Nobody should criticize you for wanting your cows to be as comfortable as possible. We know you love your animals and only have their best interest at heart . You're great people !!!
I am something of an amateur/hobbyist entomologist. Not to downgrade any of your other videos, I found this one particularly fascinating. There’s a lot more to this problem and possible solutions than I realised. I’m not a farmer - nor will I ever be - but your videos are, IMHO, up there amongst the most interesting on RUclips. Best wishes, Pete.
Pete you have done your homework! But remember, this is your farm. It doesn't matter what the viewers think. There will always be a few complainers in the bunch. Love your channel, can't wait to see how it progresses and your after thoughts. I've debated if this would help on our family's farm.
It sure matters what people think when you are trying to sell the product! At some level of compromise a customer base paying $$ for the higher quality wont amymore because you are no different than big cattle. This is definitely not that point, just wanted to point out the dangerous fallacy in your way of thinking.
Hi Pete. I agree diesel or kerosene are no longer the way to go plus they evaporate more quickly than mineral oil so economy of scale mineral oil not as expensive as it seems to last longer. We use food grade mineral oil but different than the pymethrin instructions. Try 1 gallon mineral oil to 4 gallons water 8 oz permethrin and 1/4 cup dawn dish soap. Mix well. The dawn will act as an emulsifier and give a better bond to the water and oil making it last longer. In past we tried canola and soybean oil which works too but the cows tended to like the taste and licked themselves too much. We did find that adding 1/2 cup of dawn would stop them licking though but we still decided to switch back to mineral oil. Anyway good luck! Allen
Do you have any issue with the water, oil and soap mixture evaporating? How long till you need to soak the rub again? About to hang mine and do not wanna use any toxic ingredients. Going to use food grade mineral oil. I only have 6 dexters
In almost 40 years of dairy cattle farming I, too, tried almost everything. For the most part we tried to keep the premises(free stall barn) as clean as possible and we used a pour on because we were putting the cows through a chute for other reasons; vaccinations, preg checks, health reasons. One of our key areas of concern was keeping the eating areas clean as this was always the highest concentration of insect larvae.
I’m waging a war on flies this year myself. Love the type of content you’ve been putting out lately. Very helpful in our farm being just two hours from you.
A transparent farmer! Pete, you do what you gotta do. In the end, I still believe you are a great animal husband and career. We just have to look at how the raccoon loss in the chicken tractor affected you both to know that you guys live for the farm and the animals.
I have tied strips of cloth about 2-3' long to the back rub. The permethrin wicks down the strips allowing it to get on the cattle's faces and sides. That has worked very well for us.
It is really quite remarkable for you to so openly share your dilemma and your struggle to find a solution. No doubt there will be more options coming along in the future and I hope they do not leave you so torn between the environmental concern, the concern for the welfare of the cattle, and the financial concerns. Pete you have great courage and honesty to share this with us. I hope this works for this year and look forward to seeing the results.
What you said about attacking the flies with a little harsher hand early on makes sense to me. If you can break their cycle of reproducing somehow it's bound to be a bigger benefit later. Something my grandad had for his cows was a large stiff bristled brush he had mounted in the barn and another in the shady spot out in their pasture. They lasted a long time and all his cattle were crazy for them. They loved rubbing their heads and backs all over them. I think the bristles were even replaceable too.
If this is an option, go to your local DPW or a street sweeping company and get worn out sweeper brooms. They can come in long flat sections and would last forever.
Your comment about the solution being bigger than the problem really uplifted me. I shudder to think of the world we will be left with if we as a society fail to see the wider consequences for our easy solutions. This being said I always fall back on my golden rule: There's always room for improvement. We will never be perfect, but that doesn't mean we can't be better. I'm sure you'd agree seeing the written comments regarding the diesel fuel vs mineral oil. Thanks for being a wise leader for us idealistic farmers!
Don't know why anyone would second guess your decisions on this matter. You've weighed the options and come up with the best solutions for your farm. And are darned thoughtful about it. 'Nuff said.
One of your best, most informative vids. You should send the conclusion about compromise to Congress. It would be great to have them realize that no system is perfect...
Hi Pete, ya know when push comes to shove, it's your farm, and you do what YOU think is right for it and your livestock. I'm not a farmer, so how would it be any of my business to agree or disagree with what you do on your farm? If anyone does like what you do, THEY do need to watch. It's just that simple. Whatever you and Hilary do is up to you, I'll continue to watch your videos regardless. 👍
💖Pete, I would never question any decision that you and Hillary make. You both put so much thought into what you are doing. Why should I be the judge of what you are doing? I do not have your experience which appears to be a lifetime of living and being on a farm. I trust that you and Hillary will be satisfied with your decisions and that you will not allow the viewers to instill doubt into your ability to do what is right for you. Looking forward to continuing to follow you Pete and Hillary. Please take care. ❇❇❇
Pete, your conscience is our attraction to your videos. We get it, raising animals on a farm is fraught with difficult decisions. I trust your judgement in this area.
Good morning Pete & Hillary. As always love watching each and every video you put out. Well being a person who has never farmed (small home gardens and a few backyard chickens), I love that you take the time to show and explain the different methods you use on your farm for your animals. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to share your videos and have a great day.😊
Pete if you encounter complainers about your fly method send them my way.. You dont need to worry about the complainers.. You are a good person ! I just wish this country had more people like you rather than a bunch of complainers. Wish you the best
It needs to be controlled. You are the best judge of the method. I know you have thought it out for the well being of cattle and the need to reduce the problem. Pete, tough decisions have to be made without sending you to the poor house.😊
Controlling flies is a never ending battle. As you pointed it, you have to tackle it from multiple approaches. You have to use what you can afford and what is expected to work for your livestock. Treating a herd with pinkeye isn't cheap and those flies can be good at spreading it. Thanks for sharing.
