Podcast Summary
Fly control in livestock operations: Effective fly control reduces stress, disease transmission, and improves productivity and profitability in livestock operations through integrated methods including manure removal, insecticides, and parasitic wasp releases.
Effective fly control is essential for livestock operations as flies can cause stress, increase disease transmission, and lower productivity and profitability. The goal is to reduce fly populations below the economic threshold through an integrated pest management approach, including timely manure removal, use of insecticides, and parasitic wasp releases. While eradication is impossible, these methods can significantly improve animal performance, worker engagement, and overall operation success. Remember, a fly-free environment is not the goal, but rather a manageable fly population.
Fly control strategies in livestock: Managing flies in livestock requires varying tactics depending on housing type, essentials include minimizing wasted feed, managing manure buildup, preventing vegetation growth, and using insect growth regulators like s-methoprene and diflubenzeron.
While the strategies for fly control in livestock may remain the same, the tactics used can vary greatly depending on the type of animal housing. For instance, managing flies in an outdoor, open lot dairy facility can be more challenging than in an indoor freestyle barn with automatic flushing systems. Regardless, minimizing the presence of wasted feed, managing manure buildup, and preventing vegetation growth around barns are essential. Common insect growth regulators like s-methoprene and diflubenzeron can help control various types of flies, with s-methoprene being particularly effective against horn flies in grazing situations, and diflubenzeron being useful for controlling horn flies, face flies, stable flies, and house flies in confined feeding operations. Producers seeking more help on effective fly control strategies can turn to their local extension educators, state universities, or payback nutrition dealers.