It is that time of year when most need to start thinking about horn and stable fly control strategies. There are no magic bullets for controlling either of these flies, but there are strategies that can be used to reduce their impact.

It only takes five stable flies biting on the front legs of a cow to reduce weight gains and milk yields, according to Alec Gerry, a University of California – Davis veterinary entomology specialist.

Nuisance flies are a vector of disease and an irritant to cattle and workers on a dairy operation. Because of the confined nature of a dairy, it is important to use an integrated pest management (IPM) program for effectively controlling fly populations.

External parasites can be costly for cattle producers and getting a handle on problems early can lead to more prosperous and better performing cows.