farm help
Feeding for Fly Control By Klaire Howerton
Producers can reduce fly issues through feed management Flies are an almost constant nuisance in the agriculture industry. Horn flies cause an estimated $730 million production loss in cattle annually, facilitate weight loss and can reduce milk production by 4-12 percent. Face flies can contribute to pinkeye and other eye issues, and those are just two species of flies. Wherever a producer falls on the spectrum, a pest control program of some kind is essential and feed through fly control can be an efficient option. Feed through fly control works in one of two ways – either as insect growth regulators (IGR) or as larvicides. “Insect Growth Regulators have a mode of action that essentially breaks the growth cycle of fly larvae, prevent-
FLY CONTROL HORN FLY CYCLE
ing them from growing any more. S-methoprene is the most common chemical agent used as an insect growth regulator,” Andy McCorkill, livestock field specialist with the University of Missouri Extension, explained. “The biggest drawback to IGR is that the chemical action is species specific, meaning that it controls only one species of fly. Smethoprene, for example, is labeled for control of horn flies, yet does nothing to aid in the control of face flies or stable flies. Larvicides act slightly differently; they lead to some sort of structural issue within the fly larvae that leads to premature death, subsequently keeping them from reproducing. Many of the common larvicides are organophosphates, similar
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MEAD FARMS 22
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Ozarks Farm & Neighbor • www.ozarksfn.com
21658 Quarry Lane • Barnett, MO 65011 Office (573) 302-7011 • Fax (573) 348-8325 Email: meadangus@yahoo.com Alan Mead, Owner (573) 216-0210 Jennifer Russell (573) 721-5512
www.meadfarms.com
3/18/20 12:24 PM
APRIL 6, 2020
