WEBVTT 00:00:11.720 --> 00:00:15.060 Breaking free from the chains of the past Where 00:00:15.060 --> 00:00:18.820 truth moves faster than a Holstein calf No law 00:00:18.820 --> 00:00:21.660 waiting on some printed page We're charting new 00:00:21.660 --> 00:00:25.300 ground in the digital age From genomic codes 00:00:25.300 --> 00:00:29.120 to robot facts We cut through the noise, no hold 00:00:29.280 --> 00:00:32.460 them back not your daddy's dairy news tonight 00:00:32.460 --> 00:01:01.700 we're sparking Welcome to the Bullvine Podcast, 00:01:02.140 --> 00:01:04.420 where we dig deep into the hidden profit killers 00:01:04.420 --> 00:01:07.959 lurking in your dairy operation. Today, we're 00:01:07.959 --> 00:01:11.379 exposing the $2 .2 billion secret draining your 00:01:11.379 --> 00:01:14.120 herd's potential, one winged thief at a time. 00:01:14.760 --> 00:01:17.659 Sunshine and green pastures might look idyllic, 00:01:17.659 --> 00:01:20.719 but they're hiding a war zone. We're talking 00:01:20.719 --> 00:01:23.519 about horn flies siphoning 10 to 20 pounds from 00:01:23.519 --> 00:01:27.280 weaning weights. Stable flies stealing 306 milk 00:01:27.280 --> 00:01:30.079 pounds per cow annually and face flies spreading 00:01:30.079 --> 00:01:33.200 pink eye like wildfire. In this no -nonsense 00:01:33.200 --> 00:01:35.939 episode, we'll arm you with battle -tested strategies 00:01:35.939 --> 00:01:38.480 from Kansas State University's latest research, 00:01:38.579 --> 00:01:41.599 including the sanitation protocol cutting stable 00:01:41.599 --> 00:01:45.079 flies by 80%, the insecticide rotation schedule 00:01:45.079 --> 00:01:49.659 slashing resistance risk 65%, the economic threshold 00:01:49.659 --> 00:01:52.799 numbers you can't afford to ignore, Dr. Roger 00:01:52.799 --> 00:01:54.799 Moon from the University of Minnesota puts it 00:01:54.799 --> 00:01:57.560 bluntly. You can't manage what you don't measure. 00:01:57.859 --> 00:02:00.700 Fly counts are non -negotiable. We'll show you 00:02:00.700 --> 00:02:02.760 exactly how to implement his monitoring system 00:02:02.760 --> 00:02:06.159 and protect up to $300 per cow in lost productivity. 00:02:06.760 --> 00:02:09.800 This isn't just pest control. It's profit protection. 00:02:10.120 --> 00:02:13.680 Let's dive in. Welcome to the deep dive, folks, 00:02:13.800 --> 00:02:15.800 where we pull back the curtain on the stuff that 00:02:15.800 --> 00:02:19.240 really hits your farm's bottom line. And today... 00:02:19.580 --> 00:02:22.659 We're not chasing yields or scrutinizing feed 00:02:22.659 --> 00:02:25.560 rations. We're talking about something that buzzes, 00:02:25.560 --> 00:02:28.219 bites, and generally makes life miserable for 00:02:28.219 --> 00:02:30.719 your herd. And probably you too, let's be honest. 00:02:31.520 --> 00:02:34.419 Definitely. We're diving deep into the financial 00:02:34.419 --> 00:02:37.620 black hole that is fly infestations. Ever really 00:02:37.620 --> 00:02:39.680 tallied up what those tiny terrors are actually 00:02:39.680 --> 00:02:42.199 costing you? It's a figure that would likely 00:02:42.199 --> 00:02:44.560 surprise, well, probably even the most seasoned 00:02:44.560 --> 00:02:47.080 dairy producers out there. We're looking at a 00:02:47.080 --> 00:02:52.120 staggering, get this, $2 .2 billion drain. Billion 00:02:52.120 --> 00:02:54.520 with a B. Wow. On the U .S. cattle industry every 00:02:54.520 --> 00:02:57.379 single year, all thanks to these winged nuisances. 00:02:57.719 --> 00:02:59.879 So the real question for you listening today 00:02:59.879 --> 00:03:02.819 is... Are flies silently picking your pocket, 00:03:02.919 --> 00:03:05.479 cow by cow? Exactly. Forget the fly swatter for 00:03:05.479 --> 00:03:07.219 a minute. This isn't just about the annoyance 00:03:07.219 --> 00:03:09.479 factor, though that's bad enough. This is about 00:03:09.479 --> 00:03:11.860 cold, hard economics. We're going to dissect 00:03:11.860 --> 00:03:14.520 the real impact of these infestations on your 00:03:14.520 --> 00:03:16.659 dairy and hopefully arm you with some actionable 00:03:16.659 --> 00:03:19.599 intel to fight back. We're tackling the big offenders. 00:03:20.099 --> 00:03:23.360 Horn flies. Those bloodthirsty stable flies. 00:03:23.740 --> 00:03:27.219 Those eyeball -loving face flies. And even the, 00:03:27.219 --> 00:03:29.979 you know, the seemingly harmless but surprisingly 00:03:29.979 --> 00:03:32.599 problematic house flies. And for our listeners, 00:03:32.759 --> 00:03:34.840 I mean, you're already juggling market prices, 00:03:34.979 --> 00:03:36.800 milk components, a million other things, right? 