Do Your Best by Spraying for Pests the Right Way
By Caitlin Richards
As a rancher, you want to do the best you can — the best for your cattle as herdsmen and the best for your operation as a businessperson. Figuring out best practices alone can be tricky, and then executing them can be another challenge. This can especially be true when it comes to spraying as a means of pest control.
Products with a spraying application are useful for treating pests on-animal and around your premises. There are a variety of options available for ranchers. However, there is usually only one right way to apply these products.
The right way to spray a product starts with reading the label on the product, says Jim Sears, DVM, a senior technical services veterinarian with Bayer Animal Health. The product’s label gives producers the information they need to use the product correctly and most effectively. With application and dosage instructions, the label is the best place for producers to learn how to spray the product the right way.
When producers read the label, they will learn what type of sprayer is needed to apply that product to either their cattle, if it is an on-animal spray, or their operation’s premises, if it is a premises spray. Sears says that the type of sprayers needed varies from a high-volume, high-pressure sprayer, to a hand-pump sprayer or even an ultra-low-volume sprayer.
“Almost any of your farm supply stores and outfits have these sprayers available for purchase,” Sears says. “You can also get them online. Producers should find a sprayer that fits the product’s application instructions and the size of their operation and facility.”
Determining the correct type of sprayer can often be the toughest part of the equation. A good resource for producers to find assistance in this area would be their local county Agricultural Extension agents or the staff at a local farm supply store. And with Bayer products, a producer’s field sales rep will be able to assist them in purchasing the correct type of sprayer for the product, as well.
In most cases, county Agricultural Extension agents know where to purchase the equipment in their area. Additionally, wherever a rancher is purchasing the spray product, such as their local farm supply store, the staff should be able to provide some assistance. The best-case scenario would be if they would also have the correct sprayers available for purchase.
Right coverage with the right sprayer and right technique
Using the correct type of sprayer is crucial in getting the right coverage of a product. Sears explains that administering the product with the correct type of sprayer, according to the label, allows producers to get the most economic value out of the product as well.
“The reason to be as correct as possible is so you can get the best effect you are looking for,” Sears said. “If you are going to go through the time and expense of applying something, and if you don’t get enough or have the right thing to achieve what you need, then you still haven’t helped your economics or your cattle.”
When spraying cattle with an on-animal product, Sears says that in most cases it is best to semi-confine the cattle to get the best coverage. Creating a degree of confinement allows producers to achieve the correct run-off effect needed to reach optimal coverage.
“Putting them in a small pen, where you can hold them until they get sprayed adequately, works well,” Sears says. “You basically want to wet the animals down with the product until they are soaked to the point of run-off. They should be wet on both sides and the top line.”
Similarly, when using premises sprays it is important to follow the label instructions to achieve the best coverage of the areas being treated. Sears mentions that with some premises sprays, it is sometimes necessary to pay attention to which direction the wind is blowing to get the best coverage of an area. Be aware of the unique guidelines and suggestions for each product.
Safety precautions — gloves and goggles when needed
Another important step to take in spraying the correct way is taking the necessary safety precautions. The product label will note the safety precautions, as well as personal protection equipment (PPE) needed to apply that product.
“The robustness of how much you will need is going to depend quite a bit on the product that you are using,” Sears says. “Again, you are going back to the dry, old standby — read the label. I think this is something people often overlook.”
Sears explains that the chemical make-up of some premises sprays can be irritating to mucous membranes. Neglecting to wear gloves or not washing your hands after use, and then inadvertently rubbing your eye, can result in irritation. Of course, none of this is severely damaging or threatening, but it is still an important step to take.
“I encourage people to wear gloves and goggles,” Sears says. “And certainly, if they are asthmatic or have respiratory challenges they wouldn’t want to breathe that stuff in either. So wearing a simple mask would be a good idea too. These are prudent things to do to avoid any annoying discomfort that could potentially happen.”
From an economic standpoint, controlling pests on your operation is a priority for every producer.
Without control, aside from being a nuisance to cattle, they can also be economically damaging. Sears explains that the cattle put their energy into fighting the pests instead of into their normal production mode.
“Unfortunately, there isn’t anything we can do to eliminate these pests altogether,” Sears says. “They are always seeking ways to come back and bother our animals. It’s important to have a systematic plan to control them.”
Use the appropriate product for the pest you’re trying to control and use the right sprayer for that product. You’ll get better results and will have used that product efficiently.
Do Your Best by Spraying for Pests the Right Way is excerpted from the June 2018 issue of The Cattleman magazine.