5 Tips for Fly Control

Keeping fly pressure down is a big job that can’t be overlooked. Comfortable livestock perform better but in an organic setting sometimes feels like your hands are tied.

Here are some methods we use fight the summer flies.

1. Bedding and Air Movement

Keep any place you bed your livestock as dry as possible. Try to keep a regular clean out schedule to remove manure and wet bedding. This is where the larvae will grow, compounding the issue.:

We keep stir fans running in our shed 24/7 once the weather warms up enough in the overnights. This makes most landing spaces less attractive.

2. Manure Management:

If your livestock are out to pasture consider implementing some sort of rotation to allow fresh manure to dry out.

3. Genetics:

Genetics play a big role in flu management. We’re intentional with our breeding and retaining practices.

4. Chickens:

We keep a heavy concentration of chickens - free to go where they please. They help dry manure by scratching and spreading it while eating larvae and fires.

5. Feed and Topicals:

You will find 2 major fly deterrents in our feed ration: garlic and apple cider vinegar. Aside from the health benefits of these two ingredients they exit through the pores of the animals and are less than desirable for flies. We also use an essential oil based detergent spray when the pressure is intense.

Both of these products are carried in our feed store.

Fly management is possible if you’re actively controlling it.