THE REPORT- OF THE No. 3« 



PRELIMINARY NOTES ON THE USE OF REPELLENTS FOR HORN 

 FLIES AND STABLE FLIES ON CATTLE. 



A. W. Bakei?, Ontario Agricultueal College, Guelph. 



The following notes are on the Yesiilts of work done during the simnner of 

 1914. The summer of 1915 was so excessively wet that satisfactory spraying ex- 

 periments on <;attle could not be carried on^ and it was found impossible, due to 

 stress of other work, to continue ihese experiments during the summer of 1916. 

 Since the results obtained, however, may be of interest to some, it Avas thought 

 advisable to give these preliminary notes at this time. 



Cattle Used in the Tests. 



The tests of repellents were conducted on part of the beef herd of the^OjUario 

 Agricultural College. Fifteen milch cows and seven yearlings were- used. On 

 certain of these the same repellent was used continuously, and some also were re- 

 tained as checks throughout all the tests. All repellents, however, were given a 

 test on cattle of various types and colors, and cnttle of various, types and colors 

 were also used as checks. It was found that the repellent action of all the sprays 

 was practically lost in a week or ten days, so some cattle were used as checks 

 which were used for spray tests earlier or later in the work. This shifting of 

 sprays and checks made it more possible to get thorough results in all tests. 

 The tests were continued without interruption, save on rainy days, throughoiit 

 the months of July and August. The cattle were sprayed immediately following 

 the morning milking. Notes were made in the pasture in the middle of the after- 

 noon, and in the stable in the morning before spraying. 



The writer was assisted in the work by Messrs. A. R. Burrows and R. S. 

 Hartley, student-assistants in the Department of Entomology of the Ontario 

 Agricultural College. 



Object of the Work. 



This work was undertaken _with a view to securing if possible a fly repellent 

 which could be prepared cheaply by the farmer, which would give repellent action 

 for at least two days if possible, and which at the same time would not taint the 

 milk, blister the animal or make the coat unsightly. 



Repellents Used. 



Four commercial fly repellents were tested and ten home-made repellents. 

 Of the latter, three were repellents which had previously been recommended by 

 various workers, and the remainder were mixtures which were devised by the 

 writer. 



■ The following is a list of the various repellents used, with the formulas for 

 preparation, and a very brief summary of the results secured. 



COMMERCL^T. REPELLENTS. 



The commercial fly repellents used were La Lo, Williams and ^Coopers. All 

 three gave good repellent action, but this was not so long continued in the case 

 of Williams and Coopers as "with La Lo. Where cattle were thoroughly sprayed 

 it was found that the cost of all commercial repellents used was excessive. Some 

 blistering was noted on three animals sprayed with La Lo, and some very slight 

 blistering on one sprayed with Williams. 