00:03:36.900 --> 00:03:39.219 Always. So our goal here is really to cut through 00:03:39.219 --> 00:03:42.060 the clutter, focus on the critical data and strategies 00:03:42.060 --> 00:03:45.240 that directly impact your profitability, and 00:03:45.240 --> 00:03:48.360 just as importantly, the well -being of your 00:03:48.360 --> 00:03:50.080 animals. Yeah, maybe give you one of those aha 00:03:50.080 --> 00:03:53.560 moments. Connect what might seem like just... 00:03:53.789 --> 00:03:56.689 a minor summer annoyance to some pretty significant 00:03:56.689 --> 00:03:59.250 financial realities precisely okay 2 .2 billion 00:03:59.250 --> 00:04:01.490 dollars it's just it's an astronomical number 00:04:01.490 --> 00:04:03.490 let's try to bring that down to earth a bit maybe 00:04:03.490 --> 00:04:05.789 to the level of an individual cow how does that 00:04:05.789 --> 00:04:09.250 huge industry loss translate to what's happening 00:04:09.250 --> 00:04:12.949 in say your barn or pasture okay good question 00:04:12.949 --> 00:04:15.789 let's take the horn fly A real perennial pest. 00:04:15.969 --> 00:04:19.730 The estimated cost per horn fly per cow per year 00:04:19.730 --> 00:04:23.449 is around $1 .40. Now that sounds small. $1 .40 00:04:23.449 --> 00:04:25.829 per fly, okay. The picture you heard on a warm 00:04:25.829 --> 00:04:28.629 summer day, it's not unusual, unfortunately, 00:04:28.629 --> 00:04:31.329 to see upwards of 200 horn flies on a single 00:04:31.329 --> 00:04:35.490 animal. Easily, sometimes more. Exactly. So suddenly, 00:04:35.689 --> 00:04:39.230 that seemingly insignificant $1 .40 per fly, 00:04:39.410 --> 00:04:42.250 well, it multiplies out to nearly $300 in lost 00:04:42.250 --> 00:04:46.889 production per cow. annually. 300 bucks a cow 00:04:46.889 --> 00:04:50.129 just vanished because of flies. That's real money 00:04:50.129 --> 00:04:52.449 disappearing, often without maybe a second thought. 00:04:52.629 --> 00:04:54.850 It really is. Right. You might just think, yep, 00:04:54.870 --> 00:04:57.110 it's a bad fly year and kind of move on. But 00:04:57.110 --> 00:04:59.810 that casual observation is masking a serious 00:04:59.810 --> 00:05:02.470 erosion of your potential earnings. Absolutely. 00:05:02.889 --> 00:05:05.290 It's not just about the cows being itchy. It's 00:05:05.290 --> 00:05:07.129 directly hitting the pounds of milk in the tank. 00:05:07.269 --> 00:05:09.069 Yeah. And it even hinders the growth of your 00:05:09.069 --> 00:05:10.589 replacement heifer. Yeah, which you've already 00:05:10.589 --> 00:05:12.889 invested so much in. And the impact isn't solely 00:05:12.889 --> 00:05:15.209 physical irritation leading to less grazing time 00:05:15.209 --> 00:05:17.670 either. We see really distinct behavioral changes 00:05:17.670 --> 00:05:19.610 in cattle when flies... population surge. Oh 00:05:19.610 --> 00:05:21.430 yeah, you see it all the time. Think about the 00:05:21.430 --> 00:05:24.389 classic signs. That constant tail switching, 00:05:24.529 --> 00:05:27.209 the foot stomping. Yep. You'll notice that, especially 00:05:27.209 --> 00:05:29.290 when stable flies are having a field day on their 00:05:29.290 --> 00:05:32.230 legs, those things bite hard. Or the incessant 00:05:32.230 --> 00:05:34.610 head shaking and ear flapping. Every dairy person 00:05:34.610 --> 00:05:37.689 knows that dance, right? Usually prompted by 00:05:37.689 --> 00:05:40.769 those persistent face flies buzzing around their 00:05:40.769 --> 00:05:43.810 eyes, trying to get a snack of those secretions. 00:05:43.930 --> 00:05:46.480 Exactly. And then you've got the herd bunching 00:05:46.480 --> 00:05:49.339 up together in the pasture, almost glued side 00:05:49.339 --> 00:05:52.120 by side, even when the sun is blazing down. Yeah, 00:05:52.180 --> 00:05:54.120 trying to protect each other, I guess. Exactly. 00:05:54.339 --> 00:05:56.980 That bunching, it's their natural defense against 00:05:56.980 --> 00:05:58.620 the onslaught, but it's kind of a double -edged 00:05:58.620 --> 00:06:01.800 sword, you know. How so? Well, in hot days, it 00:06:01.800 --> 00:06:05.579 significantly exacerbates heat stress, which, 00:06:05.759 --> 00:06:08.579 as you know, takes a further toll on milk production. 00:06:08.860 --> 00:06:11.199 Right. More stress, less milk. And let's not 00:06:11.199 --> 00:06:13.319 forget the cows seeking any respite they can 00:06:13.319 --> 00:06:16.019 find standing waist deep in ponds or huddles 00:06:16.019 --> 00:06:18.459 in the shade somewhere. Instead of eating. Instead 00:06:18.459 --> 00:06:20.519 of being out grazing and converting that forage 00:06:20.519 --> 00:06:23.500 into milk. Which brings us right to the fundamental 00:06:23.500 --> 00:06:25.860 problem, doesn't it? All that energy the cows 00:06:25.860 --> 00:06:28.079 are burning trying to get away from flies, all 00:06:28.079 --> 00:06:30.360 that time they're not eating. Yeah. It directly 00:06:30.360 --> 00:06:33.079 translates to reduced feed intake. And in this 00:06:33.079 --> 00:06:35.199 business, I mean, it's a pretty simple equation. 00:06:36.060 --> 00:06:39.019 Less feed in equals less milk out. It is that 00:06:39.019 --> 00:06:42.800 simple. And when we drill down and actually quantify 00:06:42.800 --> 00:06:46.040 the losses caused by each specific fly species, 00:06:46.379 --> 00:06:49.540 the economic picture gets even clearer and, frankly, 00:06:49.740 --> 00:06:52.240 maybe a bit more alarming. Okay, let's do that. 00:06:52.399 --> 00:06:54.560 Let's start with hornflies, just given how widespread 00:06:54.560 --> 00:06:57.100 they are and the sheer scale of their economic 00:06:57.100 --> 00:07:00.920 impact over $1 billion annually across the U 00:07:00.920 --> 00:07:03.779 .S. A billion dollars just from hornflies. Wow. 00:07:04.000 --> 00:07:05.990 Makes you want to declare war, doesn't it? It 00:07:05.990 --> 00:07:08.550 really does. So what's the direct hit production 00:07:08.550 --> 00:07:11.730 from these guys? Well, for calves, we're looking 00:07:11.730 --> 00:07:13.910 at maybe a 10 to 20 pound reduction in weaning 00:07:13.910 --> 00:07:15.629 weight. Yeah. Research out of the University 00:07:15.629 --> 00:07:18.290 of Nebraska has, you know, consistently shown 00:07:18.290 --> 00:07:21.569 this. 10 to 20 pounds. Okay. Now, for dairy operations 00:07:21.569 --> 00:07:24.129 raising their own replacement heifers, think 00:07:24.129 --> 00:07:27.029 about that loss growth trajectory. You're already 00:07:27.029 --> 00:07:29.949 pouring significant resources feed, caracta, 00:07:30.029 --> 00:07:32.290 into getting those heifers to the optimal size 00:07:32.290 --> 00:07:34.470 and weight for breeding. Yeah. Every day counts. 