August 2026 Newsletter

Water Line System Management

             This past month, we hosted Dr. Gabi Doughan, who presented a seminar on Water Line Biology. She spoke on the importance and the effect that water line biology has on water quality, barn management, and animal health. Dr. Gabi Doughan is a Technical Project Specialist with the Swine Medicine Education Center at Iowa State University (SMEC). She earned her DVM in 2021 and both her MS and PhD in 2025, all from Iowa State University. Doughan is nationally recognized as an emerging leader in swine water quality and water line biofilm ecology. Dr. Doughan’s work integrates applied research, education, and industry collaboration to advance biosecurity and water management in production systems.

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 "Water lines are one of the main routes for antimicrobial and vaccine administration," said Doughan. "By improving water quality and water line maintenance, producers can more effectively treat their livestock, resulting in less days off feed and reduced production costs." During Gabi’s talk, she provided on-farm examples of how water line cleaning impacts descaling, flowability, and overall coliform bacteria populations. These factors directly impact producers’ facilities and herd health. A great example from this talk was a picture of the cross-section of a pipe—with the amount of scaling it had, she explained that the decreased water flow prevented the pigs at the end of the water line from having the same access to water as the pigs closer to the water source. Water availability impacts growth and feed consumption. Low flow can result in slower growth in the far end of the barn.

Dr. Doughan's Video Seminar

Iowa State Water Line System Management.pdf

Download PDF • 6.00MB

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             You asked, we answered!

We’ve had a few customers ask for what we’d recommend for perimeter fly control. Listed below are some of the fly control products that Spencer Ag Center carries. Please note, this does not include any pour-on type products for cattle. Talk to your field marketer to discuss what products may be best for your herd!

Product Name	Active           Ingredient(s)	Target Fly Species	Application Method	Duration of       Coverage	Direct Livestock Safe?
Sector (Misting Concentrate)	Permethrin (10.0%) + Piperonyl Butoxide / PBO (10.0%)	House flies, horn flies, stable flies, face flies, mosquitoes, gnats, deer ticks	Automated misting systems, space spray/fogging, direct wipe/spray	Immediate knockdown; 14–28 days residual depending on application site	Yes (Dairy/beef cattle, horses, swine, poultry, dogs)
Durvet Permethrin 10%	Permethrin (10.0%)	Horn flies, face flies, house flies, stable flies, horse flies, deer flies, lice, ticks	Direct spray/wipe, dip, backrubber, premise barn spray	Up to 28 days (4 weeks)	Yes (Dairy/beef cattle, horses, sheep, goats, swine, poultry)
GardStar 40% EC	Permethrin (40.0%)	Horn flies, face flies, stable flies, horse flies, deer flies, house flies, lice, ticks	High/low-pressure direct spray, backrubber (oil mix), premise surface spray	Up to 28 days	Yes (Cattle, sheep, goats, swine, horses, poultry; 0-day milk/meat withdrawal)
Tempo (SC Ultra / 20 WP)	Beta-cyfluthrin (11.8%) or Cyfluthrin	House flies, stable flies, face flies, cluster flies, mosquitoes, gnats, litter beetles	Premise spray only: Spot spray, crack & crevice, perimeter walls/barn surfaces	30 to 90 days residual (reapply at 10+ day intervals)	No (Apply to facility structures only; do NOT apply directly to animals)
Agita 10 WG	Thiamethoxam (10.0%) + (Z)-9-Tricosene fly attractant	House flies (Musca domestica) and litter/darkling beetles	Attract-and-kill bait: Spot-spray or paint-on application on walls, posts, or landing zones	4 to 8 weeks (Average 6 weeks residual)	No (Do NOT apply to livestock or surfaces animals can lick)
Tobex (Multi-MoA)	Lambda-cyhalothrin + Prallethrin + Pyriproxyfen (IGR) + PBO	House flies, filth flies, stable flies, mosquitoes, darkling beetles, fleas, ticks	Premise treatment: Microencapsulated perimeter spray, crack & crevice	60 to 90 days residual	No (Facility/perimeter treatment only; do NOT apply directly on animals)
NyGuard IGR	Pyriproxyfen (10.0%) (Insect Growth Regulator)	House flies, stable flies, face flies, horn flies (targets eggs/larvae; prevents adult emergence)	Facility treatment: Premise spray, fogging/ULV, broadcast in manure/breeding sites	Up to 7 months (210 days) of larval cycle disruption	Facility Only (Safe in housing & over poultry per label, but not a topical animal spray)
Evergreen (Pyrethrum)	Pyrethrins (5.0%) (Natural botanical extract; OMRI Listed options)	Broad spectrum: House flies, horn flies, stable flies, face flies, horse flies, deer flies, gnats	Direct animal spray, wipe-on, automated barn misting, space fogging, dust bags	Knockdown only (Minimal to no residual; breaks down quickly in sunlight)	Yes (Organic-certified option; safe on cattle, horses, swine, poultry with 0-day withdrawal)

Welcome, Kyndal Townsley!

Kyndal Townsley

             We are pleased to introduce you to our newest employee, Kyndal Townsley. Kyndal just started at Spencer Ag Center in July and is currently working at the front

counter, learning the business! Be sure to give her a warm welcome the next time you’re in the store!

             Hailing from South East Iowa in Morning Sun, Iowa, near Iowa City, she grew up on her family’s row crop and Simmental cattle operation. Her upbringing naturally sparked her interest in the field, leading to active involvement in both 4-H and FFA. Over the years, she spent countless hours showing cattle and swine at both the county and state levels. Following high school, she earned her associate's degree at a local community college before transferring to Iowa State University as a junior. She earned her bachelor’s degree in Agricultural Studies, with a focused emphasis in Animal Science, Agricultural Business, and Agricultural Communications. While at Iowa State, she also met her boyfriend, a Spencer native. After graduating, she briefly returned home to work at a local feed store before deciding this past June to make the move across the state to start her next chapter in Spencer.

 “I am excited to work in a positive environment alongside a great team, and I look forward to expanding my knowledge of animal health products and the livestock industry, including the show world. I am also eager to meet new people, build meaningful connections, and continue growing both personally and professionally.”

With Kyndal’s livestock experience and understanding of the show industry, Kyndal will soon start working on the Purple Pursuit show feed side of Spencer Ag Center to help support our team! We are excited to see what the future holds for Kyndal!