Horses next to a cattle farm-- constantly covered in flies!

[axl]

[QUOTE=Larry Garner;8195798]
Cattle produce horn flies and face flies that you would not normally have in a horse only situation. Horn flies are blood feeders and transfer hosts from cattle to horses easily. The stay on the withers of horses and in hot summer also stay on the belly area. Horn flies are about 3/4 size of normal pest flies.
The best solution is using fly spray on the horses or fly sheets and masks. Traps or fly bait will not effect this fly because they are after a blood meal.
Fly Predators will help somewhat.[/QUOTE]

I really appreciate this comment. I spent half my life with horses on an Angus farm, and really no one thing worked. I only learned of fly predators after I was in the Army, but it stands to reason they wouldn’t protect a few ponies in a herd of cows. What I’d like to know is if anything can keep the deer flies and horse flies away? “Horn” & “face” flies don’t really hurt, just constantly irritate, but horse flies and deer flies? How do we prevent them?

[trubandloki]

[QUOTE=neversaynever;8196069]
Tried the fly predators to no avail. Even called the company to discuss - unless the neighbors are using the predators and/or effective fly control, you will not have much luck. Same if you have a wooded area and/or stream or a lot of rainfall - they like moist areas with organic matter. You might get rid of flies hatched at your property but they will fly over 1/4 mile to get a meal. Face flies will travel over a mile. Fly predators have little to no effect on horse/deer flies.

Not to say they won’t work in your instance, but I gave up on the fly predators after using them (and doubling up on shipments) for several years but still had a fly problem. I am using the hanging fly traps, daily fly spray, fly masks with swat on the nose, and especially manure management. I have found that staying on top of the manure in the paddocks and dragging the pastures have helped the most along with fly spray. We still have quite a lot of face flies, so masks are on all day, every day.[/QUOTE]

Correct on one point, fly predators are not meant for biting flies like deer flies. You have to take care of them by different means.
We built a biting fly trap and it does an amazing job of attracting and trapping those nasty things.

Fly predators will only work if there are enough predators. If the neighbor has a fly problem and your predators are only in a quantity to deal with your flies, they are not going to appear to work.

I think it is great that Larry from Spalding posted!

[merrygoround]

I have used Ultrashield Fly Spray. I apply it to a tack sponge, and carefully wipe around face eyes and ears. The rest of the horse, I spray. It has worked to keep face flies pretty much at bay.

[neversaynever]

[QUOTE=trubandloki;8196172]
Correct on one point, fly predators are not meant for biting flies like deer flies. You have to take care of them by different means.
We built a biting fly trap and it does an amazing job of attracting and trapping those nasty things.

Fly predators will only work if there are enough predators. If the neighbor has a fly problem and your predators are only in a quantity to deal with your flies, they are not going to appear to work.

I think it is great that Larry from Spalding posted![/QUOTE]

If they work for you that’s great!

They did not work for me. I called the company and spoke with them. We increased the application of the predators. We tried for more then two seasons. When that still did not solve the problem, the company said that they would probably not be effective for me because of my neighbor’s cows. The predators only fly about 150 yards from where they are released. The stable and face flies will travel for miles. If you are not near or adjacent to properties with livestock or everyone is diligent in fly control, you may be able to reduce the fly population. If your neighbors are close and do not have effective fly control in their barnyard and pastures, you will get flies. Even increasing the number of predators, unless you also put them on your neighbors property, may not have a significant impact. In my case, the cost vs. benefit did not make sense.

[Larry_Garner]

Deer flies and horse flies breed in water and are blood feeders. There are two fly traps that are effective for these flies.
Epps traps and Horse Pal are the only two good options. They use refraction of light (mirage effect) to make the flies think it is a warm blooded mammal and they get trapped.
Both traps work each with a little different method.

[Taken]

Update-- talked with the neighbor and evidently the cattle are on a loose mineral with some sort of fly control added to it. I assume the cattle just aren’t eating enough of it to help while on rich pasture.

The horses I’m most concerned about (geriatrics) live outside 24/7, but have a run-in with a high velocity fan in it. I’m thinking about trying to add a second fan to the shed to get even more air flow.

Anyone in humid, insanely hot weather have fly sheet recommendations? I don’t want to fry the poor creatures since they’re already sweating in the current weather.