By now, you may have seen him. That first fly of the season. He might look a little groggy, but he and his gang of friends will soon be in action, biting your cows and pestering you, too. To effectively control flies, David Wolfgang, VMD, DABVP-Dairy, with Penn State University's Department of Veterinary Science explains common types of flies, the impact they can have on cattle well-being and pest management strategies.
"We tend to think about them as they are bothering us and bothering the animals, but they are actually costing the producer money," Wolfgang says. Cows that are stressed from constantly swatting flies spend less time resting and eating, therefore dry matter intake decreases.
