Managing the fly burden before an outbreak occurs will help you prevent potential production impacts. This will often mean managing the problem before fly numbers increase to a level where they can easily get out of control.
Flies can cause economic losses in both the dairy and beef herd through reduced feed intake, which impacts productivity, as well as transmitting diseases.
Studies in cattle have shown that fly worry can cause growth rate losses of up to 0.3kg a day and 0.5l a day milk loss1.
The two main fly types in cattle that are important to control are:
- Nuisance flies, which can spread diseases such as New Forest eye and summer mastitis
- Biting flies, which will affect productivity by causing irritation and can spread diseases such as the Schmallenberg virus.
Which product should you use?
When selecting a product, it is important to consider the coverage required, whether repeated treatments are feasible, and the cost associated with extra handling. Aspects such as whether it is a pregnant or lactating animal being treated will also come into play.
Using a product that offers season-long control is the only sure way to protect stock during the grazing season through single handling. Currently, the only product that has guaranteed coverage for 5 months with no meat or milk withdrawal period is Flectron® fly tag.
There are many benefits to using a season-long fly control product that include:
- Provides season long control so there is no need to re-treat
- Not having to retreat reduces the cost of extra handling and minimises production losses associated with handling
- Gives peace of mind cattle are protected for the entire season
- No milk or meat withdrawal
- Used in all ages of cattle
- Reduces the chance of the fly population building
- Protects against both nuisance and biting flies.
While there are alternative and cheaper short-term fly control pour-on solutions on the market it is important to understand why they are different to the long-term solution. Their protection can be limited (not always protecting against both biting and nuisance flies for example), the amount needed varies, and meat and milk withdrawal times often apply.
Whilst they can be easier to use, repeated doses are required to maintain protection. In addition, when the dosing is incorrect coverage will not be achieved.
Regardless of product type the most important message is to be on top of the problem before flies become an issue. Once flies start appearing a population explosion will have happened making control a lot harder.
Remember, flies will impact the health and welfare of stock as well as their production, so although fly control is an added cost at the outset, it is something that will go on to have long-term gains.
References
- Jonsson et al (1999). Med. Vet. Entomology 13, p372-376
