Nuisance flies

Of the thousands of species of flies, only a few are common pests in and around the home and animal sheds. Some of the more common nuisance flies are the house fly (Musca domestica), the face fly (Musca autumnalis), the lesser house fly (Fannia canicularis), and several species of garbage fly (especially in the genus Phaenicia). These pests breed in animal wastes and decaying organic material from which they can pick up bacteria and viruses that may cause human diseases. In addition, adult stable flies feed on mammalian blood and can give a painful bite.

Other fly control products

Combating flies in stables and other buildings where animals are kept is of great importance. Flies are just as irritating for cows and other animals as they are for humans and animals and their surroundings constitute a perfect environment for flies to live and breed in.

With flies moving about between different places, they ultimately become a threat to spread infections such as dysentery, tuberculosis, stomach and intestinal inflammation. Breeding animals that are troubled by flies tend to suffer worse growth and a minimized milk production.

All pest control demands good planning and that includes combating flies. Since fly reproduction is very quick, it is very important to implement control measures early, otherwise the situation can become uncontrollable.

Fly control on a farm, smallholding or around your home is essential to minimise the risk of disease and discomfort to your livestock and the production losses this can bring and to reduce the nuisance these insects cause.

Research suggests that milk production in dairy cattle can be improved by over 4% with effective fly control and that failure to control flies can reduce the feed efficiency in calves by almost 13%. The following products are all non-chemical and are compatible with many animal husbandry situations, both organic and traditional.