DAIRY COWS AND FLIES.

Shannon News, 6 October 1922, Page 4

DAIRY COWS AND FLIES.

It is yjcll known, but nevertheless often overlooked, that every fly coining into contact with milk and the milk vessels increases the danger of the spread of disease just by that much as no one knows where its feet have been just prior to his journey over the milk bucket (says “The Dairy’’). It is a safe bet, however, that all six of them have been over some sort of filth just before the promenade around the edge of the milk, as flies love filth —in fact, are usually born out of \t—and are never so happy as when wading through it, says a writer in the “Southern Ruralist,’’ who, in the course of an article, asserts that some dairymen have gone so far as to keep the cows in a screened barn during the heat of the day, but this is usually not a practical | method of keeping flies off cows, j Many remedies have been tried fof the purpose of driving away flies. The | authorities of the Kansas Experiment j Station tested a number of fly mixtures, but obtained .the best results from one containing 4.r>lb of resin, two cakes of common soap, ilb of fish, oil, and enough water to make three gallons. This mixture was usually applied with a brush. When sprayed, one-half pint of kerosene was added. It was learned that about half a pint I of the mixture was enough for one ap- I

plication to each cow. When the fly nuisance is exceedingly bad it may be necessary to spray twice a week for a short time. Upon the general market are found some excellent remedies, which, when applied by means of a brush or spray, are offensive to flies and will protect the animal until the application evaporates.