Beef Cattle, Face Fly and Horn Fly Control with Various Insecticides, 1983

Various insecticides and application methods were evaluated for face fly and horn fly control on beef cattle. May through Sep., 1983, in Montgomery Co., Va. Herds and treatments were as follows: (1) Ectiban ear tapes applied 24 May to 16 mixed breed heifers. Two tapes per animal were attached to existing identification tags. Monitored for 16 weeks. (2) Ectiban tail tapes applied 30 May to 2 separate herds (A and B) of 21 Angus cows with calves each. Each cow and calf received one tape each, attached above the tail switch. Herd A was monitored for 16 weeks, Herd B for 14 weeks. (3) Ectiban 5.7% EC and diesel fuel (1 pt/5 gal) applied to ca. 20 mixed breed cows with calves and one bull (Herd A), and 16 Limousin cows with calves (Herb B) by means of forced-use backrubbers and facerubbers. Treatments were established 25 May and 7 Jun. for Herds A and B, respectively. Two gal of the insecticide-fuel mixture were used to recharge the rubbers monthly. Both herds were monitored for 9 weeks. (4) Ectiban 0.25% dust applied to 56 mixed breed cows with calves and 2 bulls by means of a mineral feeder type applicator established 25 May. The applicator was recharged with dust as needed. Monitored for 12 weeks. (5) Permectrin 10% ear strips applied 24 May to 19 mixed breed heifers and 10 mixed breed steers; all animals received two strips each. Monitored for 8 weeks. (6) Standard Ectrin 8% ear tags applied 24 May to 70 Angus cows with calves and Hereford bulls. Each cow received two tags per animal, and calves received one. Monitored for 17 weeks. (7) Untreated control herd of 15 mixed breed cows with calves and 1 bull, monitored for 17 weeks. All herds were maintained in separate pastures, and all were situated within ca. 2 miles of each other. Weekly face fly and horn fly estimations were made by the same person on 10 adult animals per herd. Numbers of face flies were estimated on the face and head and horn flies on one side of each animal.