Open PRAIRIE: Open Public Research Access Institutional Repository and Information Exchange
Abstract
Fly control is a problem to all cattlemen during the summer months. The irritation of flies has been shown to cause decreased weight gains and loss in milk production. Cattlemen are continually looking for economical and effective means of controlling flies under various management systems. Among the more recently developed fly control possibilities has been an insecticide dust-impregnated ear tag. The idea was developed for control of ear ticks in Texas. The tags are white, about 2 by 2 1/2 inches in size and about the same weight as a standard, plastic tag commonly used for identifying cattle. They are applied with a standard Allflex pliers. Rabon (2-chloro-1-(2, 4, 5,-trichlorophenyl)) vinyl dimethyl phosphate (13.7 w/w) is impregnated in the plastic ear tag in such a way the tag continually dusts the animal as it moves its head. Marking paint on the tags lasted up to 5 months in these studies
