Pest & Fly Control
Part of Animal Health and Veterinary
What Is Pest & Fly Control?
Pest and fly control products and services target flies, rodents, birds, and other pests that affect cattle comfort, health, and farm operations. This includes insecticides, traps, baits, biological controls, and professional pest management services designed for agricultural settings.
Why Pest Control Matters
Flies cause significant stress to dairy cattle, reducing feed intake, disrupting rest, and transmitting diseases. Heavy fly pressure can reduce milk production by 10-20%. Rodents contaminate feed, damage facilities, and carry diseases. Effective pest control improves cow comfort and reduces disease transmission.
Key Benefits
- Improved cow comfort: Less stress and defensive behavior
- Better production: Reduced fly pressure means better intake and milk
- Disease reduction: Flies transmit pinkeye, mastitis pathogens, and other diseases
- Feed protection: Rodent control reduces feed contamination and shrink
- Facility protection: Rodents damage wiring, insulation, and structures
Common Fly Control Methods
Pour-On & Spray Insecticides
Products applied directly to cattle that kill flies on contact or repel them. Some provide residual control lasting days to weeks.
Ear Tags
Insecticide-impregnated tags that provide season-long fly control. Rotate active ingredients to prevent resistance.
Feed-Through Larvicides
Products added to feed that pass through cattle and prevent fly larvae from developing in manure. Effective only when most cattle are treated.
Premise Treatments
Baits, sprays, and traps targeting adult flies in and around buildings. Includes fly parasites—tiny wasps that attack fly pupae.
Sanitation
Removing manure accumulation, managing moisture, and eliminating breeding sites is foundational to fly control.
Rodent Control
- Bait stations: Secured stations with rodenticide placed strategically around facilities
- Traps: Mechanical traps for monitoring and population reduction
- Exclusion: Sealing entry points to buildings
- Professional services: Licensed pest control operators for comprehensive programs
Do You Need Pest Control Programs?
Consider pest control if:
- Fly pressure causes visible cow stress and defensive behavior
- Pinkeye or summer mastitis are recurring problems
- Rodent evidence (droppings, damage) is visible in feed storage or buildings
- Nuisance complaints from neighbors or food safety audits require action
Cost Considerations
Fly tags cost $2-5 per pair, lasting one season. Pour-ons cost $1-3 per treatment. Feed-through products add $0.02-0.05/cow/day. Professional rodent control costs $100-500/month depending on facility size. ROI comes from improved production, reduced disease, and facility protection.