It is better to smear the mammary gland with cream. Insects are repelled by strong odors, so choose creams or ointments with the scent of laurel, menthol, and eucalyptus. Nourishing cream with eucalyptus will not only repel midges from the udder. It will heal cracks and soften the skin. It is better to treat the area around the eyes with a product containing cloves, vanilla or laurel. Creams are recommended for use on calves.

On the forums you can find out what farmsteaders use to smear the udder of a cow against midges. A solution of shampoo and vegetable oil is used as a folk remedy. The product is harmless. It is suitable for both an adult animal and a calf. Take 1 part of the oil and dilute it in 2 parts of shampoo, bath foam or shower gel. The product is smeared on the hair of animals, the skin between the udders, legs and belly. The solution is applied in the morning and washed off before evening milking. Shampoo is used for cows after calving. The animal receives good daily care: washing with shampoo. This product stops all insects except gadflies. They bite animals on delicate areas of skin. Such areas are lubricated with aromatic oils.

Among the folk remedies for insects you can find birch tar, AMD 3 fraction. The substances have a pungent odor and repel midges. It is better not to use diesel fuel and machine oil. The products will not improve the health of cows.

What are they like?

There are many types of remedies that will help if gadflies bite a cow. All of them can be divided into 2 large groups:

1. Repellents. These are special substances that are applied to the animal’s body. Repellents are based on the action of specific odors that repel various insects. They do not kill gadflies, horse flies and other pests, but only scare them away. Most products affect the insect's strong sense of smell and disorient it. Repellents include folk remedies, as well as chemicals. They are safer, but cannot guarantee long-term and complete protection.
2. Insecticides. For the substances to begin to act, it is necessary to apply the product to the skin of cattle. Insecticides can have intestinal, contact or systemic effects. They are characterized by long-lasting action and high efficiency.

Basic hygiene rules will help to strengthen protection and prevent attacks by gadflies and horseflies on animals. Insects identify prey by smell, so cows should be bathed regularly and kept as clean as possible.

Preventive measures

Don't forget that prevention is the best defense. It is proper care of the place where cattle are kept and care for the animals themselves that will allow you to successfully fight spider flies, horseflies and other harmful flies. So try:

1. Maintain cleanliness in areas where livestock are kept and grazed. Remove manure, change bedding and water regularly. Don’t forget to periodically clean the barns and wash drinking containers.
2. Clean the fur and skin of livestock as often as possible. To do this, it is best to use a special brush and products.
3. Remove dense and tall vegetation. By mowing excess grass, you reduce the number of places where gadflies and horse flies can hide or breed. Thus, there will be fewer dangerous insects near the pasture and farm.
4. Do not keep extra containers of water. Insects love humidity and they really like all kinds of buckets, baths, barrels and other containers with liquid.
5. Regularly carry out disinfection with special means in pastures, barns and premises where farm animals are kept.

Sources:

https://apest.ru/nasekomye/ovody/sredstvo-ot-ovodov-i-slepnej-dlya-korov/ https://7ogorod.ru/krupnyj-rogatyj-skot/cem-obrabotat-korovu.html https:/ /klopsos.ru/ovody-i-slepni/zashhita-krupnorogatogo-skota-ot-slepnej-i-ovodov/

The damage caused by gadflies

If we talk about animals, then first of all, parasites cause great harm due to the torment experienced by the carrier of the gadfly. Initially, the animal feels severe itching, then, when the larvae enter the organs and tissues, unbearable pain. This is especially true for animals whose larvae parasitize through the nasal cavity, entering the brain. Often in these cases the animal dies a painful death.

In place of the subcutaneous larvae, fistulas can form, and a lot of them. This significantly spoils the external qualities of the animal’s skin and makes it unusable. Such harm is felt by those who raise livestock for the purpose of selling their skins.

An animal whose body is affected by gadfly larvae produces less milk, loses weight, and its meat is of poor quality.

There are gadflies that bite humans. Although it is believed that this is mostly an accident. The gadfly can also lay larvae under human skin. As a result, large tumors and nodules appear on human skin.

Gadflies cause great harm

The most dangerous for humans is the white-headed gadfly. It flies into the open eyes of a person while he is awake. When an insect collides with an eye, the female sprays out eggs. The larvae instantly move under the eyelids, causing the person to feel a stinging pain. In this case, it is necessary to urgently take action, since there is a high probability of damage to the integument of the eyeball and socket. Sometimes it can even cause the eye to leak out.

This is why it is so important to know how to deal with these parasites.

Mechanical methods of fighting flies

The technique allows to reduce the activity of insects. It is most effective when there are few pests in the room. Velcro and poisonous baits allow you to destroy a large number of dangerous flying pests without harming birds and other animals. The undeniable advantage of these products is that they are successfully used indoors in the presence of livestock.

On a note!

Mukholov adhesive tapes and other types of products, the price of which starts from 10 rubles, can be used in unlimited quantities at any time of the year.

Baits with potent poison are placed in a place inaccessible to the inhabitants of the premises. Jam, honey, sugar syrup and other products attractive to flies are placed in homemade “feeders”. The poison used is boric acid, Actellik (price varies from 3,600 to 24,000 rubles depending on the packaging volume), Aktara (price within 150 rubles) and other poisonous drugs. Various gel baits from domestic and foreign manufacturers against cockroaches and ants are approved for use in livestock buildings.