Nuisance fly (Stomoxys calcitrans)
Nuisance fly (Stomoxys calcitrans), also known as stable fly, is a very aggressive biting fly that feeds on cattle, pigs and humans. Warmer weather leads to rapid breeding with millions of these flies emerging from the soil, looking for sustenance to carry on their life cycle - warm blood.
Research has shown irritation and reactions to nuisance fly attacks can adversely affect both meat and milk production. More importantly, nuisance flies also have a horribly negative impact on the welfare of your animals; bites are painful, leaving itchy wounds on the cows' skin, especially on their legs and belly. Nuisance flies spread disease and have been shown to carry bacteria responsible for mastitis and pinkeye, as well as the virus that causes Bovine Viral Diarrhoea.
The flies can also disrupt milk production - causing cows to kick off milk cups and milking to take longer. As the cows become more stressed, they excrete more and produce less milk. The biting flies also disrupt grazing behaviour, reducing pasture intake and resulting in reduced milk production during what should be your peak lactation period.
Luckily there is a simple solution! Blaze Pour-on provides all over protection against nuisance fly for humans and animals.
Registered pursuant to the ACVM Act 1997,
No. A8214. Registered trademark. Schering-Plough
Animal Health Limited.
Blaze Pour-on contains 1.5% (15g/L) deltamethrin, a highly active synthetic pyrethroid in an aqueous solution. It contains no solvents, is odour-free and user-friendly. Once applied along the backline it spreads around the body to rapidly cover the entire animal with a 'protective' shield, moving through the secretions on the skin. Because Blaze Pour-on is not absorbed and is also water based, it is gentle on animals and has a nil milk withholding period so there is no negative impact on production.
As humans are also targets for nuisance flies, deterring fly presence by treating cows will reduce irritation and painful bites experienced by the people managing and milking the herd.
Deltamethrin kills flies through its action on the insect's nervous system. It also acts as a deterrent to flies landing on cows so they can't get blood and reproduce. Studies have shown significant reduction of fly landings and cow defensive reactions to flies for four weeks following a single application.
Treatment with Blaze Pour-on should coincide with the appearance of nuisance flies, early in the fly breeding season to reduce the number of attacks on cattle and impact on the numbers of female flies laying eggs, ultimately reducing the nuisance fly population.
Ask for Blaze Pour-on at your local RD1 store.
