Biting flys

So we seem to have a bumper
crop of biting deer flys this year
Barn is pretty clean
Anyone else having an issue?

We are having terrible issues here. Our barn is cleaned everyday too. Almost everyone we know are having awful issues as well. We are now using the fly predators from spalding labs.

If the flys are really getting on the goats nerves I spray them with some of the Avon-skin-so-soft. It seems to help.

We always have some deer flies; some years are worse than others. This year is one of the worst I can remember! I understand that the larvae live in water or moist soil, so perhaps the wetter-than-usual Spring may have something to do with the hungry hoards we are experiencing. Fortunately, the numbers usually decrease dramatically by mid-summer around here; I sure hope that proves to be the case this year.

Flies aren't as bad here yet, but the mosquitoes are awful!! It's been extra-wet here, too.

Goat Whisperer said:

We are having terrible issues here. Our barn is cleaned everyday too. Almost everyone we know are having awful issues as well. We are now using the fly predators from spalding labs.

If the flys are really getting on the goats nerves I spray them with some of the Avon-skin-so-soft. It seems to help.

Click to expand...

I hadn't thought about skin so soft
Was looking at some other sprays but was worried about withdrawal for milk they contain permethrin

We have several products for the dogs and their noses but the dogs rub everything off. The flies are horrible. Swat, warpaint, vaseline...nothing will work if they won't keep it on. That is my biggest worry.

The flies are not really in the barn (it is very dry in the barn) but out around anywhere there is hay or any spent hay it is awful. We pick up all spent hay daily. It is pretty dry out there now but it is crazy.

I am upping our order of the fly predators this month. $$$

It is our first year with them, they say you really need 2 years.
Need to start somewhere I guess.

I know our chickens are picking the predators off too... grrr... and ants will eat the larvae.. we have fly strips up also.

They love the hay shed.

I put in a call to the extension services because we are in the same boat... have to be careful with does in milk.