The Accidental Smallholder Forum

Livestock => Sheep => Topic started by: andywalt on September 12, 2010, 08:20:29 pm

Title: when do I not need to worry about fly strike treatment in the autumn?
Post by: andywalt on September 12, 2010, 08:20:29 pm
As I was taken by surprise today that we had some fly strike and  had to give them all another treatment, when would i expect that we do not need to worry, I realise that i expect it depends on the weather, could anyone tell me what they do? should That be the last treatment of crovect until the spring?
Title: Re: when do I not need to worry about fly strike treatment in the autumn?
Post by: morri2 on September 12, 2010, 09:26:06 pm
Depends on the weather - warm and humid, lots of flies, cold and wet, very few.  And it can be warm and sunny into October some years.  They will eventually all disappear as the year progresses, but whilst the weather remains warm, there is a risk of flystrike.   If you do get an attack on one of your sheep, ie: the eggs hatch and there are maggots in the fleece, make sure you treat the whole area with Crovect and all the maggots have completely gone.  We usually cut away all the affected fleece with the dagging shears to make sure.  Makes the sheep look a mess, but does the trick.  ....Now someone else will correct me here if I'm wrong, but I am of the opinion that it is only the green blowfly which causes flystrike, not bluebottles or horseflies.  Cheers, C.
Title: Re: when do I not need to worry about fly strike treatment in the autumn?
Post by: andywalt on September 12, 2010, 09:41:10 pm
cheers Caroline

Actually your right the flys were green
Title: Re: when do I not need to worry about fly strike treatment in the autumn?
Post by: Fleecewife on September 12, 2010, 10:49:15 pm
We usually apply the last dose sometime after mid-August, depending on when we applied the first dose in late spring, then every six weeks after that.  It means that the last dose wears out at the end of Sept, but we watch carefully after that in case there are still flies around - if so we would apply another dose.
Crovect is claimed to be effective for six weeks after application - we have found that if we are even a day late in re-applying, the flies can have got there first.
Title: Re: when do I not need to worry about fly strike treatment in the autumn?
Post by: andywalt on September 12, 2010, 11:07:51 pm
every six weeks, thanks, next year I will make sure my notes are done in the med book and marked in diary for the application of next dose. cheers


andy