[Foobar]

Anyone else struggling with head flies this year?


Some of my sheep have made a right mess of their heads/ ears what with all the rubbing and scratching.  Crovect was near to useless, gonna try spot on on the head tonight (although the label doesn't claim any deterrent to head fly on sheep).


Any one got any head fly tips?  I need something that will last at least a week.

[jaykay]

I don't find Crovect useless but you do have to put it on the head and ears for it to work against headfly.

Battle's maggot oil is good for rubbing on the bases of horns, to keep the rotten little b€$%¥#$ away from there - you have to do it every week, but it's a good repellent.

[Foobar]

I think due to the heat this year the Crovect wasn't working when applied to the head.


I've tried using stockholm tar too, but like the maggot oil you have to keep applying it.

[shep53]

Summer fly cream ( battles or netex )   stockholm tar       pine tar spray    many horsey products , you need to cover all the wounds so the flys can't see or smell them , crovect or spot-on need to be applied before any damage as they don't disguise the wound thus when a fly lands and bites it may die the sheep will react and cause more damage attracting more flies

[Foobar]

Yeah tried nettex summer fly cream ... it lasted about a day

[shep53]

I use pine tar spray allowed to dry and then stokholm tar on top only apply once on rams horn depressions . i have put cream and then a bandage on damaged ears , no option to bring inside duing the day and let out overnight??

[Foobar]

I'm going with the "bring in during the day" option ... not that they are particularly impressed about that, but hopefully after a few days it will have healed enough.  I thought about bandaging, but I can foresee my ram just laughing in my face as I try to put (and keep) that on!
Roll on winter I say!