Battling Flies to Increase Your Herd’s Profit.
By Jessica Graham

Pest Control is an essential component of effective livestock management. Cattle are particularly susceptible to pests, especially flies, which can cause significant health problems, economic losses, and reduced productivity. As such, farmers and ranchers need to employ a range of pest control measures to protect their cattle and ensure their health and wellbeing. In this article, we will explore the various pest control methods available, their effectiveness, and best practices for managing cattle pests for your herd.

Cattle Pests and Their Impact
Before we dive into the various pest control solutions for cattle, it's important to understand the effect flies have on cattle and the impact they can have on their health and productivity. Flies are among the most common and troublesome cattle pests. There are several species of flies that can affect cattle, including horn flies, face flies, and stable flies. These pests feed on cattle blood and can cause significant irritation and pain, leading to reduced productivity and weight gain. They can also transmit disease, such as anaplasmosis and summer mastitis. Frank Jusich, Head of Commercial Operations at Pertinent Eco-Solutions, which develops and manufactures eco-friendly pest control solutions, goes on to explain “You can get up to 2000 biting flies per cow. This stresses them out, causes them to move around a lot more,” which can burn unnecessary calories and add unnecessary stress.

Flies can have significant economic impacts on the cattle industry both in the United States and globally. In the United States, the economic impact of flies on the cattle industry is estimated to be around $1.5 billion per year. This is due to a combination of factors, including reduced weight gain, decreased milk production, increased susceptibility to disease, and the cost of fly control measures. Globally, the economic impact of flies on the cattle industry is much larger. A study estimated that the global economic impact of horn flies alone, a common species of fly that affects cattle, is around $2.2 billion per year. This includes losses in milk production, weight gain, and increased veterinary costs.

Overall, the economic impact of flies on the cattle industry is significant and can have negative effects on the productivity and profitability of cattle farming operations. Sometimes it can be hard to measure the loss that your farm might be having. Therefore, effective fly control measures are essential for minimizing these economic impacts.

Effective Cattle Solutions Pest Control Methods: Adult Fly Control
To manage the various flies in cattle herds, farmers and ranchers need to employ a range of pest control measures. These measures can include chemical and non-chemical treatments, as well as management practices that can reduce pest populations and prevent infestations.

Pertinent produces products to help control fly pressure. They have an Adult Fly Concentrate, a spray for cattle that can help decrease economic losses caused by flies. This product is designed to be applied to cattle and their surroundings to reduce the number of adult flies that can affect cattle.

The Adult Fly Concentrate works by targeting the nervous system of adult flies, which results in their paralysis and death. By reducing the number of adult flies around cattle, the products can help to decrease the economic losses caused by flies.

By using Pertinent’s products, producers can minimize the negative impacts of flies on their cattle and improve the overall productivity and profitability of their farming operation. Decreased milk production affects both beef and dairy operations. The dairy industry directly sees less farm income due to lack of milk produced or decreased quality of milk fat. Whereas, beef producers need lactating cattle to produce enough milk until calves have been weaned and begin eating a forage and grain diet.

According to Frank Jusich, “Dairies and feed lots alike can benefit from the adult concentrate. It’s a spray that you dilute with water. Because the key ingredients are plant-based and natural, it is labeled to be applied over cattle and around feed bunks. I’m a big believer in integrated pest management, where you rotate your products to get the best long-term results. This also helps prevent resistance in pests. There is a significant benefit to both dairymen and cattlemen using the product. You can get more milk production and weight gain. Neither product has dire warnings as most pesticides, as these use natural ingredients.”

Pertinent’s products are designed to be safe for use around cattle and are easy to apply. The Adult Fly Concentrate can be mixed with water and applied using a sprayer. With regular use, this and the other products can help farmers reduce the economic losses caused by flies and improve the health and well-being of their cattle.

Effective Cattle Solutions Pest Control Methods: Feed Through System
Pertinent’s Feed-Thru system, Pertinent IGR 10.5% Feed-Thru, is a method of fly control that involves adding active ingredient S-Methoprene, an insect growth regulator (IGR), to cattle feed. S-Methoprene interferes with the development of fly larvae, preventing them from maturing into adult flies. “This is a new product, we initialized it this 2023, so there is no better time to purchase or try it out,” says Jusich.

Pertinent’s feedthrough system uses a 10.5% IGR that can be added to cattle feed. When the cattle consume the feed, S-Methoprene is distributed throughout their body and eventually ends up in their manure. Jusich goes on to explain how the eco-friendly pesticide works. When flies lay eggs in the manure, the IGR in the manure prevents the fly larvae from developing properly, thus reducing the overall population of adult flies. “This is a great system for pasture cattle,” explains Frank Jusich. “It controls horn flies, which are a biting fly that can cause significant economic losses of 2 cents per head per day. By using our Feed-Thru system, the farmer is likely to see 10 times return on investment with higher weaning weights, weight gains.”

Jusich goes on to explain the Feed-Thru system is a passive method of fly control that does not require any additional labor or equipment. Once the IGR is added to the feed, it is distributed throughout the cattle population, providing continuous fly control over time.

The product is a significant contender in feed mill and pasture operations. By reducing the overall population of adult flies, Pertinent’s Feed-Thru system can help to minimize the economic losses caused by flies in the cattle industry. Flies can lead to reduced weight gain, decreased milk production, and increased veterinary costs.

The active ingredient in the IGR, S-Methoprene, is also a more environmentally friendly approach to fly control, as it is highly effective against horn flies and not harmful to birds, fish, reptiles, mammals, or beneficial insects.

Overall, Pertinent’s Feed-Thru system can be an effective and sustainable method of fly control that can help improve the health and productivity of cattle while reducing economic losses for producers. If you’re interested in learning more about Pertinent and its products, contact the company through its website: pertinenteco.com.