00:07:35.019 --> 00:07:37.199 Horned flies essentially throw a wrench in those 00:07:37.199 --> 00:07:40.180 plans. They can delay puberty, potentially impacting 00:07:40.180 --> 00:07:42.759 their future milk production down the road. And 00:07:42.759 --> 00:07:45.319 the economic threshold for horned flies at a 00:07:45.319 --> 00:07:47.639 point where you really need to step in is around 00:07:47.639 --> 00:07:50.959 200 flies per animal. 200. Okay, it sounds like 00:07:50.959 --> 00:07:52.759 a lot, but when you're out there in peak fly 00:07:52.759 --> 00:07:55.120 season, honestly, sometimes it looks like they're 00:07:55.120 --> 00:07:57.420 wearing a second skin made of flies. It absolutely 00:07:57.420 --> 00:08:00.459 can. Now let's switch gears to stable flies. 00:08:01.079 --> 00:08:03.060 I always seem to draw their attention when I'm 00:08:03.060 --> 00:08:05.889 doing chores around the barn. Those bites definitely 00:08:05.889 --> 00:08:08.149 have a sting to them. Oh, they're vicious. They're 00:08:08.149 --> 00:08:10.110 not just unpleasant for us. They're costing the 00:08:10.110 --> 00:08:13.149 industry even more than horn flies a staggering 00:08:13.149 --> 00:08:16.250 $2 .2 billion annually. The full number we started 00:08:16.250 --> 00:08:19.269 with, yeah. That's them. And their impact on 00:08:19.269 --> 00:08:21.269 production is substantial. We're talking about 00:08:21.269 --> 00:08:25.810 an average daily gain reduction of 0 .44 pounds 00:08:25.810 --> 00:08:28.350 per day in growing cattle. Nearly half a pound 00:08:28.350 --> 00:08:30.879 a day. But what's particularly painful for dairy 00:08:30.879 --> 00:08:33.320 producers listening is the milk loss. Studies 00:08:33.320 --> 00:08:35.460 have shown that stable flies can lead to a loss 00:08:35.460 --> 00:08:40.159 of up to 306 pounds of milk per cow every single 00:08:40.159 --> 00:08:44.419 year. Whoa, 306 pounds of milk per cow. That's 00:08:44.419 --> 00:08:46.759 like leaving money on the table every single 00:08:46.759 --> 00:08:48.440 day. You got to think about that on a herd basis. 00:08:48.759 --> 00:08:51.820 Exactly. Truly shocking, or maybe surprising 00:08:51.820 --> 00:08:54.960 about stable flies, is their remarkably low economic 00:08:54.960 --> 00:08:56.840 threshold, isn't it? Yeah, you mentioned that. 00:08:56.919 --> 00:08:58.639 It's not like you need to see a massive swarm 00:08:58.639 --> 00:09:00.580 before they start hitting production. Precisely. 00:09:00.580 --> 00:09:02.840 It's surprisingly low, just five stable flies 00:09:02.840 --> 00:09:05.799 per leg. Per leg can be enough to negatively 00:09:05.799 --> 00:09:08.639 impact production. Five flies, seriously. Five 00:09:08.639 --> 00:09:11.460 flies. That seemingly tiny number can accumulate 00:09:11.460 --> 00:09:14.159 to a substantial amount of lost milk over a lactation. 00:09:14.340 --> 00:09:16.679 It really underscores the need for, you know, 00:09:16.700 --> 00:09:19.340 vigilant and early control measures. No kidding, 00:09:19.639 --> 00:09:23.419 five flies. Okay, now what about those face flies? 00:09:23.860 --> 00:09:27.460 They seem maybe less directly linked to a drop 00:09:27.460 --> 00:09:29.679 in the milk tank, but man, they certainly drive 00:09:29.679 --> 00:09:32.529 the cows. crazy buzzing around their eyes. Yeah, 00:09:32.610 --> 00:09:34.710 they're incredibly irritating. And while their 00:09:34.710 --> 00:09:37.230 direct impact on milk volume might be less dramatic 00:09:37.230 --> 00:09:39.870 than stable flies, they still cost the industry 00:09:39.870 --> 00:09:42.750 over $53 million annually. Still significant. 00:09:42.970 --> 00:09:45.090 Still significant. Their primary damage really 00:09:45.090 --> 00:09:46.929 comes from their role as vectors for disease, 00:09:47.169 --> 00:09:50.649 most notably pinkeye. Ah, right. Pink eye. We're 00:09:50.649 --> 00:09:53.169 looking at a potential 17 to 65 pound weight 00:09:53.169 --> 00:09:55.809 loss associated with pink eye in growing cattle. 00:09:55.929 --> 00:09:58.470 And in lactating cows that get infected, milk 00:09:58.470 --> 00:10:01.389 production can plummet by as much as 25%. A quarter. 00:10:02.149 --> 00:10:04.690 25%. That's a brutal hit if pink eye takes hold 00:10:04.690 --> 00:10:07.210 in your herd. Ouch. It's huge. And it all comes 00:10:07.210 --> 00:10:09.490 down to those irritating little face flies carrying 00:10:09.490 --> 00:10:11.750 the bacteria around. So what's the tipping point 00:10:11.750 --> 00:10:13.769 with them? When should you start to worry, start 00:10:13.769 --> 00:10:16.279 taking action against face flies? The generally 00:10:16.279 --> 00:10:19.100 accepted economic threshold for face flies is 00:10:19.100 --> 00:10:22.580 around 10 to 14 flies per face. Once you consistently 00:10:22.580 --> 00:10:25.700 see numbers in that range, the risk of pink eye 00:10:25.700 --> 00:10:27.980 transmission really starts to escalate. 