Natural Fly Repellent for Livestock

Recipient Organization
STRATACOR, INC.
1315 SOUTH 46TH ST., BLDG. 154
RICHMOND,CA 94804

Performing Department
(N/A)

Non Technical Summary
Livestock is the leading cash crop of all farm production in the U.S., with an annual income of $37.9 billion (1994). Current methods of protecting this income from insect damage are ineffective and damaging to the environment. Insects, ticks and mites cost U.S. livestock producers in excess of $3 billion annually, according to a 1994 workshop and survey. Current methods of fly control for livestock depend primarily on the use of pesticides. For decades, permethrin and related compounds have been applied to the skin of livestock for fly control. However, permethrin-like compounds have only weak repellent activity, permitting the annoyance of landing insects, and the toxic effect of these compounds to flies has diminished due to tolerance. DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), the leading commercial repellent for human use, has limited effectiveness against stable flies and causes toxicity to cattle and horses at the high doses necessary for protection. Stratacor has developed a novel, low cost, naturally occurring composition that has high repellency against house and stable flies, which are major livestock pests. However, commercial success is dependent on the development of safe and effective formulations of the actives. Our repellent will curb insect-related losses in the poultry, dairy cattle, range cattle, confined beef cattle, and swine industries and will improve animal care for horses and other companion animals.

Animal Health Component

100%

Research Effort Categories

Basic

(N/A)

Applied

100%

Developmental

(N/A)

Classification

Knowledge Area (KA)	Subject of Investigation (SOI)	Field of Science (FOS)	Percent
312	3910	1160	30%
312	3910	2000	70%

Knowledge Area
312 - External Parasites and Pests of Animals;

Subject Of Investigation
3910 - Cross-commodity research--multiple animal species;

Field Of Science
1160 - Pathology; 2000 - Chemistry;

Goals / Objectives
We propose to develop formulations of our novel, low cost, naturally occurring composition, that has high repellency against house and stable flies, that will minimize skin absorption, and control evaporation rates and loses due to abrasion and water wash-off.

Project Methods
We will determine formulation stability, and conduct laboratory efficacy tests in Phase I. Promising formulations will be evaluated in field tests with cattle and horses in Phase II against a number of arthropods.

Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/04

Outputs
At the present time, pyrethroids and organophosphates are relied upon for fly control, but these compounds have only weak repellent activity, permitting the annoyance of landing insects, and the toxic effect of these compounds to flies has diminished due to tolerance. The non-target effects of these agents are also coming under increasing scrutiny. DEET (N,N-diethyl-m-toluamide), the leading commercial repellent for human use, has limited effectiveness against stable flies and causes toxicity to cattle and horses at the high doses necessary for protection. We have developed a low cost, naturally occurring composition that has high repellency against stable flies, a major livestock pest. During Phase I, a liquid spray formulation of this composition had 50-hour stable fly repellency in the laboratory (maximum length of the test) and 24-hour repellency on the horse (longer times not tested). This formulation was superior to our previous standard formulation that had effectiveness comparable to Ectiban. A dust formulation had horn fly repellency in the laboratory with some activity at least 8 days post-treatment. Dust-bag trials with cattle under actual use conditions in south Texas showed a progressive increase in horn fly repellency that plateaued at a level equal to Rabon and Co-ral treatments. Optimized versions of the two formulations will be registered and commercialized.

Impacts
Insects, ticks and mites cost U.S. livestock producers in excess of $3 billion annually, according to a recent workshop. Pyrethroids and organophosphates have been the primary agents used for insect/arthropod control on livestock. However, the efficacy of these chemicals has diminished with the development of insect resistance. Furthermore, the non-target effects of these chemicals have come under increased scrutiny. We have developed a novel, environmentally benign, low cost, naturally occurring composition that has high repellency against stable flies, a major livestock pest. Since the number of registered agents for livestock fly control is declining, this new strategy will be very much needed.

Publications

Reifenrath, W.G. 2004. Natural Fly Repellent for Livestock. Phase I Final Report. CSREES Award No. 2003-33610-13044. Stratacor, Inc. Richmond, CA.