Last updated on October 24th, 2023 at 05:10 pm
“Do you have anything for horn flies?”
Good news, we do! We recommend our Riomax® FLY-BYE360™ fly control tub, which targets those pesky horn flies.
What Is A Horn Fly?
The horn fly is one of the more detrimental flies to the cow and causes the most damage in the beef industry. Horn fly eggs are laid in cow manure where they hatch as maggots. They develop from the egg to adult stage within 10 to 20 days. Adults live for approximately 3 weeks, feeding 20 to 30 times a day. They ride on the back and sides of the cow, drop down to the fresh manure to lay their eggs, and then jump right back on the cow and continue to feed. Horn fly populations usually spike when the temperatures drop and rainfall increases in the fall.
How Does IGR Fly Control Work?
With the Riomax® fly control mineral for cattle, the cow ingests the Altosid IGR. It moves through the cow’s digestive tract and out in the manure, where the fly larvae feed off of it. There, the fly cycle can finally break, and the population decreases.
Fly Control Lick Tubs For Cattle: Best Practices
The Riomax® FLY-BYE360™, works most effectively when it is put out before the first flies arrive. We recommend you put out fly control mineral before you see the first flies (early spring) and leave it out until after you get your first hard frost. If you wait until you see a lot of flies to put out the mineral, it can be a bigger problem because you then need to break the lifecycle of the fly. Ultimately, it will take longer to get the problem under control.
It's important to note that it is unlikely you will ever get rid of all your flies. The main thing to pay attention to is when it starts making an economic impact. Studies show that cattle can have up to 200 flies on them with no economic impact. But, if you leave your livestock untreated, the fly population can increase to nearly 4,000 flies per animal! That's when stress, disease, and costs start to grow.