10 to 00:10:27.980 --> 00:10:30.740 14, okay. They feed on those eye secretions you 00:10:30.740 --> 00:10:33.919 see, and in the process, their kind of rough 00:10:33.919 --> 00:10:36.799 mouth parts can actually create tiny abrasions 00:10:36.799 --> 00:10:39.519 on the cornea. Oh, lovely. Yeah. Makes it much 00:10:39.519 --> 00:10:42.059 easier for the Moraxella bovis bacteria, the 00:10:42.059 --> 00:10:44.440 pink eye bacteria, to take hold. And as they 00:10:44.440 --> 00:10:46.960 flip from cow to cow, they're effectively just 00:10:46.960 --> 00:10:49.100 spreading the infection around the herd. Ugh. 00:10:49.740 --> 00:10:51.899 So, okay, we've covered the direct production 00:10:51.899 --> 00:10:55.000 losses, milk growth, but... It sounds like this 00:10:55.000 --> 00:10:58.360 whole disease transmission aspect is like a hidden 00:10:58.360 --> 00:11:01.120 multiplier for the financial damage. Exactly. 00:11:01.159 --> 00:11:03.399 That's a good way to put it. Face flies, as we've 00:11:03.399 --> 00:11:05.440 discussed, they're the prime movers in spreading 00:11:05.440 --> 00:11:08.600 the bacteria behind pinkeye. But it doesn't stop 00:11:08.600 --> 00:11:11.740 there. Horn flies also have a kind of nasty side 00:11:11.740 --> 00:11:13.179 gig when it comes to the health of your young 00:11:13.179 --> 00:11:15.519 stock. Oh, yeah. I wouldn't have immediately 00:11:15.519 --> 00:11:18.080 connected horn flies to other issues beyond just 00:11:18.080 --> 00:11:20.320 general irritation and maybe that lost weight 00:11:20.320 --> 00:11:22.210 gain. What kind of trouble do they cause? Well, 00:11:22.309 --> 00:11:25.169 horn flies can be a significant contributor to 00:11:25.169 --> 00:11:28.690 mastitis in pre -partum heifers, so before they 00:11:28.690 --> 00:11:31.850 even calf. In heifers? How? They tend to feed 00:11:31.850 --> 00:11:33.909 around the teat ends, and their biting action 00:11:33.909 --> 00:11:37.210 can create small lesions or wounds. These seemingly 00:11:37.210 --> 00:11:40.669 minor injuries then become perfect little entry 00:11:40.669 --> 00:11:43.529 points for opportunistic bacteria, particularly 00:11:43.529 --> 00:11:47.799 Staph aureus. Staph aureus? Yeah. Not. Not what 00:11:47.799 --> 00:11:49.759 you want. Definitely not. And the really concerning 00:11:49.759 --> 00:11:52.080 part is that this can lead to infected quarters 00:11:52.080 --> 00:11:55.440 even before those heifers enter the milking stream 00:11:55.440 --> 00:11:58.120 for the first time. So you're potentially looking 00:11:58.120 --> 00:12:01.159 at lost quarters impacting their lifetime milk 00:12:01.159 --> 00:12:04.360 production, costing you down the line. Wow. That's 00:12:04.360 --> 00:12:06.259 a long -term cost that's probably easy to miss 00:12:06.259 --> 00:12:08.879 during the daily battles of fly season. Okay, 00:12:08.940 --> 00:12:10.659 and then we've got the humble housefly. They're 00:12:10.659 --> 00:12:13.220 just sort of everywhere, right? Buzzing around, 00:12:13.360 --> 00:12:15.350 landing on everything. What's the real threat 00:12:15.350 --> 00:12:17.169 they pose? They don't bite, at least. Right. 00:12:17.250 --> 00:12:20.049 They don't bite, but don't let their non -biting 00:12:20.049 --> 00:12:22.210 mouthparts fool you. Houseflies are essentially 00:12:22.210 --> 00:12:25.029 flying fomites. Think of them like little dirty 00:12:25.029 --> 00:12:27.230 sponges, if you will. They're mechanical vectors. 00:12:27.490 --> 00:12:29.789 That means they can pick up a whole host of pathogens 00:12:29.789 --> 00:12:32.169 on their bodies and legs and then just transfer 00:12:32.169 --> 00:12:34.470 them to other surfaces. Think about them buzzing 00:12:34.470 --> 00:12:37.590 around manure piles, then landing on feed bunks, 00:12:37.590 --> 00:12:40.350 or even directly on your cows, maybe on milking 00:12:40.350 --> 00:12:43.250 equipment. They're really efficient at transmitting 00:12:43.250 --> 00:12:46.590 mastitis -causing bacteria and even the organisms 00:12:46.590 --> 00:12:50.710 responsible for calf scours. So even the non 00:12:50.710 --> 00:12:53.549 -biting ones are trouble. Definitely. So while 00:12:53.549 --> 00:12:55.529 they're not directly causing the irritation of 00:12:55.529 --> 00:12:57.750 a bite, they're certainly contributing to the 00:12:57.750 --> 00:13:00.570 overall disease challenge on your farm. All right, 00:13:00.610 --> 00:13:03.470 so the message is loud and clear. Flies are not 00:13:03.470 --> 00:13:05.730 just a nuisance. They're actively draining our 00:13:05.730 --> 00:13:08.110 profitability through reduced production and 00:13:08.110 --> 00:13:11.470 increased disease. So... What's our battle plan? 00:13:11.629 --> 00:13:14.889 How do we as proactive dairy professionals start 00:13:14.889 --> 00:13:17.950 to gain the upper hand in this ongoing war? Okay, 00:13:18.049 --> 00:13:20.889 the battle plan. The very first and most critical 00:13:20.889 --> 00:13:23.429 step is to recognize that early spring monitoring 00:13:23.429 --> 00:13:26.009 is absolutely essential. You have to know what 00:13:26.009 --> 00:13:27.950 you're dealing with and when. Don't wait until 00:13:27.950 --> 00:13:30.570 you're swatting clouds of them. Exactly. Waiting 00:13:30.570 --> 00:13:32.909 until you're swatting away clouds of flies means 00:13:32.909 --> 00:13:35.110 you're already playing catch up and you've likely 00:13:35.110 --> 00:13:38.049 already suffered some economic damage. It's kind 00:13:38.049 --> 00:13:40.210 of like waiting for your somatic cell count to 00:13:40.210 --> 00:13:42.970 skyrocket before thinking about your mastitis 00:13:42.970 --> 00:13:45.649 protocols, right? Yeah, too late then. Reactive. 