How to actually master fly control on your ranch

Controlling flies on your cattle is one of those frustrating challenges that can make you feel like you’re in an endless battle. No matter what you try, those pesky insects keep returning year after year. It’s like they’ve got a personal vendetta against your herd, making it seem almost impossible to get them under control.

As warmer weather approaches, the situation only gets more challenging. When the flies emerge from their dormant stage, they swarm in full force, eager to feast on your cattle. This sudden onslaught can seriously disrupt your herd’s productivity, leading to stress and reduced performance. It’s a real headache for any rancher trying to keep things running smoothly.

But don’t lose hope—while you may never completely eliminate flies, you can certainly manage them with an intelligent, multi-pronged approach. Instead of relying on just one method, combining several strategies can make a big difference. This approach empowers you, the rancher, to take control of the situation. With a bit of planning and persistence, you can keep these bothersome pests at bay and protect your herd’s well-being.

Meet the Menace: The Fly Plaguing Your Herd.

Beef cattle operations often face the challenge of battling pesky flies, which can significantly impact herd health and productivity. In most cases, you’ll encounter three main types of flies: Horn flies, Face flies, and Stable flies. Horn flies, for example, are small blood feeders that stick to your cows’ backs and can stress them out, while Face flies tend to gather around the eyes and nose, causing irritation and discomfort. Recognizing these common pests is the first step in creating an effective fly management strategy.

Then there are Stable flies, which primarily target the lower body of cattle, delivering painful bites that can lead to reduced weight gain and overall performance. These flies are especially problematic in crowded or high-traffic areas, where they can quickly build up in numbers. By understanding the unique behavior of each fly type, you can tailor your control methods to keep your herd comfortable and healthy. This knowledge equips you, the rancher, with the tools to effectively manage these pests, easing the stress on your cattle and protecting your bottom line.

Horn Fly: The Tiny Bloodsuckers

Courtesy of University of Florida Entomology

• These are typically smaller than the other types you will deal with, usually 3/16″ in length. They are blood feeders that require more than 30 meals per day.
• They are typically found on cattle’s backs, sides, and poll areas. They can also be seen on cattle’s belly regions during warm summer afternoons.
• Though they are small in size, their impact on the cattle industry is enormous. Economic losses from them are estimated at more than $1 billion annually.
• Since they feast on blood, they can also cause weight loss in cattle. Studies in the U.S. and Canada have shown that horn flies can negatively impact weaning weights by 4-15%.
• Typically, these flies will only travel a little far, so controlling them will be easier.
• Management: Multiple insecticide options are available to manage horn flies, such as dust bags, feed additives, pour-ons, and medicated ear tags

Face Flies: The Persistent Pests

Courtesy of University of Nebraska-Lincoln Entomology

• When these are in the adult stage, they can look very similar to house flies, though they are slightly larger and darker in color. Another thing that separates these from the other types is that, as the name implies, they will be found chiefly on the face area of a cow.
• It is a non-biting fly that feeds on animal secretions, nectar, and dung liquids. The adult female will cluster around the cow’s eyes, mouth, and muzzle. As you can guess, this can be quite an irritation to your cattle.
• They can be found throughout the summer months, but their population numbers usually peak in late July and August. Also, they will be more numerous along waterways and areas with abundant rainfall.
• These flies have been shown to travel farther distances than most, usually 1-2 miles. So, if your neighbors are not taking steps to control these, it will be nearly impossible for you to do so.
• While feeding, they can cause damage to the eye tissue, increasing the chance of some infection to the eye. One of the most common infections that will occur is pinkeye, which is a contagious inflammation of the cornea. I talked more about the steps you can take to prevent and treat pinkeye in a previous article, “Ultimate revelation of cattle pink eye.”
• Management: They can be challenging to manage because they only spend some of their time on cattle. Effective control may require different methods, such as ear tags, dust bags, and sprays. In order to be most effective, we will need to treat both cows and calves.

Stable Flies: The Pesky Invaders

Courtesy of University of Florida Entomology

• Like the Horn flies, this is a blood feeder that is a severe problem on feedlots, dairies, and pasture cattle. A producer will mainly find them on the front legs of the animal.
• The bites from these insects are painful and will cause cattle to stomp their feet or bunch together in the corner of a pasture to get away from them. To avoid these little pests, they make cattle stand in water.
• Typically, these flies will develop around feed bunks, under fences, and around hay stacks. Also, sites where you fed hay during the winter with hay rings can be a source of larvae development if the right amount of moisture is present.
• Cattle will lose weight and produce less when stable flies are overabundant, just like the Horn fly. Studies have shown a reduction in average daily gain, or ADG, of about 1/2 lb per head.
• Management: Using insecticides may be difficult for getting control because they tend to swarm around the animal’s legs. Spraying will likely be your best option but will require weekly applications to manage populations.

Effective Tactics to Keep Flies at Bay.

Flies are a persistent challenge on the ranch—you might never eliminate them completely. Still, with the right tactics, you can keep their numbers low enough not to impact your cattle’s performance. In fact, proper fly management can make a huge difference in herd health and productivity, even when it seems like these pests are everywhere. Some practical, proven strategies include regular cleaning of cattle areas, using fly traps, and implementing biological control methods. By focusing on these strategies, you can reduce the irritation and stress that flies cause for your animals.

You can use several products to tackle fly problems, and we’ll walk you through a few key ones that can lessen their impact on your operation. Whether it’s using insect growth regulators, fly tags, sprays, dustbags, or even cattle rubs, each product has its own strengths and ideal situations for use. With a multi-pronged approach, you can create a comfortable environment for your cattle, keeping them happy and healthy throughout the fly season. Let’s dive into the tactics that can help you manage these pesky invaders effectively.

Feed an insect growth regulator.

• • Usually, you can get this with certain types of mineral supplements like Altosid or Rabon.
  • Altosid is labeled just for Horn flies, and Rabon is labeled for Horn, Face, and Stable flies.
  • To be most effective, you must start putting this out 30 days before flies typically begin to emerge and continue feeding it until 30 days after a killing frost.
  • What this product does is stop the growth cycle in the larvae stage.

Fly Tags

• • Some of the fly tags coming out now have a higher concentration of insecticide in them. They are very helpful in controlling fly populations.
  • There are two types to use: pyrethroid and organophosphate. What you want to do is use the pyrethroid tags for two years and then use the organophosphate for one year to reduce resistance.
  • Depending on which type you use, it may require two tags per adult and one tag per calf for optimum control.
  • The key to using this is that you will want to wait till you have 200 flies per cow before you use them. Using them too early can reduce their effectiveness.
  • Remove the tags after 3-5 months of use in order to prevent the possibility of resistance issues.

Pour-Ons

• • You will want to apply this at the same time you put the tags on your cattle.
  • When doing this during the spring, you can use a product that will also kill internal parasites, as these products have proven effective in preventing horn flies. Use a fly and/or lice control product if it is later in the year. This product will stop the likelihood of internal parasite resistance.

Dustbags/cattle rubs

• • It can effectively control Face and Horn flies if placed at a site where all cattle will use it.
  • Keeping them charged with insecticide and putting them in the proper places is the key to using this.

Sprays

• • Spraying your cattle throughout the year can effectively control the fly populations on your ranch.
  • However, this product can be very time-consuming if your cattle are grazing in an extensive area.

There are many different sources you can search for in order to find a way to control flies. Your local county extension office is one place to start. The Texas AgriLife Extension Service also has a publication titled “Managing External Parasites of Texas Cattle.”