Protect Horses with Three Steps for Effective Fly Control
One female fly can lay up to several hundred eggs. That’s the bad news.
The good news is that horse owners have more options than ever before when it comes to controlling insect pests.
Because there is no single product that completely wins the battle against flies, mosquitoes, ticks and other flying insects, the most effective fly control plan involves multiple tools.
Take charge of pest management by following Farnam’s Block-Repel-Reduce strategy:
- Block: create an actual physical barrier to keep flies and pests off the horse’s face and ears.
- Repel: using products that repel/kill flies and pests on the horse and in his environment.
- Reduce: decrease the fly population in the barn and on the whole farm.
Ready to get started?
Start With a Feed-thru Product
Did you know you can start a fly control plan before you even see a single fly? In fact, that’s the best time to begin because it’s much easier to stay ahead of the population than play “catch up” later in the season.
If you start fly control before flies turn into a problem, you can stay ahead of the population by controlling developing flies in manure.
To ensure the most effective control of stable and house flies, start your horse on a feed-through fly control product like SimpliFly before fly season begins.
Farnam Simplifly Feed-Thru Fly Control, 3.75 lb.
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The product is designed to work in the horse’s manure, not in the horse’s body itself. The active ingredients aren’t absorbed from the horse’s gastrointestinal tract. Rather, they are mixed into the horse’s manure, so that when it passes out of the horse, insect growth regulators in the product prevent the development of any fly larvae laid in that manure. Because this interrupts the fly life cycle, it limits the population.
For greatest effectiveness, use a feed-through fly control product until cold weather arrives. This not only helps manage the current fly population, but also reduces the fly population the following spring.
Know Your Enemy
It’s important to positively identify the flies you’re dealing with, because this will help you develop an effective plan to control them.
Some species–including stable flies–feed on blood, so they’ll land on the horse, bite it to get a blood meal, and then fly off. Other species–including house flies–feed on sugar or other carbohydrate sources, but they’ll still hang around your horse and become an annoying nuisance.
After you know which species of flies you’re dealing with, you can make smart choices in choosing the most effective products for those specific species.
Repel Wisely
Once you know which flies are the main concern, the next step is choosing an on-horse product to repel and kill those flies and pests. This can be a spray, spot-on, wipe-on product, or a combination of products.
Always check the label to determine that the product kills and repels the flies that are the problem. Even if you’ve owned horses for many years, read the product label before use to be sure you’re applying it as directed and using the right amount.
When the label says a product can last for a specific number of days, this is when it’s applied at the proper rate. Following directions ensures you’ll get the most out of the product, which means better protection for your horse.
When using a repellent spray, you’ll find numerous options, so you should choose the one most effective for your horse’s situation.
For example, a water-resistant product like Endure will be more efficient for working horses that will be sweating, and also for turned-out horses that may be rained on.
Farnam, Endure Fly Spray
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A spray like Tri-Tec 14 provides long-lasting protection when used according to label directions. This makes it a great choice when you can’t spray frequently.
Farnam, Tri-Tec 14 Long Lasting Fly Repellent Spray
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If your horse has an injury that is healing, you can protect the wound from flies with a wipe-on cream repellent like SWAT. Swat also works well to repel pests when lightly applied inside the horse’s ears.
Farnam, Clear Swat Fly Repellent Ointment, 7 oz.
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Active Ingredients
Every fly repellent label lists the product’s active ingredients, and you don’t have to be a science major to understand the basics.
Pyrethrin’s (may also be listed as pyrethrum) are one of the most common active ingredients and are derived from a species of chrysanthemum. The “py” at the beginning of the word tells you this ingredient has a natural source.
Permethrin and cypermethrin are synthetic versions of pyrethrin’s. To make it easy to remember, synthetics usually contain the syllable “per” somewhere in the word.
Both natural and synthetic ingredients are insecticides, meaning they kill and repel insects. The most effective fly repellent products tend to have a combination of both natural and synthetic active ingredients.
For example, many horse owners have long used Repel-X fly spray, which contains both natural and synthetic active ingredients.
Repel-X Insecticide & Repellent Spray, 32 oz.
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Don’t Forget the Premises
It’s important to repel flies and pests not just on your horse, but also in the environment where he lives. Products like fly tapes, baits and traps help limit the number of flies that have access to your horse.
Sticky traps/tapes are simple, but effective. Hang them high in the barn/stable where flies rest. When flies land on them, they’re stuck and die.
Fly bait products (which primarily target house flies), should be placed low where flies typically feed. (Use caution when placing these products to ensure domestic animals cannot be exposed to the bait.)
Pheromone traps, sometimes referred to as “stinky traps” (and yes, they do have a rather unpleasant odor), should be used outside the barn—not inside. Flies are attracted to the trap, which they enter and die.
Block Those Pests
In addition to reducing and repelling flies, make sure you block them by adding a physical barrier, a key step in your multi-zone approach.
A good fly mask like Farnam’s SuperMask will minimize your horse’s exposure to pests that can be both annoying and disease-carrying. The fly mask also protects against dust, dirt and debris. This makes it perfect for horses recovering from an eye injury.
Farnam, SuperMask II Fly Mask, No Ear
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If your horse’s ears are sensitive to flies and pests, you can choose a fly mask with mesh ears for additional protection.
Other physical barrier methods of fly/pest protection include fly boots and sheets.
Understanding more about insect pests allows you to become a more informed consumer and horse owner. Using multiple products, as outlined in Farnam’s Block-Repel-Reduce strategy, helps protect your horse. This approach also frees you from worries about his health and well-being.
Want to learn more about animal health options we carry? Browse our website or stop into your local Wilco Farm Store for more options.