00:13:45.710 --> 00:13:48.049 You're reacting instead of preventing. An effective 00:13:48.049 --> 00:13:50.330 fly management program needs to be comprehensive. 00:13:50.570 --> 00:13:53.029 It needs a multi -pronged approach. There's really 00:13:53.029 --> 00:13:55.990 no single silver bullet here. Okay, multi -pronged. 00:13:55.990 --> 00:13:58.190 So where do we even begin? What's the, like... 00:13:58.519 --> 00:14:01.200 The bedrock of a solid fly control strategy. 00:14:01.440 --> 00:14:03.960 The absolute foundation, the non -negotiable 00:14:03.960 --> 00:14:07.340 first step, is sanitation and environmental management. 00:14:07.740 --> 00:14:10.220 This is often the most impactful strategy and, 00:14:10.360 --> 00:14:13.360 surprisingly maybe, it can also be the most cost 00:14:13.360 --> 00:14:15.379 -effective in the long run. Makes sense. It's 00:14:15.379 --> 00:14:17.279 all about eliminating the places where flies 00:14:17.279 --> 00:14:20.799 breed. Simple concept. No breeding sites, fewer 00:14:20.799 --> 00:14:23.019 flies. Right. If you can disrupt their life cycle 00:14:23.019 --> 00:14:25.039 at the larval stage, you're way ahead of the 00:14:25.039 --> 00:14:29.519 game. So what are the key areas we need to be 00:14:29.519 --> 00:14:31.860 laser focused on in terms of sanitation? Where 00:14:31.860 --> 00:14:34.200 do they breed? Manure management has to be top 00:14:34.200 --> 00:14:36.960 priority, especially for stable flies and house 00:14:36.960 --> 00:14:39.960 flies. During fly season, you should really aim 00:14:39.960 --> 00:14:42.620 for weekly or maybe even more frequent clean 00:14:42.620 --> 00:14:45.779 out of barns, pens, loafing areas. Weekly. Pay 00:14:45.779 --> 00:14:47.860 close attention to those often overlooked corners 00:14:47.860 --> 00:14:50.580 and edges. So, you know, fence lines where manure 00:14:50.580 --> 00:14:53.279 and bedding tend to pile up. The edges of feed 00:14:53.279 --> 00:14:56.029 bunks where spilled feed gets mixed in. And particularly 00:14:56.029 --> 00:14:59.330 calf housing, calf hutches, group pens, they 00:14:59.330 --> 00:15:01.509 can become fly breeding havens if not meticulously 00:15:01.509 --> 00:15:04.730 managed. Yeah, those damp corners. Exactly. In 00:15:04.730 --> 00:15:07.110 fact, there was a 2023 study out of Kansas State 00:15:07.110 --> 00:15:10.169 University. It demonstrated an impressive 80 00:15:10.169 --> 00:15:13.029 % reduction in stable fly populations simply 00:15:13.029 --> 00:15:15.929 through consistent weekly manure removal. 80%. 00:15:15.929 --> 00:15:18.110 Just from cleaning up manure more often? That's 00:15:18.110 --> 00:15:20.429 a game changer. It's a massive return on a relatively 00:15:20.429 --> 00:15:22.850 simple practice. Okay. And what about bedding? 00:15:23.210 --> 00:15:25.370 We rely heavily on straw in our heifer pens, 00:15:25.529 --> 00:15:27.909 for example. Yeah, and soiled bedding, particularly 00:15:27.909 --> 00:15:30.590 straw but other types too, creates an ideal habitat 00:15:30.590 --> 00:15:33.169 for fly larvae. It provides the moisture and 00:15:33.169 --> 00:15:35.129 the organic matter they need to thrive. Right. 00:15:35.190 --> 00:15:37.610 So regular bedding changes are crucial, especially 00:15:37.610 --> 00:15:39.629 during the warmer, more humid summer months. 00:15:40.289 --> 00:15:42.950 Don't underestimate how rapidly fly populations 00:15:42.950 --> 00:15:46.250 can explode in damp soiled bedding. Noted. Okay. 00:15:46.350 --> 00:15:48.409 And I'll admit, we can sometimes be a little 00:15:48.409 --> 00:15:51.259 lax about promptly... Cleaning up spilled feed 00:15:51.259 --> 00:15:53.419 around the bunks. Sounds like we need to tighten 00:15:53.419 --> 00:15:55.559 up our protocols there as well. Absolutely. Spilled 00:15:55.559 --> 00:15:59.000 TMR, silage, grain, especially when it gets wet 00:15:59.000 --> 00:16:02.759 and starts to ferment a little. Prime real estate. 00:16:02.960 --> 00:16:06.159 That is another prime fly breeding ground. Those 00:16:06.159 --> 00:16:09.159 moist, nutrient -rich pockets are exactly what 00:16:09.159 --> 00:16:12.379 fly larvae are looking for. Consistent and thorough 00:16:12.379 --> 00:16:15.580 cleanup is really essential. Okay. Manure, bedding, 00:16:15.659 --> 00:16:18.429 spilled feed. Anything else in the environment 00:16:18.429 --> 00:16:21.090 that can contribute to a thriving fly population? 00:16:21.450 --> 00:16:23.669 Water. Water management. Yep, another critical 00:16:23.669 --> 00:16:26.049 piece of the puzzle. Promptly repair any leaky 00:16:26.049 --> 00:16:28.029 waters or pipes. You don't want those constant 00:16:28.029 --> 00:16:30.370 wet spots. Right. Ensure proper drainage around 00:16:30.370 --> 00:16:33.169 all buildings to prevent those stagnant wet areas 00:16:33.169 --> 00:16:36.289 where flies love to lay their eggs. Even seemingly 00:16:36.289 --> 00:16:39.250 small, consistently damp spots can support a 00:16:39.250 --> 00:16:42.070 surprisingly large fly population. And then there's 00:16:42.070 --> 00:16:44.990 composting. If you're composting manure, doing 00:16:44.990 --> 00:16:47.629 it correctly. That means maintaining internal 00:16:47.629 --> 00:16:51.129 temperatures between, say, 131 and 170 degrees 00:16:51.129 --> 00:16:53.110 Fahrenheit. Hot enough to kill them. Exactly. 