Integrated Approach Recommended for Minimizing Problems Posed by Mosquitos

A veterinarian with Pipestone Veterinary Services recommends an integrated approach to minimizing the problems posed by mosquitos.Unusual rainfall during the spring and summer provided ideal conditions for explosive growth of mosquito populations.

A Swine Health Information Center American Association of Swine Veterinarians webinar looked at Mitigation Strategies for Mosquitos and best control practices.Dr. Natalee Judson, a veterinarian with Pipestone Veterinary Services, says due to the influx of mosquitos it was critical for pork producers to reduce populations and their impact on swine.

Quote-Dr. Natalee Judson-Pipestone Veterinary Services:

Mosquito control strategies involved incorporating multiple approaches targeting all life cycles of the mosquito.Life stages that we targeted included the eggs, the larvae and the adult.These lifecycles were targeted using two different management strategies, environmental and chemical.

Environmental strategies we used to reduce mosquito loads included ensuring proper drainage, reducing standing water sources, including tipping over any buckets, draining feeders, removing any old equipment that would serve as a source of retaining water and maintaining that mosquito population as well as keeping a well kept premise, including mowing and keeping our weeds down to reduce the environment for adult mosquitos to harbour.

And we ensured effluent was flowing freely to prevent any kind of stagnant water accumulation and simple things in the barn that we could do to reduce mosquitos was turning off outdoor lights at night to reduce attraction and then increasing the amount of air we were moving in the barn.Then chemical management that we used to reduce mosquito populations were done through targeted use of insecticides as well as larvicides and insect growth regulators.

Dr. Judson encourages pork producers to consult with their veterinarians before initiating any treatment protocols.The SHIC AASV webinar can be accessed through the Swine Health Information Center web site at swinehealth.org. For more visit Farmscape.Ca.