Chat
08-21-2020, 12:37 AM
I have also used the Arbico fly preditors and was impressed.with them. However I also use a lot of diatomaceous earth and the two don't mix...the D.E. kills fly preditors and flies alike.
You have to fight flies on as many different fronts as possible. Our program, which is not perfect but works pretty well, is a dusting of D.E. (white FOOD GRADE only, often called shell powder) in stalls, frequented area as needed; 1/4 to 1/3 Cup apple cider vinegar per horse per feeding; 6" diameter balls covered in shiny aluminum foil hung around barn on string long enough to allow them movement in the breeze, about every 10-15 foot radius, high enough though that goats/horses can't get hold of.them.
The flies seem to know the DE is.deadly for them and just seem to avoid sprinkled.areas for the most part. Feeding the apple cider vinegar to them seems to keep our horses' tails as quiet as people.who spray their horses every day. We feed it year round because it offers other health benefits as well and it has to stay built up in their bodies to repel bugs. Again, you're still going to have some. Unfortunately, we haven't witnessed same results in goats with the ACV, I think the reason being, we can't control their intake as we don't feed them individually.
The aluminum-covered balls are quite amazing. Especially if they are moving and sparkling in the breeze, they do an amazing job of repelling, although again, a few seem to ignore them. If they get packed with barn dust and don't sparkle any more, you either have to rinse or recoat them with new foil.
And then there is once or twice a year for a short period where nothing seems to help. The flies are really aggressive during these times. THEN we do have to resort to fly spray. But most of the year we don't which is a lot easier on us and the horses.
You have to fight flies on as many different fronts as possible. Our program, which is not perfect but works pretty well, is a dusting of D.E. (white FOOD GRADE only, often called shell powder) in stalls, frequented area as needed; 1/4 to 1/3 Cup apple cider vinegar per horse per feeding; 6" diameter balls covered in shiny aluminum foil hung around barn on string long enough to allow them movement in the breeze, about every 10-15 foot radius, high enough though that goats/horses can't get hold of.them.
The flies seem to know the DE is.deadly for them and just seem to avoid sprinkled.areas for the most part. Feeding the apple cider vinegar to them seems to keep our horses' tails as quiet as people.who spray their horses every day. We feed it year round because it offers other health benefits as well and it has to stay built up in their bodies to repel bugs. Again, you're still going to have some. Unfortunately, we haven't witnessed same results in goats with the ACV, I think the reason being, we can't control their intake as we don't feed them individually.
The aluminum-covered balls are quite amazing. Especially if they are moving and sparkling in the breeze, they do an amazing job of repelling, although again, a few seem to ignore them. If they get packed with barn dust and don't sparkle any more, you either have to rinse or recoat them with new foil.
And then there is once or twice a year for a short period where nothing seems to help. The flies are really aggressive during these times. THEN we do have to resort to fly spray. But most of the year we don't which is a lot easier on us and the horses.