00:16:53.929 --> 00:16:56.409 Regularly turning the piles to aerate, ensuring 00:16:56.409 --> 00:16:59.210 a moisture content between 40 and 65 percent 00:16:59.210 --> 00:17:02.470 that can effectively kill fly larvae while also 00:17:02.470 --> 00:17:05.170 producing a valuable soil amendment. So, win 00:17:05.170 --> 00:17:08.119 -win. Good point. Okay, so sanitation forms the 00:17:08.119 --> 00:17:10.500 base of our defense. But even with the cleanest 00:17:10.500 --> 00:17:12.579 farm, let's be real, you're likely still going 00:17:12.579 --> 00:17:15.059 to encounter some flies. Oh, absolutely. Eradication 00:17:15.059 --> 00:17:17.559 is usually unrealistic. So how do we determine 00:17:17.559 --> 00:17:19.660 when those populations have reached a point where 00:17:19.660 --> 00:17:21.960 we need to deploy other control measures? How 00:17:21.960 --> 00:17:23.839 do we know when to act? That's where diligent 00:17:23.839 --> 00:17:26.680 monitoring comes into play. As the renowned entomologist 00:17:26.680 --> 00:17:28.960 Dr. Roger Moon from the University of Minnesota 00:17:28.960 --> 00:17:31.519 has famously stated, and it really bears repeating, 00:17:31.799 --> 00:17:34.480 you can't manage what you don't measure. Fly 00:17:34.480 --> 00:17:36.500 counts are non -negotiable. Can't manage what 00:17:36.500 --> 00:17:38.440 you don't measure, okay? You need to establish 00:17:38.440 --> 00:17:41.119 an early warning system by actively monitoring 00:17:41.119 --> 00:17:43.920 fly populations. Start as soon as the weather 00:17:43.920 --> 00:17:45.960 begins to warm up in the spring. Don't wait. 00:17:46.220 --> 00:17:48.460 Okay, so how do we actually do these fly counts? 00:17:48.599 --> 00:17:50.920 I mean, I can't imagine trying to individually 00:17:50.920 --> 00:17:56.210 tally every fly on a cow running past. No, thankfully 00:17:56.210 --> 00:17:59.750 not. There are several practical and relatively 00:17:59.750 --> 00:18:03.109 straightforward methods. Sticky traps are excellent 00:18:03.109 --> 00:18:05.210 for tracking housefly activity, particularly 00:18:05.210 --> 00:18:07.950 inside barns and milk rooms. Those sticky ribbons. 00:18:08.269 --> 00:18:11.769 Yeah, or larger sticky traps. You hang them strategically, 00:18:12.029 --> 00:18:14.650 monitor the number caught over, say, a week, 00:18:14.710 --> 00:18:17.809 and track the trend. Spot cards are another simple 00:18:17.809 --> 00:18:20.130 tool, especially for houseflies. Spot cards? 00:18:20.619 --> 00:18:23.480 Plain white index cards. You place them in areas 00:18:23.480 --> 00:18:26.700 where flies tend to rest walls, ceilings, rafters. 00:18:26.980 --> 00:18:29.880 After a week, you count the fly specs. If you 00:18:29.880 --> 00:18:32.240 get 100 or more spots, that generally indicates 00:18:32.240 --> 00:18:34.740 a significant house fly problem. Okay, simple 00:18:34.740 --> 00:18:36.480 enough. And then there are direct observation 00:18:36.480 --> 00:18:39.500 counts for the flies on the animals. For horn 00:18:39.500 --> 00:18:41.740 flies, you'll typically observe one side of several 00:18:41.740 --> 00:18:44.039 animals in your herd, count the flies, and then 00:18:44.039 --> 00:18:45.779 double that number to get an estimate per animal. 00:18:45.960 --> 00:18:47.480 Right, because they're mostly on the back and 00:18:47.480 --> 00:18:51.089 sides. That's exactly. For stable flies, focus 00:18:51.089 --> 00:18:53.650 your attention on their lower legs, front legs 00:18:53.650 --> 00:18:55.430 usually. That's their preferred feeding site. 00:18:55.609 --> 00:18:58.509 Count the flies per leg. Okay, remembering that 00:18:58.509 --> 00:19:01.890 low threshold of five per leg. Right. And for 00:19:01.890 --> 00:19:04.069 face flies, well, you literally need to observe 00:19:04.069 --> 00:19:06.970 the faces of your cows and count the number of 00:19:06.970 --> 00:19:09.579 flies present around the eyes and muzzle. Got 00:19:09.579 --> 00:19:12.440 it. So once our monitoring efforts, the sticky 00:19:12.440 --> 00:19:15.859 traps, spot cards, direct counts, indicate that 00:19:15.859 --> 00:19:17.660 we've reached those economic thresholds we talked 00:19:17.660 --> 00:19:20.119 about earlier, that's when it's time to bring 00:19:20.119 --> 00:19:22.720 out the more targeted interventions, the chemical 00:19:22.720 --> 00:19:25.920 control option. Exactly. But, and this is absolutely 00:19:25.920 --> 00:19:28.559 critical, your approach needs to be tailored 00:19:28.559 --> 00:19:30.859 to the specific fly species you're targeting. 00:19:31.039 --> 00:19:33.380 Right. Not one size fits all. Definitely not. 00:19:33.740 --> 00:19:35.640 What's highly effective against stable flies 00:19:35.640 --> 00:19:38.220 might be completely useless against horn flies 00:19:38.220 --> 00:19:41.299 and vice versa. It all comes down to their different 00:19:41.299 --> 00:19:43.519 behaviors and life cycles. All right, let's break 00:19:43.519 --> 00:19:46.079 down the chemical arsenal then by fly type. For 00:19:46.079 --> 00:19:48.299 those premise flies, the stable flies, and house 00:19:48.299 --> 00:19:50.380 flies that spend most of their time off the animal, 00:19:50.619 --> 00:19:52.839 what are our most effective chemical controls? 