Figure 7. The properly-constructed tool can be moved with a four-wheel drive ATV (top) or pickup (bottom), other usual vehicles or a horse.

Figure 8. About 125 head of stressed stocker cattle coveyed tightly together, milling around, rubbing on each other, and tail switching vigorously trying to get relief from the irritation of a heavy fly infestation.

The multipurpose tool must have the following general characteristics to succeed in all the aspects discussed.

• It must be grazier or user friendly. The tool must be easily constructed in a farm and ranch shop or a commercial shop. It must be easily serviced and rarely need repairs.
• The tool must be easily transportable. It is intended to be used in a rotational stocking unit and it will be moved regularly. It may also be used in a stationary location. It must be easily transportable by the grazier with the choice of a four-wheeler ATV (all terrain vehicle), saddle horse, common vehicle or tractor (Figure 7).
• The tool must have an adequate salt-mineral feeder properly positioned to serve the size and number of cattle in the herd. The salt-mineral feeder should be durable and easily filled and maintained. The salt-mineral feeder serves as both nutrition supply and a bait to draw cattle to the cattle rub portion of the tool.
• The tool must provide adequate to superb external parasite control when properly managed.
• It must be properly designed within the various parameters of its intended uses. The proper proportioning of the whole tool and the proper positioning (juxtaposition) of the salt-mineral feeder and cattle rub are essential for best success. Construction parameters are discussed later in the publication.

If flies are a very serious problem, controlling them can add to cattle weight gain. High fly populations on cattle lead to obvious discomfort and stress. One early sign of cattle discomfort in paddocks is coveying to seek relief from fly bites (Figure 8).

Herd coveying often causes spots of forage within a paddock to be completely destroyed, representing an economic lose through that destruction, spot soil erosion, and added maintenance of pasture stands. In the act of seeking comfort from insect infestation, cattle tend to be restless, prone to some contesting and running. This can contribute to fence, water point and other facility damage increasing time and expense of management. When fly infestation is very severe, cattle can inflict self-mutilations and hide loss in efforts to get relief from the discomfort (Gary Woulfe, DVM, personal communication).

Control of flies and ticks helps reduce the incidence of diseases they transmit. These diseases include forms of pinkeye, anaplasmosis, and various tick-borne diseases (Lawrence M. Tague, DVM, personal communication).

Heavy infestations of lice cause itching, discomfort, associated stress, hair loss, and hide damage. The itching from lice and biting by flies apparently encourages cattle to use the cattle rub, making it an effective control tool.