Ready-to-use insecticide-impregnated ear-tags are common delivery forms of antiparasitics for the control of flies, lice and other external parasites of cattle.

Main target parasite of all these ear-tags is the horn fly (Haematobia irritans irritans) in North America and Europe, or its close relative the buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) in Australia.

Some tags provide more or less control of other external parasites of cattle, e.g. other fly species (e.g. face flies, stable flies, houseflies, black flies, horse flies, etc), lice and a few tick species (most ticks that affect cattle are not controlled by ear-tags!), etc. No ear-tag controls cattle mites, fleasmosquitoes or whatever internal parasites of cattle (roundworms, flukes, tapeworms).

For general features, advantages and disadvantages of pour-ons/spray-ons as a delivery form visit the specific article on ear-tags in this site.

This section contains articles on individual commercial brands of insecticide-impregnated ear-tags most common in English-speaking countries (with focus on USA, UK, Ireland, Australia & New Zealand). Country differences may apply: read the product label!

To visit a specific article click the link in the table below, which lists these brands sorted by chemical class and active ingredient, or  in the corresponding menu (alphabetic order, visible only in desktop) or

Selection of most used INSECTICIDE EAR-TAGS for CATTLE
Brand Weight (g) Pests Countries Tags*
With Synthetic Pyrethroids (all isomer mixtures)
Cyfluthrin (%) [+ synergist %]
Cylence Guard (15%) 14,0 Fly, Ti US 1-2
Cylence Ultra (8%) + [20%] 14.17 Fly, Ti US, AU 1-2
Cyhalothrin (%) [+ synergist %]
Saber Extra (10%) + [13%] 9.5 Fly US, AU 2
Cypermethrin (%) [+ synergist %]
Flectron (10%) 11 Fly UK, IR + EU 1-2
Phyton (10%) 9.5 Fly, Li, Ti US, AU, NZ 1-2
Phyton Magnum (10%) + [20%] 14.5 Fly, Li US 1
Phyton Maxima (10%) + [20%] 14.5 Fly, Li AU 1
Permethrin (%) [+ synergist %]
Auriplak (10%) 12 Fly UK + EU 1-2
GardStar Plus (10%) 9.5 Fly, Li, Ti US, CA 1-2
With Organophosphates
Diazinon (%)
Optimizer (20%) 15 Fly, Li, Ti US, AU, CA 2
Patriot (40%) 15 Fly, Li, Ti US, AU 1
Diazinon (%) + coumaphos (%)
Co-Ral (20%) + (20%) n.a. Fly AU 2
Corathon (35%) + (15%) 14 Fly, Li US 1-2
Diazinon (%) + chlorpyrifos (%)
Warrior (20%) + (10%) 15 Fly, Li, Ti US, AU 1-2
Pirimiphos-methyl (%)
Dominator (20%) 9.5 Fly US 2
Tetrachlorvinphos (%)
Rabon (13.7%) 16.5 Fly AU 1-2
With Macrocyclic lactones
Abamectin (%) [+ synergist %]
Agressor (8%) + [18%] 9 Fly AU 2
XP 820 (8%) + [20%] 9 Fly, Ti US 1-2
With other Chemical Classes
Tolfenpyrad (pyrazole derivative)
Tolfenpro (15%) 14 Fly US 2
With Mixtures of Chemical Classes
Cyhalothrin (%) + Pirimiphos-methyl (%)
Double Barrel (6.8%) + (14%) 9.5 Fly US 2
Abamectin (%) + cypermethrin (%) [+ synergist %]
Tri-Zap (8%) + (3.17%) + [20%] 9.0 Fly, Li, Ti US 2

* Recommended number of tags / animal

Country differences may apply: read the product label!