We can help reduce fly numbers and the irritation they cause

Published on: June 3rd, 2024

Flies will never be eliminated, however, there are many proven things that we can do to reduce their numbers and the irritation they cause our animals. The production impact of fly bother through disruption to animals’ normal behaviour and the diseases they spread are significant. It is estimated flies can reduce milk production by as much as 5%. Summer mastitis and new forest eye are just 2 examples of diseases that flies spread that are painful, costly, and inconvenient for you.

• Fly parasites (pictured) are tiny insects from the wasp family that live only to search out, eat and lay their eggs within fly pupae. This prevents the adult flies from hatching. We recommend introducing fly parasites in the spring or early summer. Applications are recommended fortnightly or monthly, they are sprinkled around yards and dung heaps where flies lay their eggs killing pupae for approx. 2 weeks. One fly parasite kills roughly 100 fly pupae during its lifetime

• Fly Boards are made in house, they are large fly attracting blue boards that use bait to attract flies to them. These are not waterproof, so best placed in sheds and or high up in parlours.
• Fly buckets are good for high traffic areas. They are waterproof and protected from the weather. They should be positioned near entrances/exits of buildings where the sunshine can warm them. The buckets are filled with a liquid to entice the flies through funnels, which once entered, they cannot leave. Refills are available.
• Bio Mites can be used to control a fly breakdown. When numbers seem extremely high and unmanageable fortnightly treatment of mites is suggested. The mites control fly numbers by consuming fly eggs. Each pack treats 250 cubic metres, an average calf shed, half an average collecting yard or a reasonable area of cubicle or straw housing (amounts needed will be determined by Vet Tech assessment).
• Spot on treatments (Spotinor) are stocked in our dispensary at competitive prices, less than 4p per cow per treatment. We advise starting treatment before flies are excessive, stopping flies landing on cows to begin with and travelling to farmyard areas where they can breed. This results in treatments working more effectively and it being more likely to last 6 weeks.

Starting late in the season when flies are at their peak, will mean treatments will be much less affective requiring more frequent usage. However, starting early and utilising several of these measures targeting different stages of the lifecycle, will lower numbers of flies around your animals.

All products above can be supplied to your farm at regular intervals throughout the summer by our Vet Tech team at Shepton, give us a call if you have any questions or would like prices. For clients needing a vet any time of day or night, call: Farm 01749 341 761 365 days a year, 24/7 emergency service provided by our own team of vets.