11:16 at the Hereford Beef Farm I worked at years ago we used 2 back rubs for fly control. It worked really well, we didn’t have many flies at all. Actually the owner used to have parties at the farm in the barn with the cattle, never had a fly problem.
Silage tarp, Yeah! Your compost can only get better... So appreciate your thoroughness AND your unique way of including and teaching the viewer "here is the hill worth dying on" and why. That has got to resonate loudly with novice homesteaders, Pete! You da man!
Learn more about farming with Pete than any other YT channel. Your analysis is perfect of the realities of pest management. No single solution is 100% effective, thus why it’s called Integrated Pest Management.
I wouldn’t fret about it too much Pete. You & Hilary have thought long & hard about what to do this season 4all the while keeping the cattle health in mind. Those who don’t agree just won’t agree. So be it it’s their choice but when all is said & done, it’s your farm & your cattle. Keep up the great work, effort & content. I sure appreciate it. Happy farming. Cheers from BC
Pete don't worry about what others think. Farming is a tough business to be in. Sometimes you need stronger solutions that may upset other environmentalist. In the end, its not their livelihood that's at stake. I think you do a great job with your farm. Your ancestors would be proud of you. Smile and try not to worry so much. God Bless You.
Caring about doing the right thing for your cattle, your farm, your family, and your customers tells me you are the type of producer I would have no reservations buying from. Thanks for sharing.
Anyone who has watched any of your videos knows you care for your animals and have their best interest in mind when you take care of them. Those that would try and shame you for experimenting or testing different solutions to better your animals lives are ignorant of what it really takes to properly manage a farm/homestead. I really appreciate all your effort and work you put into teaching us through your videos and bringing us along for the ride of your daily life. Thanks for all your hard work! There are Many of us that would give up our daily grind to become the same type of rancher as you are.
I truly love watching your channel and the bond and respect you have for each of your live stock that you raise. You're doing your best and the internet is a cruel world. Keep shining positivity and love around your animals. 🩷
I feel very comfortable with your decisions mainly because I know you have good intentions for the future of the world and your livestock as well as the people who purchase your products. Anyone who is now happy with your ideas isn't listening to what you say. Thank you for the time and effort you put into making these decisions. Enjoyed the education about the flies and the solutions to irradiation.
Thanks Pete, there are a few things that I do struggle with raising sheep and cattle. Flies, tick and chiggers control is one of those things. I know that it is an irritant for them. I like your approach to this irritant. Ultimately we all have to make the best decision for our situation.
Just a fyi you can check an area for chiggers by placing small 4 to 6 inch squares of black vinyl tile on the ground and leave them there for about 1 minute and then inspect them to see if you see tiny red dots moving around on them. Chiggers aka Red Bugs are attracted to black pieces of vinyl because they think it is the shadow of an animal passing by and will jump on it so it can burrow into the skin and get a meal which is why you need to check the pieces of tile fairly quickly otherwise they will jump off once they realize there is nothing there to attach themselves to. Additionally wearing light colored boots and pants sprayed with DEET insect spray will help to keep them off you. Additionally Chiggers do not spread themselves out on a piece of ground evenly. The US Military has spent a great deal of money issuing grants for research studies in an attempt to determine why a stretch of beach/ plot of land will be infested with them but 100 yards away will have none or almost none. The first military studies of Chiggers had Privates walk to a spot with their boots bloused and stand there and walk back to the researchers so they could count the number of Chiggers on their boots and later the number “bites” the pPrivate had on his body(that to me is the definition of an absolutely sucky job) And to my knowledge no one has come up with a reason why Chiggers or Ticks concentrate to one area especially if there is no trail or paths for animals and people to walk and or follow.
Having a heart for animal husbandry, organic farming, etc...but also being realistic about whatever your situation happens to be is a struggle for so many of us. We do what we do because...well, we do what we do. Thanks for your heart and your honesty Pete.
I, for one, would never want you or any other farmer I watch on RUclips, to be so worried about my opinions that you would alter your business in any way that does not make sense to you. Most of us know diddly-squat about farming and should not be advising anyone. I might be concerned if I saw your cows covered with flies or being neglected etc. but I would just ask questions about it. If, after hearing more I felt you were just a bad farmer mistreating his animals I would turn you off. I love that you educate us and explain the pros and cons of certain techniques. It educates me more about my food sources. If you have subscribers trying to tell you how to run your business I would hope you could ignore them. They do not have your best interests at heart if they try to tell you what to do. But I also understand the desire to maintain your reputation and subscriber base. But many of us are here just to learn from you and we respect your independence and history of doing the right thing. I do hope you are able to reduce the fly load in a way that makes sense but I see wild animals covered in flies on all the nature shows and no one is rushing to save them from the flies because it’s nature! Keep up the great work!
You’re doing what you think is best and what you think is right. You’re doing this on your farm these are your decisions. Don’t worry about what people in RUclips thing
The time and effort you and your wife put in to researching different methods and solutions to keep the farm running smoothly and the livestock as comfortable as possible is commendable, kudos, y'all are good people!
I think the three options you are doing are excellent choices for fly control. Also, you do you Pete. Don't worry about what other people think. If they don't have the million dollar solution , they are more of a problem then they are worth!
We all know from watching you and Hillary that you both will decide to do what's best for the animals. I respect 🙏 🫡 what you need to do!! Blessings 🙌 Marion
Pete, I love your channel. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. It is a struggle to balance all the factors, and each person's operation will be different. I look forward to hearing how this works out for your herd.
