Denise Wall Posted June 9, 2003 Report Share Posted June 9, 2003 No see 'ems are bothering my sheep. Is anybody using a good insect repellent right now that they would recommend? Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Suelee Robbe-Austerman Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Denise, Unfortunately since you are talking food animal you can only use products that are approved for sheep. Insecticides are regulated by the EPA and veterinarians and producers have no legal authority to use or prescribe these products off label. (you can not use a product only approved for cattle on sheep) That may seem academic, but it really isn't. Wool processors have a real problem with insecticide residues in wool. It causes a serious problem with the waste water when those fleeces are washed. These products are highly toxic to aquatic life and residual activity that is good on cattle can cause problems when fleeces are processed. That said, there are (basically) 2 classes of insecticides that are approved for use in sheep, organophosphates and pyrethroids. Unfortunately noseeums are not really repelled by any of these products. They will go on a suicide mission to get a meal. (They will still try to bite, even if the insecticide kills them.) If you have a small flock you can position a fan in an area where the sheep can stand. You can also try the automatic release products. They usually have a pyrethroid product and are relatively safe as long as they are kept out of rivers and streams. You basically create an area that is pest free with them, like the outdoor food restaurants. Bottom line is most of these flies are a bother but they usually do not affect production or performance. (At least not enough to pay for a system to control them) For short term control you can purchase a bottle of Atroban or similar product mix it up in a garden sprayer and spray the animals on a regular basis. Example: http://www.pbsanimalhealth.com/cgi-local/S....html?E+scstore Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
Bill Fosher Posted June 11, 2003 Report Share Posted June 11, 2003 Residue in the wool is a huge problem. One mill near me has been shut down several times over the years because of contaminated waste water. If you do decide to use an applied insecticide, use one of the low-volume products -- we use Ultra Boss for lice, and try to get it through the wool and onto the skin. Quote Link to comment Share on other sites More sharing options...
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