Flies are becoming more of an issue on cattle farms with milder temperatures and light showers of rain hitting over the past week.

Therefore, herd owners should keep a close eye on summer- and autumn-calving cows, along with replacement heifers, for signs of a swollen udder and ultimately mastitis.

Fly populations will be higher where cattle graze close to slow moving water, especially stagnant ponds or open drains.

Woodland areas and hedgerows also attract flies and on warms days, cows often look to find shade under trees which can be a haven for flies.

Prevention and treatment

As well as keeping a close eye on animals, you will need to use some form of prevention to control flies to prevent summer mastitis.

Options include garlic lick buckets. While simple to use, they can be hit and miss, as not every animal will use the lick. Use one bucket for every 10 cows.

Pour-on products and chemical sprays are easy to apply and are likely to be more effective. Where calves are likely to be wormed in the coming weeks, these two tasks can be combined to cut down on handling.

However, such treatments need to be repeated throughout the summer. There is also the option of using specialised ear tags which provide longer protection for cows over the grazing season.

Where cows have been grazing lush grass, tails can become heavily soiled which attracts flies. If possible, clipping tails will keep cows cleaner around the hind quarters, reducing the problem of flies.

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