00:19:53.279 --> 00:19:55.980 Okay, this is a crucial distinction. Insecticide 00:19:55.980 --> 00:19:58.839 ear tags and poron treatments are generally ineffective 00:19:58.839 --> 00:20:01.799 against stable and house flies. Because they're 00:20:01.799 --> 00:20:05.180 not on the cow much. Precisely. They spend most 00:20:05.180 --> 00:20:07.460 of their time away from the animal, resting on 00:20:07.460 --> 00:20:10.019 walls, ceilings, fences, whatever. So you need 00:20:10.019 --> 00:20:12.480 to focus on treating those areas where they congregate 00:20:12.480 --> 00:20:15.140 and breed. Makes sense. So what works? Premise 00:20:15.140 --> 00:20:18.200 or residual sprays. You apply these to walls, 00:20:18.480 --> 00:20:21.880 posts, ceilings, other surfaces where these flies 00:20:21.880 --> 00:20:25.039 like to land and rest. These typically provide 00:20:25.039 --> 00:20:27.299 control for several weeks, but you'll likely 00:20:27.299 --> 00:20:29.079 need to reapply them every two to three weeks 00:20:29.079 --> 00:20:30.599 depending on the product and the conditions. 00:20:30.960 --> 00:20:34.390 Space sprays, mists, and fogs. Those can offer 00:20:34.390 --> 00:20:36.769 a rapid knockdown of adult flies during a really 00:20:36.769 --> 00:20:39.230 heavy infestation. Good for immediate relief, 00:20:39.329 --> 00:20:41.750 maybe. But no lasting effect. Right. Little to 00:20:41.750 --> 00:20:43.630 no residual control. Yeah. And then there are 00:20:43.630 --> 00:20:46.029 various types of baits. Granular baits, bait 00:20:46.029 --> 00:20:48.690 stations. You place these strategically in areas 00:20:48.690 --> 00:20:51.109 where flies tend to hang out. Just make absolutely 00:20:51.109 --> 00:20:53.730 sure they're inaccessible to feed, water, and 00:20:53.730 --> 00:20:56.670 the animals themselves. Safety first. Always. 00:20:57.710 --> 00:21:00.089 Okay, so targeting their environment is the key 00:21:00.089 --> 00:21:02.650 strategy for those premise dwellers, like stable 00:21:02.650 --> 00:21:05.789 and house flies. Now, what about the pasture 00:21:05.789 --> 00:21:09.049 flies, the horn flies, and face flies that spend 00:21:09.049 --> 00:21:11.170 a significant chunk of their lives on the cattle? 00:21:11.329 --> 00:21:14.130 Right. For these species, on -animal treatments 00:21:14.130 --> 00:21:16.470 are much more effective because the flies have 00:21:16.470 --> 00:21:19.410 prolonged contact with the insecticide on the 00:21:19.410 --> 00:21:22.410 cattle. So ear tags come into play here. Insecticide 00:21:22.410 --> 00:21:25.630 ear tags are a... Very popular and, you know, 00:21:25.650 --> 00:21:28.410 convenient option. They typically provide around 00:21:28.410 --> 00:21:31.470 12 to 15 weeks of control, sometimes longer depending 00:21:31.470 --> 00:21:33.789 on the tag and fly pressure. That covers most 00:21:33.789 --> 00:21:36.349 of the season. Usually. For face flies, it's 00:21:36.349 --> 00:21:38.650 generally recommended to use two tags per animal, 00:21:38.670 --> 00:21:41.130 one in each ear, to provide better coverage around 00:21:41.130 --> 00:21:42.950 the head where they tend to congregate. Good 00:21:42.950 --> 00:21:46.069 tip. Two tags for face flies. But a critical 00:21:46.069 --> 00:21:48.849 point with ear tags. Don't apply them too early 00:21:48.849 --> 00:21:51.180 in the fly season. Wait until you actually reach 00:21:51.180 --> 00:21:53.559 that economic threshold. Remember, 200 for horn 00:21:53.559 --> 00:21:57.220 flies. Right. Don't waste them. Exactly. Maximize 00:21:57.220 --> 00:21:59.079 their effectiveness throughout the peak fly period. 00:21:59.619 --> 00:22:02.940 Poor insecticides can offer maybe 28 days, roughly, 00:22:03.099 --> 00:22:05.829 of protection. They're generally effective against 00:22:05.829 --> 00:22:08.329 horn flies and can also provide some control 00:22:08.329 --> 00:22:10.849 of face flies, especially with proper application 00:22:10.849 --> 00:22:14.029 along the top line. Sprays offer a quick knockdown, 00:22:14.069 --> 00:22:16.589 but require pretty frequent reapplication to 00:22:16.589 --> 00:22:19.490 maintain adequate control. Can be labor intensive. 00:22:20.250 --> 00:22:24.039 Duff bags and back rubbers. Those are good options 00:22:24.039 --> 00:22:26.160 for self -application, particularly when you 00:22:26.160 --> 00:22:28.339 place them strategically in forced -use areas, 00:22:28.500 --> 00:22:31.000 like the entrances to water sources or mineral 00:22:31.000 --> 00:22:33.160 feeders where cows have to contact them. Make 00:22:33.160 --> 00:22:35.240 the cows treat themselves, basically. Kinda, 00:22:35.400 --> 00:22:38.220 yeah. And finally, feed -through products are 00:22:38.220 --> 00:22:40.720 an interesting tool. These are larvicides added 00:22:40.720 --> 00:22:43.220 to the animal's feed or mineral. They pass through 00:22:43.220 --> 00:22:45.140 the digestive system. And kill the larvae in 00:22:45.140 --> 00:22:47.480 the manure. Exactly. They kill fly larvae developing 00:22:47.480 --> 00:22:49.980 in the manure. However... To be truly effective, 00:22:50.400 --> 00:22:53.119 you need to start using them about 30 days before 00:22:53.119 --> 00:22:55.299 the anticipated start of fly season. Get ahead 00:22:55.299 --> 00:22:57.259 of it. Yeah, and you have to ensure consistent 00:22:57.259 --> 00:23:00.539 consumption across the entire herd. If some cows 00:23:00.539 --> 00:23:02.400 aren't eating it, it won't work well. Right. 