I like the fact that you use sound management processes to come to conclusions. You have the responsibility for your farm and what you produce to make a living. I am sure not going to judge you after you work so hard to come up with the most practical solutions. Good going.
Pete, I must say I’ve yet to find a person on RUclips more “down home” and genuine than you. Fantastic channel. I grew up on a 300 acre cattle ranch and flies were always a concern. We did the same as you, with the roller and dust bags. But I heard about a different way to go about it. My grandson is in the scouts and they’re making “bat houses” to put up to keep insects in check. Just a thought
Evening Pete. Have been a viewer or your channel for years. I have not posted before; I respect your actions and admire your thought processes in all things you undertake. In the interest of your cattle herd, I'll comment on your limited confidence in bird houses. I've had livestock for 9 years. Horses and cattle. Fly control has always been a priority. I can say with complete confidence, that Tree Swallows and to a lesser extent Barn Swallows have been the catalyst to a more fly free herd. Like you, I live in an area with adequate upland bird habitat. Fencerows, brush, woodlots, etc. I don't know that I ever laid eyes on a Tree Swallow before I put up houses. Now it's a swarm (on 3 different Farms). I started small with 6 houses scattered across the pasture nearest my house. I now run 40+ houses, adequately spaced, on that same pasture. 200+ houses across all farms. You can build your own houses for little to no money from scrap/rough cut wood, just follow appropriate dimensions and instructions to mitigate sparrows from overtaking the houses. Some claim 5,000 flies/day for an adult pair of Tree Swallows. Hard to imagine it's that high, I just know from my situation it has been a great continual success.
Hi Pete, not sure what will work, but I agree with you, I don’t like using diesel fuel near cows and would try mineral oil. At least it can’t hurt the cows in any way! I watch your great videos in the am and it motivates me for the day! Sorry you lost your flock of chicks the other day.
I am sure this will get buried Pete, but I appreciate the research you put in to such problems. It is clear that you care about your livestock a great deal. Thanks!
Don't let worry you what a bunch of viewers think about your choices. A vasty majorty have never and will not step foot on a farm. Life is about making the best choices after you have given the issue a lot of thought and reseach. Your farm your choice. Thanks for sharing.
Pete, good luck with your "FLY" situation. I would suggest going to Syracuse University and recruit an intern ( no cost to you ) for a study in "Fly Abatement". Hand them a flyswatter and a tally sheet. Everyday they record the numbers and at the end of the "Study", you will have fewer flies, the school will have a valuable data for the scientist and at least one college student will learn a valuable lesson. Good Luck, Mike from Michigan
It's a difficult balancing act between using natural remedies and conventional ones but the health of the cattle has got to come first. Hope things work out. All the best 🇬🇧.
Enjoyed the breakdown of treatment options and look forward to seeing your results Pete. I think the backdrag will make a great difference. Have a great day Sir!
Good Morning Pete! I always really enjoy watching your new video before I head off to work for the day each morning your post it! :) I also grew up on a small family farm (Beef Cattle - 60-90 Head) and still enjoy working on the farm. My favorite thing to do is hay-making season when I go and mow the hay with a haybine (almost the same as yours) and a raker and 5x6 round baler. Sometimes I use the 5x6 round baler, sometimes i use the 4x4 round baler. Also I have a small square baler that I use to get the best hay for the 2 horses my sister has. Hope you have a great day! We also have lots of flys on our cattle each year! But we just do nothing...thats the way its been for YEARS and nothing ever hurt anything. One year we tried the ear tags. They worked decently but we only used them for two years and stopped. Keep up the great content and I will be looking forarwad to watching your next video! Off to work I go! I own my own lawn & landscaping company. I really enjoy it! :)
Your farm, your cows. I will support whichever system you choose. I know nothing about farming but I am always impressed with the care and diligence you show all your animals.
We have used the parasitic flies for years and believe there is a value there. HOWEVER, we are talking about 5 acres and less of a load then what you may be facing. I appreciate your videos as I believe they are always very well thought out and your presentation is clear and down to earth. I have thought of using the back rubs, but never realized that diesel fuel is the common carrier. Thank you for sharing!
I think you might be on to something with the you were drawing flies to the cattle by what you were doing. I had Japanese beetles on my flowers and I put out several traps and I soon was infested with them. They could smell the bait and started coming to the traps which were near my flowers. I moved them quite away from the flowers and like magic my flowers had 1/10 as many as before. I was drawing them away it seemed. Also I know many loggers who used diesel fuel as a repellent on their skin and they all seemed to live to a ripe old age. They often joked it was shell no 5 a play on channel no5 hahahaha. Love your channel. My wife is from Korea and she learns so much from you and Sow the Land lol. Thanks
So seeing the conviction of your thoughts being explained - no fault in doing what you think is best for your circumstances. I’m a recent subscriber and many have lost their conviction, passion and such in many things these days. Much respect to you and yours for how you wisely worked thru the final decision. If we had more of this in the world - we’d be better off as a whole. Kudos and May your summer be full of blessings and safety.
We had a smallish herd (40-60 head) of dairy cattle. We used a slicker line - an old piece of cable with old cotton batting/twine/burlap/baling wire wrapped around it ~3" thick - but we hung it at something like a 30-45 degree angle to the ground - with an old milk can sat up at the top. From the bottom of the milk can was a rubber hose the ran down in to the middle of the slicker line. All we had to do was put some fly ointment and left over vegetable oil from the kitchen, (I'm sure there was some used fryer oil and bacon grease mixed in.) With the slanted line, the calves/heifers would get used to it early - and rest loved it. We kept 2-3 of them up and filled year-round - just outside of the barn.
