Seasonal evaluation of stable fly populations on Central and West Texas dairies

Stable flies are one of the most important pests to the livestock industry.  Controlling stable flies is extremely difficult to do and needs to be further invested in the United States. Stable fly adults are blood feeders that consume a single blood meal per day and rest of the host animal.  The adults only come in contact with cattle when they need a blood meal, therefore making control opportunities very difficult and futile.  Increased stable fly numbers can lead to weight loss, milk production loss and eventually economic loss. The chemical products on the market do not provide adequate control. Producers must look for alternative control options but are coming up short handed.   

The products currently found on the market saying they are for stable fly control do not adequately provide any relief to the animal nor deter the biting or development of adult stable flies.  The only assure way to adequately control for stable flies is proper sanitation with the assistance of biting fly traps.  The goal of this project was to evaluate the seasonality of stable fly on central and west Texas dairies in order to provide more accurate control solutions for dairymen.