The key to fly control around the feedlot is manure management—without a sound manure management system no fly control program is going to be useful. Only after the fly breeding areas have been reduced as much as possible can other management practices be useful and/or economical in further reducing fly populations.
Steps to Reducing Fly Numbers
1. Keep undisturbed manure as dry as possible. Manure inside pens is constantly being stirred and trampled, so regardless of how wet it is, flies cannot breed there. However, manure that is undisturbed, like along feed bunks, under fences, around waterers, and between pens and alleyways provides ideal fly breeding areas. Keep waterers in good repair to avoid leaks, and grade lots and alleyways to provide good drainage.
2. Scrape empty pens, alleyways, and fencelines to remove as much manure as possible and to improve drainage.
3. Clean up spilled feed, decaying hay and silage.
4. Control weeds to remove fly resting areas.
Source: Gerald L. Greene, Phillip E. Sloderbeck and James R. Nechols