What’s the old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? It’s like compounded interest, doesn’t seem like much at first but in time it’s makes a huge difference. In my experience the rubs are the most affordable, cost effective and practical. The amount of diesel fuel used is negligible to the environment and is the most effective for what you are trying to do. There is no perfect solution for fly control but I think you have given it more effort and thought than anyone I’ve seen. Always a pleasure to watch your videos.
Pete, I honestly hope you can signal in on the POSITIVE comments here.............I know "someone" will feel the need to rip on you. But you and Hillary are doing a GREAT JOB with your animals. So I say "just keep doing what you're doing" LOL...........Take Care!!
Doing a great job there 👍🙏💕... I'm in the UK but we lived in Spain for 6 years while there I used to eat a slice of bread with Marmite/Vegimite on it daily & it stopped Mosquitos from biting me - there has to be something similar to help the cattle 🙏 bloody flies are a pain 🙄
This video is just perfect for a non-farmer. I learned a great deal and understand your decision on how you will institute a no-fly zone on your farm. Thank you, and good luck for a fly free summer.
One idea I didn't see on your list was a large bug zapper. Yes, they take power, and must be protected from rain. But my son bought one to deal with insects on his half acre lot in rural PA, and it was incredibly effective in controlling more than flies over a much larger area than that. His neighbors got relief, too. I think he paid $300 for it, but used it for many years, until he moved. An added benefit was that the birds lived feasting on all the zapped bugs.😊
You got to do what you got to do for your family. I would not worry too much about what your subscribers think. Besides that, it gives them something to talk about.
I can always tell how interesting something is by how fast time goes by during it, and time flew by during this video and it was over before I knew it. The funny thing is that when it began I thought "Oh no. This is going to be boring.", but it turned out to be one of the most interesting videos you have made, Pete. You have a knack for teaching, Pete. You can take any subject and make it interesting. I just want to thank you for all your hard work in doing these videos and for all the work you do on your farm. Take care and God Bless, Pete!
Well Pete if you see this message at some point, I'm right there with you. We've done so many things to battle Fly's and who knows if we reduced any, they weren't gone! One thing I'd do again and I heard you touch on it is using chickens. We had better luck with that and we used to have a dedicated flock that we ran with cattle. 1 bird/2cattle. We just had an area set up for there roost in each pasture. We didn't feed them until winter and it worked out well. I'd give it a thought and don't worry about that mop grazing and moving fence.
I have a small farm in Ohio and I know what you’re talking about. It’s flies is Annette in a double bowl and a nun you can do just do the best you can that’s all you’re doing. Keep up the good work.
Oh, Pete, I felt your pain at what you feel is your best control of flies. I also saw your addendum where you just couldn't sustain the diesel fuel and elect to use mineral oil regardless of price. The program was an appraisal of methods and I enjoyed your logical endeavor and your eventual decision. Whether farming or life in general, there are compromises. Thank you for including us in your decision making.
I’m a Joel Saltine fan…I had sat in a couple of his seminars…I see how things are more easily said than done thru your explanation of of all the conditions that would have to met to make a fly control method work…I thank you for honesty sharing your thoughts on how to solve your problem with the very defined types of flies and their reproductive cycles …I remember one of your videos…I think from last year….Integrated pest management is the industry standard for food distribution centers…although I’m very opposed to pesticides in general, I think you two made a good decision about how to apply it in the most beneficial and minimal way…something that I will keep in mind when we start farming our 4 acres.
We always use oil rubs to control flies. You have to control them or they can cause a lot of problems with the cattle. I know it is hard but you do the best you can with what you have. You are doing the best you can for the health of your cattle. Keep up the good work!
Hi Pete. I can understand your reluctance to using diesel on your cattle. Don’t know if it’s available to you but I think a solution would be to use Bio-diesel. It’s basically vegetable oil with the glycerin removed so it’s much less toxic than regular diesel
I watch Pete more than TV 😂
What tv?
@@Mclovin21983 exactly
Me too!!
Same
me too
Nobody should criticize you for wanting your cows to be as comfortable as possible. We know you love your animals and only have their best interest at heart . You're great people !!!
Good luck Pete. It’s a constant battle with predators and insects. Nothing worse than an outbreak of pinkeye. Controlling flies is a must.
We use evaporated milk, injected under the skin subcutaneous. Snaps them out of pinkeye quickly.
I am something of an amateur/hobbyist entomologist. Not to downgrade any of your other videos, I found this one particularly fascinating. There’s a lot more to this problem and possible solutions than I realised. I’m not a farmer - nor will I ever be - but your videos are, IMHO, up there amongst the most interesting on RUclips. Best wishes, Pete.
Pete you have done your homework! But remember, this is your farm. It doesn't matter what the viewers think. There will always be a few complainers in the bunch. Love your channel, can't wait to see how it progresses and your after thoughts. I've debated if this would help on our family's farm.
It sure matters what people think when you are trying to sell the product! At some level of compromise a customer base paying $$ for the higher quality wont amymore because you are no different than big cattle. This is definitely not that point, just wanted to point out the dangerous fallacy in your way of thinking.
Hi Pete. I agree diesel or kerosene are no longer the way to go plus they evaporate more quickly than mineral oil so economy of scale mineral oil not as expensive as it seems to last longer. We use food grade mineral oil but different than the pymethrin instructions. Try 1 gallon mineral oil to 4 gallons water 8 oz permethrin and 1/4 cup dawn dish soap. Mix well. The dawn will act as an emulsifier and give a better bond to the water and oil making it last longer. In past we tried canola and soybean oil which works too but the cows tended to like the taste and licked themselves too much. We did find that adding 1/2 cup of dawn would stop them licking though but we still decided to switch back to mineral oil. Anyway good luck! Allen
Do you have any issue with the water, oil and soap mixture evaporating? How long till you need to soak the rub again? About to hang mine and do not wanna use any toxic ingredients. Going to use food grade mineral oil. I only have 6 dexters
I think moving and covering the compost pile will be a big help.
