Fly Control and Cattle Welfare in Summer

Flying insects cause significant welfare harm to cattle during summer through biting, harassment, and disease transmission. Integrated fly management improves summer welfare substantially.

Key Facts

Face flies, stable flies, and horn flies all cause welfare harm to cattle
Fly-related activity including bunching and stampeding increases injury risk
Pour-on insecticides and ear tags provide season-long fly protection when correctly applied
Face flies spread bovine pinkeye, causing painful eye infections reducing welfare further
Manure management reducing fly breeding habitat provides baseline fly pressure reduction

Welfare Considerations

Summer fly control in cattle is an essential welfare management activity. Beyond the direct welfare harm of biting, fly-harassed cattle spend up to half their time on fly avoidance rather than grazing, reducing nutritional intake and production. Bunching behaviour in fly-harassed herds increases heat stress and injury risk. Face fly vectoring of Moraxella bovis causes infectious keratoconjunctivitis, a painful eye condition requiring treatment. Integrated fly management combining manure management, insecticide treatment, and shade provision substantially improves summer welfare.

What You Can Do

Apply appropriate fly control treatments at the start of fly season
Provide shade for cattle in summer to reduce fly-driven heat stress
Manage manure storage to reduce fly breeding opportunities
Treat any cattle showing signs of pinkeye promptly to prevent spread