remedies for mosquitos and biting flies on dairy goats?

tea tree oil. I have never had any thing bite through tea tree oil. Even when I worked in the Yukon and North West Teritories where the mosquitoes, black flies and sand flees are legend did any thing bite through my tea tree oil. It has been used in Australia for ever. A few drops in a spray bottle whith water , shake and you are good to go. Pine tar works as well to keep bugs out of wounds but it is messy as hell. I carry a bottle of tea tree oil with me all summer and apply as required when ever and on what ever. Here on the farm we have a lot of houses for the birds and we do every thing we can to attract them , the seasonal,migratory and all year round ones it helps keep the bugs down naturally. hang bird houses,,and feeders and create enviroments for them all around the farm. and don't forget the bats.

Here are my notes on flying insect control:

How to make a fly trap
http://www.theprairiehomestead.com/2015/07/homemade-fly-trap.html 
OR http://www.waldeneffect.org/blog/How_to_make_a_fly_trap/

Baits:
House flies like sweet and smelly things; try overripe fruit like bananas and strawberries
Fruit Flies like Apple Cider Vinegar
Hornets like sweets; ex: Sugar water or honey water. Note honey water attracts bees.
Wasp like; meat, meat grease; jams, jellies, and fruits or Root beer, fruit juices, sugar water, and colas
Stinkbugs are attracted to lights (ex: LEDs)

Soap: Add a bit of dish soap to the liquid bait mix, they can’t float on the surface so they sink and drown

I guess some people have great luck with those fly traps, I'm not one of them

Something you may like to investigate is Avon Skin-So-Soft in the original formula. It gets rid of black flies and mosquitoes the minute you put it on. If you have available electricity, there is a device you can hang up at least 15 feet away that will kill the 'biters' for up to an acre depending on the size you purchase. I believe Home Depot carries it.

Hi, I expect that this is kinda a day late or so, but there's always time to get ready for next year.
I was doing a ceremony in a mountain valley west of Salt Lake City a few years ago, and we were having real problems with flies. So I backed out of the circle, looked around a bit and reach over for a plant near me to break off the stem. I just "felt" that this was the one I needed to get the flies to stay out of my face.
Anyhow, when I picked it a wonderfu; aroma spread through the air and every flie in the area VANISHED. Every last one of them, and they stayed gone for at least 2 hours as we finished our ceremony.
The plant was wild licorice. I talked to a friend of mine before we all left the area who has horses and he was very impressed. He was going to start using a tea on his horses and try to grow some around his place as a natural fly repellant.

As for mosquitos, common yarrow has been proven more effective that DEET without the side effects and it looks so beautiful growing in a yard. I have my granddaughter rub some on her as she has inherited a mosquito allergy from my Dad. Both swell up like a balloon where they get bit.
Both of these plants are perennials so add them to your polyculture as friendlies.

I hope this helps
Raine
Itsa Mystic Farm & Sanctuary

Raine,

Thanks, those are both great ideas. Maybe if the goats ATE the yarrow the bugs would find them less interesting. I'll give both a try, and in the mean time try to figure out what plant is "wild licorice". Are you calling the tall one with yellow flowers that grows in the shape of a dill plant with similar shaped flowers wild licorice? I know that one well, having grown up with it, having chewed on it as a child, and having received the adamant teaching from adults how to tell it from the wild/water hemlock that grows in the same conditions. (purple spots on the stem means it's poisonous). As a child I thought the adults were so DUMB! If they could not tell by the smell, or thought I was so dumb that I couldn't tell by the smell. Anyway I lived through it! Don't live in that region anymore, and have not seen it here, but maybe I could get it established on a moist place on my property without too much trouble.