Looking forward to see how things work out!
In almost 40 years of dairy cattle farming I, too, tried almost everything. For the most part we tried to keep the premises(free stall barn) as clean as possible and we used a pour on because we were putting the cows through a chute for other reasons; vaccinations, preg checks, health reasons. One of our key areas of concern was keeping the eating areas clean as this was always the highest concentration of insect larvae.
I’m waging a war on flies this year myself. Love the type of content you’ve been putting out lately. Very helpful in our farm being just two hours from you.
Which method(s) are you going for?
A transparent farmer! Pete, you do what you gotta do. In the end, I still believe you are a great animal husband and career. We just have to look at how the raccoon loss in the chicken tractor affected you both to know that you guys live for the farm and the animals.
Ya, that was brutal, 40 in one night.
I have tied strips of cloth about 2-3' long to the back rub. The permethrin wicks down the strips allowing it to get on the cattle's faces and sides. That has worked very well for us.
It is really quite remarkable for you to so openly share your dilemma and your struggle to find a solution. No doubt there will be more options coming along in the future and I hope they do not leave you so torn between the environmental concern, the concern for the welfare of the cattle, and the financial concerns. Pete you have great courage and honesty to share this with us. I hope this works for this year and look forward to seeing the results.
I'm okay with whatever you do. You do what is best for you and your farm.
What you said about attacking the flies with a little harsher hand early on makes sense to me. If you can break their cycle of reproducing somehow it's bound to be a bigger benefit later. Something my grandad had for his cows was a large stiff bristled brush he had mounted in the barn and another in the shady spot out in their pasture. They lasted a long time and all his cattle were crazy for them. They loved rubbing their heads and backs all over them. I think the bristles were even replaceable too.
I have seen some of them on a couple dairy farm youtube channels...you are right, they do really enjoy them.
If this is an option, go to your local DPW or a street sweeping company and get worn out sweeper brooms. They can come in long flat sections and would last forever.
Your comment about the solution being bigger than the problem really uplifted me. I shudder to think of the world we will be left with if we as a society fail to see the wider consequences for our easy solutions. This being said I always fall back on my golden rule: There's always room for improvement. We will never be perfect, but that doesn't mean we can't be better. I'm sure you'd agree seeing the written comments regarding the diesel fuel vs mineral oil. Thanks for being a wise leader for us idealistic farmers!
I agree with your approach. The most important thing you have done is identify your specific fly species. Many "experts" skip this step.
Don't know why anyone would second guess your decisions on this matter. You've weighed the options and come up with the best solutions for your farm. And are darned thoughtful about it. 'Nuff said.
One of your best, most informative vids. You should send the conclusion about compromise to Congress. It would be great to have them realize that no system is perfect...
Pete, we appreciate your care for your family, your animals, and the environment. We're learning so much from you and Hillary.
Hi Pete, ya know when push comes to shove, it's your farm, and you do what YOU think is right for it and your livestock.
I'm not a farmer, so how would it be any of my business to agree or disagree with what you do on your farm?
If anyone does like what you do, THEY do need to watch. It's just that simple.
Whatever you and Hilary do is up to you, I'll continue to watch your videos regardless. 👍
💖Pete, I would never question any decision that you and Hillary make. You both put so much thought into what you are doing. Why should I be the judge of what you are doing? I do not have your experience which appears to be a lifetime of living and being on a farm. I trust that you and Hillary will be satisfied with your decisions and that you will not allow the viewers to instill doubt into your ability to do what is right for you. Looking forward to continuing to follow you Pete and Hillary. Please take care. ❇❇❇
Ahh Pete I see the concern on your face for the cattle. I know you care about them. I hope this works. I wish you and everyone here a great week.
Pete, your conscience is our attraction to your videos. We get it, raising animals on a farm is fraught with difficult decisions. I trust your judgement in this area.
You treat your cows so much better then most. Don't let people criticize you. You and your cows are awesome ! Keep doing your normal.😊
Good morning Pete & Hillary. As always love watching each and every video you put out. Well being a person who has never farmed (small home gardens and a few backyard chickens), I love that you take the time to show and explain the different methods you use on your farm for your animals. Thank you for taking time out of your busy day to share your videos and have a great day.😊
I think you and your wife are amazing people. You always think of the pros and cons. I think you’re doing what’s right for your family and farm.
Pete if you encounter complainers about your fly method send them my way.. You dont need to worry about the complainers.. You are a good person ! I just wish this country had more people like you rather than a bunch of complainers. Wish you the best
It needs to be controlled. You are the best judge of the method. I know you have thought it out for the well being of cattle and the need to reduce the problem. Pete, tough decisions have to be made without sending you to the poor house.😊
Controlling flies is a never ending battle. As you pointed it, you have to tackle it from multiple approaches. You have to use what you can afford and what is expected to work for your livestock. Treating a herd with pinkeye isn't cheap and those flies can be good at spreading it. Thanks for sharing.
11:16 at the Hereford Beef Farm I worked at years ago we used 2 back rubs for fly control. It worked really well, we didn’t have many flies at all. Actually the owner used to have parties at the farm in the barn with the cattle, never had a fly problem.
No natural way to beat flies. You’re doing great and showing care for your beasts.
Silage tarp, Yeah! Your compost can only get better... So appreciate your thoroughness AND your unique way of including and teaching the viewer "here is the hill worth dying on" and why. That has got to resonate loudly with novice homesteaders, Pete! You da man!
