Flies can negatively impact poultry flocks, causing economic loss from increased disease spread, mortality and food safety concerns. While house flies and other non-biting flies do not cause direct injury to birds, they do transfer pathogens and other bacteria onto the legs, wings and other body parts of poultry within a flock. It takes strict management strategies to help with fly control. Producers should follow these techniques, which can be part of a well-planned Integrated Pest Management (IPM) program, to better defend their poultry operations against insect-borne threats.
Inspect the type of flies and their lifecycle
The first step of a successful IPM program is to understand the types of flies that can impact an operation. There are two types of flies that can cause major damage to a poultry flock: the house fly (Musca domestica Linnaeus) and the stable fly (Stomoxys calcitrans Linnaeus). The house fly is found in and around barns and feeds on waste, especially garbage and animal feces. The stable fly often attaches to the birds’ legs and belly in an effort to get a blood meal.