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Nebraska Ag News Headlines |
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Stable Flies on Pastured Cattle
Nebraska Ag Connection - 06/02/2023
Stable flies aren’t just an annoyance. They cause reduced average daily gain, and it may take as few as four flies per leg to cause economic injury. Animals bunching to fight stable flies damage forage, and on fragile soils, may create blow outs.
How do you know when you’re dealing with stable flies?
Animals fighting stable flies may display a variety of behaviors, including
Tail flicking
Skin twitching
Leg stamping
Lying with their legs tucked underneath
Standing in water
Bunching in corners of pastures
Controlling Stable Flies
Animal sprays are the most common option for controlling stable flies on range cattle. Control products include
Coumaphos (Co-Ral)
Permethrin (many brand names)
Natural pyrethrins (many brand names)
Phosmet (Prolate).
These products can be applied using a low-pressure sprayer or mist blower sprayer. Weekly applications are required to reduce fly numbers.
Another option is to target stable fly resting sites. On warm days, especially in the afternoon, these resting sites could be sprayed with a low-pressure or mist blower sprayer targeting the foliage, using permethrin or natural pyrethrins. Avoid spraying water tanks and water sources, and follow label recommendations.
Another option is to reduce stable fly larval development by cleaning up spillage and waste around hay rings. If sanitation is not possible, a larvicide, such as Neporex®, could be applied to the larval development site.
The last few years we have been evaluating stable fly traps. A promising trap, the Knight Stick® Trap (Figure 3) has shown positive results. Additional studies are being developed to determine the number of traps required, pasture location, and the use of chemical attractants for improving trap effectiveness. The Knight Stick® Trap is commercially available at bugjammer.com.
Stable Fly Studies
Stable flies impact weight gain on both pastured and confined cattle. Research conducted at the University of Nebraska, West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center saw a reduced average daily gain of 0.44 lb. in three, 84-day trials with cattle not receiving an insecticide treatment compared with cattle that did. An economic injury level (EIL) of five flies per leg has been suggested and is often exceeded in normal pasture conditions. The EIL may be less based on the results from the above study, where stable fly numbers averaged 3.6 flies per leg.
Stable Fly Anatomy and Behavior
Both sexes of stable flies require a blood meal, usually twice a day, depending upon the weather. They prefer to feed on all four legs and the belly area of pastured animals. After feeding, the stable fly will seek a shaded resting site to digest the bloodmeal. In pastures, this could be windbreaks (coniferous or deciduous), walls of structures, windmill towers, and water tanks (Fig 1).
Stable flies aren’t just an annoyance. They cause reduced average daily gain, and it may take as few as four flies per leg to cause economic injury. Animals bunching to fight stable flies damage forage, and on fragile soils, may create blow outs.
How do you know when you’re dealing with stable flies?
Animals fighting stable flies may display a variety of behaviors, including
Tail flicking
Skin twitching
Leg stamping
Lying with their legs tucked underneath
Standing in water
Bunching in corners of pastures
Controlling Stable Flies
Animal sprays are the most common option for controlling stable flies on range cattle. Control products include
Coumaphos (Co-Ral)
Permethrin (many brand names)
Natural pyrethrins (many brand names)
Phosmet (Prolate).
These products can be applied using a low-pressure sprayer or mist blower sprayer. Weekly applications are required to reduce fly numbers.
Another option is to target stable fly resting sites. On warm days, especially in the afternoon, these resting sites could be sprayed with a low-pressure or mist blower sprayer targeting the foliage, using permethrin or natural pyrethrins. Avoid spraying water tanks and water sources, and follow label recommendations.
Another option is to reduce stable fly larval development by cleaning up spillage and waste around hay rings. If sanitation is not possible, a larvicide, such as Neporex®, could be applied to the larval development site.
The last few years we have been evaluating stable fly traps. A promising trap, the Knight Stick® Trap (Figure 3) has shown positive results. Additional studies are being developed to determine the number of traps required, pasture location, and the use of chemical attractants for improving trap effectiveness. The Knight Stick® Trap is commercially available at
bugjammer.com.
Stable Fly Studies
Stable flies impact weight gain on both pastured and confined cattle. Research conducted at the University of Nebraska, West Central Research, Extension, and Education Center saw a reduced average daily gain of 0.44 lb. in three, 84-day trials with cattle not receiving an insecticide treatment compared with cattle that did. An economic injury level (EIL) of five flies per leg has been suggested and is often exceeded in normal pasture conditions. The EIL may be less based on the results from the above study, where stable fly numbers averaged 3.6 flies per leg.
Stable Fly Anatomy and Behavior
Both sexes of stable flies require a blood meal, usually twice a day, depending upon the weather. They prefer to feed on all four legs and the belly area of pastured animals. After feeding, the stable fly will seek a shaded resting site to digest the bloodmeal. In pastures, this could be windbreaks (coniferous or deciduous), walls of structures, windmill towers, and water tanks (Fig 1).
Source: unl.edu
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