Learn more about farming with Pete than any other YT channel. Your analysis is perfect of the realities of pest management. No single solution is 100% effective, thus why it’s called Integrated Pest Management.
I wouldn’t fret about it too much Pete. You & Hilary have thought long & hard about what to do this season 4all the while keeping the cattle health in mind. Those who don’t agree just won’t agree. So be it it’s their choice but when all is said & done, it’s your farm & your cattle. Keep up the great work, effort & content. I sure appreciate it. Happy farming. Cheers from BC
Pete don't worry about what others think. Farming is a tough business to be in. Sometimes you need stronger solutions that may upset other environmentalist. In the end, its not their livelihood that's at stake. I think you do a great job with your farm. Your ancestors would be proud of you. Smile and try not to worry so much. God Bless You.
Caring about doing the right thing for your cattle, your farm, your family, and your customers tells me you are the type of producer I would have no reservations buying from. Thanks for sharing.
Anyone who has watched any of your videos knows you care for your animals and have their best interest in mind when you take care of them. Those that would try and shame you for experimenting or testing different solutions to better your animals lives are ignorant of what it really takes to properly manage a farm/homestead. I really appreciate all your effort and work you put into teaching us through your videos and bringing us along for the ride of your daily life. Thanks for all your hard work! There are Many of us that would give up our daily grind to become the same type of rancher as you are.
You are by far my favorite RUclips farm to watch. You are so relatable and just a joy to hear from. Blessings to your family❤
Pete you are a good steward of the land and your livestock. Your concern shows in all you do.
I truly love watching your channel and the bond and respect you have for each of your live stock that you raise. You're doing your best and the internet is a cruel world. Keep shining positivity and love around your animals. 🩷
I feel very comfortable with your decisions mainly because I know you have good intentions for the future of the world and your livestock as well as the people who purchase your products. Anyone who is now happy with your ideas isn't listening to what you say. Thank you for the time and effort you put into making these decisions. Enjoyed the education about the flies and the solutions to irradiation.
Thanks Pete, there are a few things that I do struggle with raising sheep and cattle. Flies, tick and chiggers control is one of those things. I know that it is an irritant for them. I like your approach to this irritant. Ultimately we all have to make the best decision for our situation.
Just a fyi you can check an area for chiggers by placing small 4 to 6 inch squares of black vinyl tile on the ground and leave them there for about 1 minute and then inspect them to see if you see tiny red dots moving around on them. Chiggers aka Red Bugs are attracted to black pieces of vinyl because they think it is the shadow of an animal passing by and will jump on it so it can burrow into the skin and get a meal which is why you need to check the pieces of tile fairly quickly otherwise they will jump off once they realize there is nothing there to attach themselves to. Additionally wearing light colored boots and pants sprayed with DEET insect spray will help to keep them off you. Additionally Chiggers do not spread themselves out on a piece of ground evenly. The US Military has spent a great deal of money issuing grants for research studies in an attempt to determine why a stretch of beach/ plot of land will be infested with them but 100 yards away will have none or almost none. The first military studies of Chiggers had Privates walk to a spot with their boots bloused and stand there and walk back to the researchers so they could count the number of Chiggers on their boots and later the number “bites” the pPrivate had on his body(that to me is the definition of an absolutely sucky job) And to my knowledge no one has come up with a reason why Chiggers or Ticks concentrate to one area especially if there is no trail or paths for animals and people to walk and or follow.
Fly's Fly's Fly's - an age old problem, with no REAL solution! Pete I think you are truly doing the best you can .
Having a heart for animal husbandry, organic farming, etc...but also being realistic about whatever your situation happens to be is a struggle for so many of us. We do what we do because...well, we do what we do. Thanks for your heart and your honesty Pete.
Pete, this video was great. Very informative, very well thought out, very honest... totally enjoyed it! Thank you!
Hang in there Pete. At least you are doing something. You and Hillary are very caring people. We could do with a lot more like you.👍
I, for one, would never want you or any other farmer I watch on RUclips, to be so worried about my opinions that you would alter your business in any way that does not make sense to you. Most of us know diddly-squat about farming and should not be advising anyone. I might be concerned if I saw your cows covered with flies or being neglected etc. but I would just ask questions about it. If, after hearing more I felt you were just a bad farmer mistreating his animals I would turn you off. I love that you educate us and explain the pros and cons of certain techniques. It educates me more about my food sources. If you have subscribers trying to tell you how to run your business I would hope you could ignore them. They do not have your best interests at heart if they try to tell you what to do. But I also understand the desire to maintain your reputation and subscriber base. But many of us are here just to learn from you and we respect your independence and history of doing the right thing. I do hope you are able to reduce the fly load in a way that makes sense but I see wild animals covered in flies on all the nature shows and no one is rushing to save them from the flies because it’s nature! Keep up the great work!
You’re doing what you think is best and what you think is right. You’re doing this on your farm these are your decisions. Don’t worry about what people in RUclips thing
The time and effort you and your wife put in to researching different methods and solutions to keep the farm running smoothly and the livestock as comfortable as possible is commendable, kudos, y'all are good people!
Here in Switzerland the farmers have a brush like the one they us to do to wash cars. The cows will go to the brush before they go in to the barn
I think the three options you are doing are excellent choices for fly control. Also, you do you Pete. Don't worry about what other people think. If they don't have the million dollar solution , they are more of a problem then they are worth!
I think what you're doing with the manure pile will impact the fly problem the most. Good job as always Pete.
We all know from watching you and Hillary that you both will decide to do what's best for the animals. I respect 🙏 🫡 what you need to do!!
