Controlling the Horn Fly 🪰 Tags, Pour & Oiler

Fly Control in Cattle is something that we take seriously here at Lone Wolfe Cattle. We've tried many methods over the years, fly spray, ear tags, powder or dust, and pour on without great results. This year, we are experimenting with a Lewis Cattle Oiler. We bought one at the farm machinery show in Louisville this year and I'm doing an informal study to see if we should add more next year.
It's early June and we are still working small groups of our spring calf crop.
I wanted to take this opportunity to get some footage and take some notes about the fly numbers in this herd here at the home place.
I'm recording my observations here so we can have a discussion about the benefits of the fly control method (s) we have in place.
Observations for second week of June on home place herd:
fly control methods used on calves in this herd include insecticidal ear tags and pour-on treatment
Very few face flies
Very few horn flies
*the weather was cool and overcast
will check in again soon as we are expecting an increase in heat and humidity and I suspect that will change the amount of fly activity

[@donnabowling2686]

Love it Kim!❤

[@williamwimer2074]

The wagon turned out good...I like it.. easy 8 bales a trip.

[@thecattlemanswife]

He stacks 4 more on top if he doesn't have far to pull or if he's just pulling out of the field to the barn. I think they have decided that there is some room for improvement on it but I'm not sure exactly what it is they are planning.

[@williamwimer2074]

@@thecattlemanswife it's still a nice hay wagon. One person can move several loads in a day with just one tractor. Usually after we build something and use or look at it, we see things that we'd do differently..

[@williamwimer2074]

That's a advantage of working by yourself..no hand gestures lol.

[@farmingforfunandprofit940]

I used a 5 gal plastic bucket to "toll" the cows....I would get them started with ground feed.. in the bucket...... there after they would come running everytime they saw the bucket..... When I was in the Dairy my Son could tell every cow in the parlor... by looking at their Udders

[@thecattlemanswife]

I think of myself as an observant person but I just can't keep up with all of them. That's one of the reasons I wanted to learn how to brand. I need a system that I can rely on because I don't have that skill or connection or whatever you'd call it. You know that I didn't grow up in this and to this day, I'm not at ease walking through the cattle the same way that the guys are. I can't always read their expressions or recognize the "look" of distress, a flopped ear or that they're just not holding their head the way they should be... I have gotten pretty good with being able to pick up on pink eye symptoms and cows that are "heavy springers"

[@williamwimer2074]

We've had some hard storms here last few nights. Rain wind and lightning bad. Turn hot and humid the next day again..95 plus all week here. Whew

[@thecattlemanswife]

We did get some rain from that system that moved through. The heat is on... Same here in Kentucky this week. It's miserably hot and humid.

[@williamwimer2074]

@@thecattlemanswife pool time

[@thecattlemanswife]

Exactly 💯. The guys are putting up hay on some neighbors and I'm not recording video in their fields to protect their privacy so that's pretty much what I plan to do. It's almost impossible to scroll Facebook and Tic Toc while you're in the pool so I've been listening to a few podcasts while I float. I've found one that I like, it's called Beltway Beef, sponsored by the National Cattlemans Association.

[@williamwimer2074]

@@thecattlemanswife That's cool. Take a float for me too.. We had 3 different sz poos growing up..last was a 24/48 and 4ft deep with a 15 ft deck and 24 inch walk around it. My brother was always the pool dude. But the time we got the last one I was usually out doing something on farm or gardens. He was my partner in the reg simmental herd. But that's all..a partner especially when we sold some haha ..

[@thecattlemanswife]

@@williamwimer2074 I take my responsibilities as the pool keeper very seriously as well 😂 plus, I'm making sure that everyone, include Jet, stays hydrated through this heat wave. Be sure and stay hydrated yourself and don't overdo❤️