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FliesFlies – nuisance or danger?Flies are a fact of life – It is not desirable to eliminate them as they do have an important role in cleaning up waste but control is advisable in order to minimise the distress they cause our horses and limit their undesirable side effects of disease transmission.Flies come in many groups and the control measures are initially similar. Because some flies need rotting vegetation or manure (e.g. stable flies) and standing water move manure clamps away from stables and tidy up the weeds around buildings. Clear ditches so standing water does not accumulate. Try to keep horses away from cattle as they can have large numbers of flies associated with herds. The horse does however have an excellent fly swatter – The Tail. Single horses cannot be helped by their companions so fly control has to be better. Stable flies/ Face flies – feed on tears and wounds and resemble the common house fly. - May transmit disease. Fly masks or face masks can be very helpful in controlling these flies but do not attach them to synthetic head collars without a safety mechanism e.g. non PVC string tied between the buckle and strap. If the head collar is caught on e.g. a gate then the horse pulls backwards and the synthetic head collars are unlikely to break and may cause serious injury or death! Old fashioned leather ones are safer but some fly fringes do not need a head collar. Control by stable management and use of insecticides/ repellents. Black flies – Life cycle needs moving water and adults fly for a few miles so control is by insecticides/repellants. Females blood feed every 3-5 days inside ears, on heads, chests and bellies causing annoyance and itching. Implicated in the transmission of Aural Plaques a cream fungus like material inside ears caused by a papilloma virus. Rarely of any significance and in itself not requiring treatment. Ear nets can be useful along with body rugs. Horse flies – Life cycle occurs away from the horse so control is by insecticides and stabling as they are more active in the day. The female needs a blood meal to support the egg laying process and this causes the large painful skin swellings. Electrified insect traps are useful in stables. Horse flies act as disease vectors and prefer wooded areas. Control by stabling during the day or use of insecticides/ repellents. Midges – feed mainly at dawn and dusk and the cause of ‘Sweet Itch’ a allergy to the saliva of the midges. Because the condition is an allergy then control is aimed at removing the horse from the midge. Graze between 10am – 4pm and stable with fly screens across the doors/ windows. Some all over body and head rugs are effective in control linked with insecticides/ repellent treatments but must be used BEFORE the horse starts itching or the rug will be shredded! At great cost to the owner. They are potential carriers of disease. Horn flies – complete life cycle occurs on cattle and flies bite horses that are nearby. Control is by minimising cattle contact and use of insecticides/ repellents. Mosquitoes – reduce the areas of stagnant water available for breeding. The worst part of the day is around sunset . Control by use of insecticides / repellents. They are potential carriers of disease e.g ‘West Nile Virus’ However although this disease is present in Europe and some migrating birds have antibodies to the disease there have been no cases in the UK so don’t panic. Ticks – various species present and can carry disease. Attach for a blood meal and then drop off after a few days. Can leave a abscess particularly if pulled or rubbed off. Rotate anticlockwise with a tick remover or dab with insecticide. Larval stages can attack limbs in large numbers causing annoyance and stamping but be difficult to see. Use locally applied insecticide. There are a limited number of insecticides available and licensed for use on horses, the majority of which are the Pyrethoids and Pyrethrins. All have to be re applied frequently as rain rinses them off. Devon has many cattle herds, lots of water and a high rainfall so fly control has to be intensive and continued throughout the season which may start in March and continue to November. |
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| © 2010 North Park Veterinary Group | North Park Veterinary Group 64 Fore St, North Tawton, Devon, EX20 2DT ..Tel: 01837 82327
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