The War On Pests - Make Your Pasture A NO-FLY Zone

Dr. Justin Talley,
Oklahoma State University Entomologist

At the recent Beef Stocker Field Day hosted by Kansas State University, Oklahoma State University Entomologist Dr. Justin Talley, briefed attending producers on the impact external pests, such as flies, can have on cattle herds. Farm Director Ron Hays spoke with Dr. Talley about the information he passed on to producers during the field day.

“Our biggest impact are Horn flies, when you look at them because their season, and then there is the small flies on the backs of the animal,” Talley said. “They can reach up to 1,000 per animal if they go untreated.”

Dr. Tally says an individual fly will pierce the skin of an animal up to 24 different times per day. The cumulative effect of this builds stress in the animal, little by little. He strongly recommends treating your animals, but in a way that manages the build-up of resistance in the flies.

“You have got to rotate the chemical classes,” Talley said, “because we have high levels of resistance in Horn fly populations.”

This can rapidly become a problem, especially in high summer temperatures when generation rates can skyrocket, according to Dr. Talley. He says this can cause resistance to build at an even faster rate.