Blessings 🙌 Marion
Pete, I love your channel. Thanks for sharing your thoughts on this. It is a struggle to balance all the factors, and each person's operation will be different.
I look forward to hearing how this works out for your herd.
I like the fact that you use sound management processes to come to conclusions. You have the responsibility for your farm and what you produce to make a living. I am sure not going to judge you after you work so hard to come up with the most practical solutions. Good going.
Pete, I must say I’ve yet to find a person on RUclips more “down home” and genuine than you. Fantastic channel.
I grew up on a 300 acre cattle ranch and flies were always a concern. We did the same as you, with the roller and dust bags. But I heard about a different way to go about it. My grandson is in the scouts and they’re making “bat houses” to put up to keep insects in check.
Just a thought
I like Farmer Tyler Ranch solution is Redmond garlic salt block simple.
Evening Pete. Have been a viewer or your channel for years. I have not posted before; I respect your actions and admire your thought processes in all things you undertake.
In the interest of your cattle herd, I'll comment on your limited confidence in bird houses.
I've had livestock for 9 years. Horses and cattle. Fly control has always been a priority. I can say with complete confidence, that Tree Swallows and to a lesser extent Barn Swallows have been the catalyst to a more fly free herd.
Like you, I live in an area with adequate upland bird habitat. Fencerows, brush, woodlots, etc. I don't know that I ever laid eyes on a Tree Swallow before I put up houses. Now it's a swarm (on 3 different Farms).
I started small with 6 houses scattered across the pasture nearest my house. I now run 40+ houses, adequately spaced, on that same pasture.
200+ houses across all farms.
You can build your own houses for little to no money from scrap/rough cut wood, just follow appropriate dimensions and instructions to mitigate sparrows from overtaking the houses.
Some claim 5,000 flies/day for an adult pair of Tree Swallows. Hard to imagine it's that high, I just know from my situation it has been a great continual success.
Like what the lady said about watching you instead of tv 📺 keep it up buddy 😊 I was on farm most of my younger life
Hi Pete, not sure what will work, but I agree with you, I don’t like using diesel fuel near cows and would try mineral oil. At least it can’t hurt the cows in any way! I watch your great videos in the am and it motivates me for the day! Sorry you lost your flock of chicks the other day.
I am sure this will get buried Pete, but I appreciate the research you put in to such problems. It is clear that you care about your livestock a great deal. Thanks!
Don't let worry you what a bunch of viewers think about your choices. A vasty majorty have never and will not step foot on a farm. Life is about making the best choices after you have given the issue a lot of thought and reseach. Your farm your choice. Thanks for sharing.
Pete, good luck with your "FLY" situation. I would suggest going to Syracuse University and recruit an intern ( no cost to you ) for a study in "Fly Abatement". Hand them a flyswatter and a tally sheet. Everyday they record the numbers and at the end of the "Study", you will have fewer flies, the school will have a valuable data for the scientist and at least one college student will learn a valuable lesson. Good Luck, Mike from Michigan
It's a difficult balancing act between using natural remedies and conventional ones but the health of the cattle has got to come first. Hope things work out. All the best 🇬🇧.
I could watch your videos all day long. It makes me miss growing up on the farm.. makes me feel like I'm right there
Pete, I appreciate your concerns. You're an honest fella trying to make a living.
Enjoyed the breakdown of treatment options and look forward to seeing your results Pete. I think the backdrag will make a great difference. Have a great day Sir!
Good Morning Pete! I always really enjoy watching your new video before I head off to work for the day each morning your post it! :) I also grew up on a small family farm (Beef Cattle - 60-90 Head) and still enjoy working on the farm. My favorite thing to do is hay-making season when I go and mow the hay with a haybine (almost the same as yours) and a raker and 5x6 round baler. Sometimes I use the 5x6 round baler, sometimes i use the 4x4 round baler. Also I have a small square baler that I use to get the best hay for the 2 horses my sister has.
Hope you have a great day! We also have lots of flys on our cattle each year! But we just do nothing...thats the way its been for YEARS and nothing ever hurt anything. One year we tried the ear tags. They worked decently but we only used them for two years and stopped.
Keep up the great content and I will be looking forarwad to watching your next video! Off to work I go! I own my own lawn & landscaping company. I really enjoy it! :)
Your farm, your cows. I will support whichever system you choose. I know nothing about farming but I am always impressed with the care and diligence you show all your animals.
Hi Pete! I really respect your decision making process it's very thoughtful, careful and scientific. Good stuff thank you.
These videos are better than anything you can find on tv.
We have used the parasitic flies for years and believe there is a value there. HOWEVER, we are talking about 5 acres and less of a load then what you may be facing. I appreciate your videos as I believe they are always very well thought out and your presentation is clear and down to earth. I have thought of using the back rubs, but never realized that diesel fuel is the common carrier. Thank you for sharing!
I think you might be on to something with the you were drawing flies to the cattle by what you were doing. I had Japanese beetles on my flowers and I put out several traps and I soon was infested with them. They could smell the bait and started coming to the traps which were near my flowers. I moved them quite away from the flowers and like magic my flowers had 1/10 as many as before. I was drawing them away it seemed. Also I know many loggers who used diesel fuel as a repellent on their skin and they all seemed to live to a ripe old age. They often joked it was shell no 5 a play on channel no5 hahahaha. Love your channel. My wife is from Korea and she learns so much from you and Sow the Land lol. Thanks
So seeing the conviction of your thoughts being explained - no fault in doing what you think is best for your circumstances. I’m a recent subscriber and many have lost their conviction, passion and such in many things these days. Much respect to you and yours for how you wisely worked thru the final decision. If we had more of this in the world - we’d be better off as a whole.
