A ‘pedigree’ focus on fly control

And the same principle holds for all livestock farmers with cattle at grass. Flies are at the heart of the problem.

Not alone can they cause mastitis problems in young breeding stock and dry cows but they also act to reduce growth rates across the board, where grazing animals are concerned.

Fivemiletown-based Limousin breeder Sean McGeehan manages the ‘Slieve’ herd with his son Shane. There are 25 cows in the herd with a number of crossbred heifers retained as pedigree embryo recipients.

The father and son team use AI exclusively on their cows and heifers, breeding for a mixture of maternal and terminal sire traits. They are both members of the Fermanagh Pedigree Limousin Breeders’ Club.

Making best use of grazed grass is a priority for the McGeehans. However, Sean is quick to confirm that flies are a constant threat from this time of the year onwards. He explained: “We had a very warm spring, which was followed by the recent rain. It all adds up to the perfect conditions for flies.”

Sean is a firm believer that prevention is better than cure, when it comes to dealing with all animal-health issues that relate to the management of the herd.

He said: “We have never lost a quarter due to Summer Mastitis. Our policy has always been to take whatever steps are necessary to keep flies off the stock in the first place.”

With this objective in mind Sean has Crystalyx Garlyx feed tubs out with all the stock at the present time.

David Morgan, from Caltech Crystalyx, was a recent visitor to the McGeehan farm. He was accompanied by Julie Stinson, manager of the Fane Valley store in Augher. David commented: “Garlic has extremely effective fly-repellent properties. One of the most effective ways of making garlic available to stock at grass is courtesy of ‘Crystalyx Garlyx’ feed blocks.

“Flies are mostly likely to be a problem in fields adjacent to trees, a woodland area, high hedges and standing water. Normally, problems associated with fly strike would not occur until later in the grazing season. However, this is not the case in 2020. Livestock farmers should be taking preventative measures now.

“The good news is that Crystalyx Garlyx represents a natural way of protecting cattle and sheep from biting insects. The product has also been specifically formulated to maximise animal performance by stimulating forage intake and digestion.”

He added:“The natural, high-sulphur compounds in garlic act as an insect repellent, which ward off flies and other biting insects.

“The tubs and buckets can be conveniently put out in fields and paddocks with stock throughout the grazing season.”

Julie Stinson commented:“We have the Garlyx tubs in stock now. Demand for the product is already very high. The Garlyx blocks are stocked in all Fane Valley store outlets throughout Northern Ireland.”

Crystalyx Garlyx is ideally provided to livestock – cattle and sheep - at those times when flies and biting insects are extremely prevalent. If livestock are stressed and or irritated then they are less likely to graze, therefore becoming less productive.

Garlyx acts to make livestock’s skin less attractive to biting insects. In such instances, they are less likely to bother livestock. The natural garlic contained in Garlyx is consumed by livestock with every lick, and over the days that follow the garlic passes through the animal and is secreted out from pours in the skin. This then produces an invisible barrier around livestock, which flies and other biting insects find repellent.

Crystalyx Garlyx also contains a full complement of vitamins, minerals and trace elements to balance the deficiencies in summer grass. The high levels of zinc in contained in Crystalyx Garlyx also help to maintain skin integrity and strength in order to further guard against biting insects.