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F LY CONTROL
WORKING
TOGETHER
FOR A HEALTHIER FUTURE...
11
LIVESTOCK MATTERS
R
uth Buxton of Bishopton Veterinary Group explains how flies are best
controlled on a farm with a two-pronged approach in which adult flies
are killed and their larvae are prevented from developing into adults.
Veterinary Surgeon
Ruth Buxton
XLVets Practice
Bishopton Veterinary
Group
‘During the warm summer months, the
presence of flies in the parlour can be a real
nuisance for both the cows and the people
milking them,’ says Ruth.
‘Cows, aggravated by flies, are more likely to
kick their units off onto the floor and when they
are re-applied a reverse flow of milk at the teat
end can occur, increasing the risk of mastitis.
‘In short, flies in the parlour create longer
milking times, more muck and more mastitis.’
A two-pronged approach
to fly control
‘Fly control on many farms involves treating
cows with a 'pour on' which kills adult flies.
‘And in the parlour, using an insecticide
fogger or mister to fill the air with a pyrethroid
'knock-down' product to kill any adult
flies present.
‘These products are very useful and necessary
for reducing fly problems in cattle but have
little effect on the development of the fly
population on the farm.
‘In fact, the adult flies which cause all the
problems are actually only 15% of the
population - the remaining 85% are at the
larval stage. After hatching a female fly can
lay eggs as soon as two weeks later. The
result is exponential growth with large numbers
of immature flies developing out of view.
‘Integrated fly control means using a
two-pronged attack on flies; using an
adulticide to kill adult flies, and treating the
environment with a larvicide to prevent fly
larvae developing into adults.’
Taking a strategic approach
to fly control
- by tackling
the source
RUTH BUXTON
During the warm summer months, the presence of flies in the
parlour can be a real nuisance for both the cows and the
people milking them. It's vital to take action early in the breeding
season, to stop the fly population developing in the first place.