10/06/2009 09:58AM
The stable fly and house fly are the major insect pests associated with
cattle feedlots. The stable fly irritates cattle by biting and feeding
on blood, causing cattle to gain less weight. The house fly is more of
a nuisance, that causes irritation to people at or near the facility.
10/02/2009 11:29AM
Lice are small, flat-bodied insects with legs modified for grasping
hairs. They cannot survive off of the animal for more than a few days.
Sucking lice, with their narrow, pointed heads, are blood feeders.
Biting lice feed by scraping material from the skin and base of the
hairs.
09/24/2009 02:14PM
Fly problems started early this year for cattle producers and have
continued to be a challenge. Heavy fly infestations can cause stress to
your cattle, leading to poor weight gains and decreased milk
production. Flies can also spread disease-causing pathogens, leading to
pinkeye or mastitis in cattle.
09/24/2009 02:06PM
As the grazing season progresses, fly control will begin. The easiest
answer is to do nothing and hope that horn fly populations remain less
than 100 per side of the animal. Several research studies, including
those conducted in North Dakota, indicate that economic losses in cow
and calf productivity occur when the biting horn fly population is
greater than 200 flies per animal.
07/15/2009 03:32PM
The stable fly or dog fly (Figure 1) is a blood-sucking fly which is of considerable importance to people, pets, livestock, and the tourist industry in Florida. Stable flies primarily attack animals for a blood meal, but in the absence of an animal host will also bite man.
Figure 1. Stable
06/17/2009 01:38PM
Horn flies are bloodsucking insects that can be seen on the backs and sides of beef and dairy cattle during most of the summer. These flies spend virtually all of their time on animals. They use a tubular mouthpart to pierce the skin and get a blood meal. While horn flies take only small quantities at
06/11/2009 10:20AM
LEXINGTON, Ky.--Horn flies are blood feeders that primarily attack pastured cattle. Bulls are more attractive to horn flies than are steers or cows. Individual flies pierce the skin with their short, tube-like mouthparts 20 to 30 times per day to ingest a small amount of blood. Their feeding activity
06/08/2009 10:37AM
Horn fly and face fly are two of the most troublesome insect pests of cattle on pasture, according to Dr. Lee Townsend, University of Kentucky Extension Entomologist. Horn flies can cost up to 20 pounds of weight per calf, over the summer. They can also cause weight loss in the cow as well
06/02/2009 03:55PM
While “time flies when you’re having fun,” everyone knows time is not fun when you’re having flies. Some estimates say flies cost the cattle industry $1.6 billion annually through treatment costs and by transmitting diseases, creating stress in the herd and causing weight and production loss in cattle