Ultra-low-volume application of insecticides to cattle for control of the horn fly.

Abstract

A sprayer was developed that will provide animal-activated ultra-low-volume (ULV) application of insecticides to cattle. A preset volume of insecticide (as much as 5 ml) is delivered from a single spray nozzle in a band about 30 cm wide from the withers to the loin on 1 side of the animal. The sprayer should be situated where the animals are forced to use it frequently, preferably daily. In large-cage tests, two 1-ml applications per day of each of the following insecticides with the ULV sprayer controlled Haematobia irritans (L.) on cattle: 1% carbaryl; 0.5% Ciodrin® (alpha-methylbenzyl 3-hydroxycrotonate dimethyl phosphate); 0.1% Compound 4072 (2-chloro-1-(2,4-dichlorophenyl)vinyl diethyl phosphate); 0.25% coumaphos; 0.25% Gardona® (2-chloro-1-(2,4,5-trichlorophenyl)vinyl dimethyl phosphate); 1% malathion; and 1% methoxychlor. In the field, 1% Ciodrin and 1% malathion delivered by the sprayer controlled horn flies on dairy and beef cattle, respectively, during the summer of 1966. During the summer of 1967, horn flies were controlled on cows at 3 dairies where 0.5% Ciodrin was dispersed with the ULV sprayers. The cost of the insecticide used in the ULV sprayer was estimated at 0.064¢ per animal per day for malathion and methoxychlor and at about 0.084¢ per animal per day for Ciodrin, a considerable saving over conventional treatment of dairy cattle. The automatic sprayer reduced the labor required to apply insecticide and to handle the animals.