Make Your Operation A "No Fly Zone" This Summer

First, the good news:	It looks like there will be normal to above-normal moisture conditions this year. This will be great for pastures and forage production.
Now the bad news:	Higher moisture conditions generally equal a bigger fly population and an increased threat of production losses in reduced calf weaning weights.
More good news:	There are excellent options for fly control that also provide protein or mineral supplementation for livestock, depending on your forage conditions.

A Successful Fly Control Program

When cattle are busy warding off flies, they expend energy that could be better put to growth, reproduction and milk production. Economic loss to cattle producers due to fly problems has been estimated at more than $800 million a year.

If you want to keep your fly problem under control, you need an integrated pest management program. It begins with good sanitation practices and should include a feed-through larvicide that is consumed consistently across your herd. There is no better delivery on the market today for uniform, consistent supplement intake than CRYSTALYX®.

Producers should start early. "You want to be ahead of the fly season," Dr. Dan Dhuyvetter, Director of Research and Development for Ridley Nutrition Solutions, said. "That is dictated by when spring temperatures warm up and the fly season starts. And you have to continue the battle until there’s a killing frost."

Fly Control Options

CRYSTALYX® IGR or ROLYX®

IGR MAX™ and IGR PRO™ are supplements that help prevent adult Horn Fly emergence. IGR stands for Insect Growth Regulator, and works as the cattle consume the highly palatable CRYSTALYX® supplement. IGR passes through the digestive system and is contained in the cattle manure, where Horn Flies lay their eggs.

IGR stops the fly growth process and prevents larvae from reaching the adult stage. For best results, feed IGR MAX™ and IGR PRO™ to cattle 30 days before adult Horn Fly emergence. IGR MAX™ is a mineral and vitamin supplement, while IGR PRO™ is a protein and vitamin supplement.

ROLYX® PRO, ROLYX® MAX and ROLYX® FESCUE MAG are CRYSTALYX® supplements that contain RABON® Oral Larvicide. As livestock consume RABON® through the CRYSTALYX® supplement, it passes through the digestive system and into the livestock manure. RABON® kills Horn Fly, Face Fly, Stable Fly and House Fly larvae before they reach the adult stage.

ROLYX® PRO is the supplement of choice for additional protein supplementation, and is also cleared for use with horses. ROLYX® MAX provides a balanced mineral and vitamin formula for cattle on pasture, and ROLYX® FESCUE MAG is best for cattle consuming fescue forages with low magnesium levels.

All CRYSTALYX® products allow uniform consumption 24/7 across the entire herd for maximum fly control. And since both administer fly control within the supplement, cattle don't need to be handled, as they do when you use sprays, pour-ons, dusts or ear tags.

Remember that neither IGR nor RABON® will kill adult flies. Use of approved adulticides will be necessary to eliminate adult fly populations when IGR or ROL-containing supplements are introduced after an adult horn fly infestation has already been established.