Warm weather brings more fly infections

WARM summers bring an abundance of flies. Flies can carry and spread summer mastitis infections. The high risk period for summer mastitis is July to September. Dry cows (eg autumn calvers, culls), and in calf heifers can be at risk.

Heifers can also get summer mastitis but they are at less risk. Lactating cows may not necessarily escape either. Suckler cows can have a dry udder quarter for one reason or another. It is possible that this dry quarter could become infected. There may be differences in breed susceptibility. Friesian/Holstein are considered to be more vulnerable than other breeds. There are no simple precaution measures for suckler herds. Where there are cattle there are usually flies. Pour-on fly repellents can be relatively expensive. Fly repellent eartags were popular a few years ago but aren’t seen as much now.

Tar (Stockholm Tar) can also be used a fly repellent and is fairly effective if applied often enough. But applying tar to stock is too time consuming for most people.