Midwest Ag Fly Services
THE FOLLOWING IS A FAIRLY ACCURATE PORTRAYAL OF HOW A FLY POPULATION EMERGES AT THE BEGINNING OF A NORMAL SEASON:
MAY 1: 200 stable flies (1/2 female) hatch in a calf pen and take their first blood meal on a calf.
MAY 8: 100 female flies lay 3,000 eggs and feed again.
MAY 15: 100 female flies lay 4.000 eggs and feed again.
MAY 22: First batch of eggs pupate into adults (3,000) and feed. 100 original flies lay another 4,000 eggs.
MAY 29: Second batch of eggs pupate into adults (4,000) and feed. 1,600 female flies lay 50,000 eggs and feed.
JUNE 5: Third batch of eggs pupate into adults (4,000) and feed. 3,600 female eggs lay 140,000 eggs and feed.
JUNE 12: Fouth batch of eggs pupate into adults (50,000) and feed. 5,600 female flies lay 230,000 eggs and feed.
JUNE 19: Fifth batch of eggs pupate into adults (140,000) and feed. 30,600 female flies lay 1,200,000 eggs and feed again.
*At this point, most farmers are noticing a considerable number of flies and then begin fogging their barn. Too little, too late!
JUNE26: Sixth batch of eggs pupate into adults (230,000) and feed. 145,600 female flies lay 5,800,000 eggs and feed again.
**This would be a normal situation in a dairy barn by the end of June when our weather pattern normally turns hot and further compounds the fly problem by shortening the life cycle even further. During this time, the house fly population would be undergoing a similar population explosion!
ANIMAL SUFFERING & HUMAN ANNOYANCE: The irritation that flies will cause is highly annoying for both humans and animals. Stable flies will inflict painful bites on both humans and animals. In cattle severely infested with stable flies you can expect a total of 14,400 shaking off movements by the animal in a 12 hour day. Cows under stress from fly biting activity tend to stay huddled together for protection or seek shelter under trees or buildings where they don’t feed efficiently.
DISEASE TRANSMISSION: All species of flies are capable of transmitting viral diseases such as foot-and-mouth disease or trachoma, and bacterial diseases, infections such as pinkeye, anthrax, mastitis, brucellosis, tuberculoisis, and wound infecting pathogens such as streptococci and staphylococci.
MILK CONTAMINATION: Because of the organisms which flies carry on their bodies they represent a constant threat to transfer bacteria to cows teats and milk containers. Flies can also transfer salmonella, gastronintestinal infections of esherichia coli and shigella, omebic cysts, worm eggs, and mites and biting lice. As a Dairy farmer you are under constant scrutiny from local, state and federal health agencies over the purity of your milk.
REDUCED MILK PRODUCTION: There is considerable evidence that severe fly infestations can cause dairy cows to drop in daily milk production at least 9%. In order to maintain the cows normal milk production you may have to increase their food intake which costs more money and reduces the profitability of your business.
RETARDED WEIGHT GAIN: Stable flies have been shown to cause considerable weight gain retardation because the animals are constantly trying to avoid flies and are not eating properly. Less weight means less money when the animal is ready to be sold!
REGULATORY ISSUES: As a Dairy Farmer you are regularly inspected by state and federal regulatory officials who do not want to see an over abundance of flies in your dairy. Pest problems can run the risk of losing your Grade A permit and paying fines.