Kudos and May your summer be full of blessings and safety.
You lead yourself around, like most of us do, to do the right thing. Thanks
We had a smallish herd (40-60 head) of dairy cattle. We used a slicker line - an old piece of cable with old cotton batting/twine/burlap/baling wire wrapped around it ~3" thick - but we hung it at something like a 30-45 degree angle to the ground - with an old milk can sat up at the top. From the bottom of the milk can was a rubber hose the ran down in to the middle of the slicker line. All we had to do was put some fly ointment and left over vegetable oil from the kitchen, (I'm sure there was some used fryer oil and bacon grease mixed in.) With the slanted line, the calves/heifers would get used to it early - and rest loved it. We kept 2-3 of them up and filled year-round - just outside of the barn.
Really an excellent video Pete! I’ve been thinking of trying the back rubs too
You are doing the right thing keeping the cattle comfortable is going to be worth it 👍
What’s the old saying, an ounce of prevention is worth a pound of cure? It’s like compounded interest, doesn’t seem like much at first but in time it’s makes a huge difference. In my experience the rubs are the most affordable, cost effective and practical. The amount of diesel fuel used is negligible to the environment and is the most effective for what you are trying to do. There is no perfect solution for fly control but I think you have given it more effort and thought than anyone I’ve seen. Always a pleasure to watch your videos.
Pete, I honestly hope you can signal in on the POSITIVE comments here.............I know "someone" will feel the need to rip on you. But you and Hillary are doing a GREAT JOB with your animals. So I say "just keep doing what you're doing" LOL...........Take Care!!
You're doing the right thing for your herd. The negative impact, while real, is far less than the potential positive
Doing a great job there 👍🙏💕...
I'm in the UK but we lived in Spain for 6 years while there I used to eat a slice of bread with Marmite/Vegimite on it daily & it stopped Mosquitos from biting me - there has to be something similar to help the cattle 🙏 bloody flies are a pain 🙄
This video is just perfect for a non-farmer. I learned a great deal and understand your decision on how you will institute a no-fly zone on your farm. Thank you, and good luck for a fly free summer.
If only more people thought and acted as such. Thanks Pete.
One idea I didn't see on your list was a large bug zapper. Yes, they take power, and must be protected from rain. But my son bought one to deal with insects on his half acre lot in rural PA, and it was incredibly effective in controlling more than flies over a much larger area than that. His neighbors got relief, too. I think he paid $300 for it, but used it for many years, until he moved. An added benefit was that the birds lived feasting on all the zapped bugs.😊
Pete don't worry you and Hillary are the best at what youns do.keep up the good job. God bless.
Pete, you give me more and more confidence in what to try and what the ethics of our homestead is! Thanks for all you and Hillary and your family do!
You got to do what you got to do for your family. I would not worry too much about what your subscribers think. Besides that, it gives them something to talk about.
I applaud your efforts to control those tormenting flys!
I can always tell how interesting something is by how fast time goes by during it, and time flew by during this video and it was over before I knew it. The funny thing is that when it began I thought "Oh no. This is going to be boring.", but it turned out to be one of the most interesting videos you have made, Pete. You have a knack for teaching, Pete. You can take any subject and make it interesting. I just want to thank you for all your hard work in doing these videos and for all the work you do on your farm. Take care and God Bless, Pete!
I’m betting that moving and covering your pile will give you the best results. Good luck Pete can’t wait to see how it goes.
Oh Pete. We could never be mad at you !! I appreciate your compassion every day : ) You are THE best farmer
Well Pete if you see this message at some point, I'm right there with you. We've done so many things to battle Fly's and who knows if we reduced any, they weren't gone! One thing I'd do again and I heard you touch on it is using chickens. We had better luck with that and we used to have a dedicated flock that we ran with cattle. 1 bird/2cattle. We just had an area set up for there roost in each pasture. We didn't feed them until winter and it worked out well. I'd give it a thought and don't worry about that mop grazing and moving fence.
I have a small farm in Ohio and I know what you’re talking about. It’s flies is Annette in a double bowl and a nun you can do just do the best you can that’s all you’re doing. Keep up the good work.
Oh, Pete, I felt your pain at what you feel is your best control of flies. I also saw your addendum where you just couldn't sustain the diesel fuel and elect to use mineral oil regardless of price. The program was an appraisal of methods and I enjoyed your logical endeavor and your eventual decision. Whether farming or life in general, there are compromises. Thank you for including us in your decision making.
I’m a Joel Saltine fan…I had sat in a couple of his seminars…I see how things are more easily said than done thru your explanation of of all the conditions that would have to met to make a fly control method work…I thank you for honesty sharing your thoughts on how to solve your problem with the very defined types of flies and their reproductive cycles …I remember one of your videos…I think from last year….Integrated pest management is the industry standard for food distribution centers…although I’m very opposed to pesticides in general, I think you two made a good decision about how to apply it in the most beneficial and minimal way…something that I will keep in mind when we start farming our 4 acres.
We always use oil rubs to control flies. You have to control them or they can cause a lot of problems with the cattle. I know it is hard but you do the best you can with what you have. You are doing the best you can for the health of your cattle. Keep up the good work!
Don’t worry what other folks say about how you control the flies. Flies are a natural insect that can only be managed not eliminated. Love the videos
Hi Pete. I can understand your reluctance to using diesel on your cattle. Don’t know if it’s available to you but I think a solution would be to use Bio-diesel. It’s basically vegetable oil with the glycerin removed so it’s much less toxic than regular diesel
Eureka!
This might work. But Biodiesel has a pleasant smell that might cause the cattle to lick at it like with cooking oils.
Doing what best to keep cattle and you happy.