Buffalo Flies

The cattle are extremely restless and irritable at the moment and it is all because of the tiny little buffalo fly.  They have attacked the cattle with a vengeance and they bite, they really REALLY bite and they are not fussy whether it is a beast or human.  Some cattle are more susceptible to buffalo flies than others and we cull them from the herd as soon as possible.  The cattle that are badly affected are left with sores where the cattle bite.
The recent rain has brought the flies out in force.  It is not an unusual situation and in order to keep the flies at bay we tag the cattle with buffalo fly ear tags twice a year.  The tags are only effective for 12 weeks so by tagging twice, the cattle are covered through summer and into autumn.
It doesn't take long to tag the cattle.  I have the easy job of keeping the cattle up to Philip and he has the harder job of head-bailing and tagging.  We have three small mobs of cattle on our little block so we are finished well and truly before lunch.  It is such a rewarding job.  When the cattle come into the yards they are continually tossing their heads and tails to try and chase the buffalo fly off their back and within five minutes of tagging, the flies are all but gone.  It all makes for happier cattle.

The flies are in plague proportions and hover over the cattle waiting to attack.

Can you imagine how the cattle must feel with all these little flies biting them!