Oil-based and water-based Ciodrin sprays for fly control on dairy cattle.

Abstract

Tests were conducted during the summer of 1964 to compare the effectiveness of oil-based and water-based sprays containing 2% Ciodrin® ( alpha -methylbenzyl 3-hydroxycrotonate dimethyl phosphate) against flies on dairy cows. Major species infesting the animals were the face fly, Musca autumnalis DeGeer; the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.); and the horn fly, Haematobia irritans (L.). Forty lactating and 10 dry Holstein cows on the Pennsylvania State University Farm were employed as treated animals and untreated controls. The sprays were applied by a newly developed “pushbutton“ spraying device, manually operated and especially designed to give thorough coverage of the faces of the cows. The major parts of the device included an inverted U-shaped pipe system plus an extension in front, 4 nozzles each connected to a solenoid valve, a pump and motor assembly, and an extension wire terminating in a push-button switch. Counts of flies were made daily. Effectiveness of treatments was evaluated on the basis of average reduction percentages in fly populations on treated animals calculated by comparing numbers of flies on treated and control groups. Eight applications were made during 6 weeks in July and August. Results of the tests show that both the oil-based and water-based sprays provided good control against face flies and stable flies for 28 hours and significant reductions of fly populations for 52 or 76 hours following spray application. Both sprays gave near-perfect control of horn flies for 124 hours or longer. The oil-based spray showed greater initial toxic effect than the water-based spray against the face fly but the latter demonstrated a more lasting residual effect. Significant reductions in fly populations were noted on the untreated control group that was milked in the same barn as the treated cows, but in a separate section. The groups were grazed in separate pastures.