00:23:02.839 --> 00:23:05.460 Consistency is key there. Okay, so we've got 00:23:05.460 --> 00:23:08.079 a whole arsenal of tools at our disposal. Sanitation, 00:23:08.220 --> 00:23:11.279 monitoring, sprays, tags, pour -ons, feed -throughs. 00:23:11.299 --> 00:23:13.740 But I know a major concern among producers these 00:23:13.740 --> 00:23:17.099 days, and rightly so, is the development of insecticide 00:23:17.099 --> 00:23:19.619 resistance. Huge concern. Absolutely critical. 00:23:19.920 --> 00:23:22.680 How do we prevent our go -to control methods 00:23:22.680 --> 00:23:26.420 from becoming, well, useless over time? That's 00:23:26.420 --> 00:23:28.180 the million -dollar question, isn't it? Yeah. 00:23:28.220 --> 00:23:30.400 And we need to take it very seriously. Horn flies, 00:23:30.640 --> 00:23:33.940 in particular, have a notorious, really rapid 00:23:33.940 --> 00:23:36.700 ability to develop resistance to insecticides. 00:23:37.099 --> 00:23:39.440 We have to be proactive in our resistance management 00:23:39.440 --> 00:23:41.920 strategy. So it's not just if, but when, if we 00:23:41.920 --> 00:23:43.789 don't manage it right. Pretty much. But there's 00:23:43.789 --> 00:23:45.589 good news. Research, again from the University 00:23:45.589 --> 00:23:48.710 of Nebraska, has clearly shown that rotating 00:23:48.710 --> 00:23:51.970 pyrethroid insecticide ear tags with organophosphate 00:23:51.970 --> 00:23:54.529 tags every season, just switching classes each 00:23:54.529 --> 00:23:56.690 year, can reduce the risk of resistance development 00:23:56.690 --> 00:24:01.049 by a significant 65%. 65 % reduction just by 00:24:01.049 --> 00:24:03.390 rotating tag types each year. That's powerful. 00:24:03.710 --> 00:24:06.029 It's a substantial benefit from a relatively 00:24:06.029 --> 00:24:08.710 simple change in practice. You just have to plan 00:24:08.710 --> 00:24:12.819 it. Okay. What are the key strategies then for 00:24:12.819 --> 00:24:15.740 winning or at least, you know, not losing this 00:24:15.740 --> 00:24:18.960 ongoing resistance battle? OK, number one, rotate 00:24:18.960 --> 00:24:21.079 your chemical classes annually. Like we just 00:24:21.079 --> 00:24:23.619 said, don't rely on the same type of insecticide 00:24:23.619 --> 00:24:26.599 pyrethroids, organophosphates, macrocyclic lactones 00:24:26.599 --> 00:24:30.079 year after year for your tags or even your sprays 00:24:30.079 --> 00:24:32.539 if you use them heavily. Make a conscious effort 00:24:32.539 --> 00:24:35.299 to switch between classes. Got it. Rotate classes 00:24:35.299 --> 00:24:38.019 yearly. What else? Secondly, as we touched on 00:24:38.019 --> 00:24:40.880 with ear tags. Timing your applications correctly 00:24:40.880 --> 00:24:43.779 is crucial. Don't be tempted to put those tags 00:24:43.779 --> 00:24:46.759 in at the first sign of a fly in May. Wait until 00:24:46.759 --> 00:24:49.480 you reach that economic threshold around 200 00:24:49.480 --> 00:24:52.480 horn flies per animal before applying those on 00:24:52.480 --> 00:24:54.900 animal treatments. Less exposure time for the 00:24:54.900 --> 00:24:57.440 flies. Exactly. It minimizes the exposure of 00:24:57.440 --> 00:24:59.740 the fly population to the insecticide and slows 00:24:59.740 --> 00:25:02.140 down the selection pressure for resistance. And 00:25:02.140 --> 00:25:04.160 this next point is absolutely vital. Maybe the 00:25:04.160 --> 00:25:06.339 most overlooked. Okay. Remove those insecticide 00:25:06.339 --> 00:25:08.420 ear tags after the main fly season has ended. 00:25:08.519 --> 00:25:10.579 Don't leave them in all winter. Please don't. 00:25:11.359 --> 00:25:14.299 Leaving them in over the winter. when fly populations 00:25:14.299 --> 00:25:18.000 are naturally very low, actually helps to select 00:25:18.000 --> 00:25:20.759 for those few individual flies that happen to 00:25:20.759 --> 00:25:23.140 have some level of resistance. You're basically 00:25:23.140 --> 00:25:25.640 breeding resistant flies for next year. Wow. 00:25:25.859 --> 00:25:29.160 Okay. So make it a standard practice. Physically 00:25:29.160 --> 00:25:31.440 cut out those tags after the first hard frost. 00:25:31.640 --> 00:25:34.039 Mandatory. Should be part of the fall checklist. 00:25:34.339 --> 00:25:37.400 And finally, don't put all your eggs in one basket. 00:25:37.559 --> 00:25:40.339 Don't rely solely on one single control method. 00:25:41.039 --> 00:25:44.019 Embrace an integrated pest management IPM strategy. 00:25:44.259 --> 00:25:47.579 The multi -cronged approach again. Exactly. Strategically 00:25:47.579 --> 00:25:50.160 combine that foundational sanitation, the diligent 00:25:50.160 --> 00:25:52.720 monitoring, and the judicious use of different 00:25:52.720 --> 00:25:54.779 chemical and maybe even non -chemical control 00:25:54.779 --> 00:25:57.460 tools like traps or biological controls where 00:25:57.460 --> 00:25:59.839 feasible. Right. Hit them from multiple angles. 00:26:00.059 --> 00:26:02.200 Okay, so wrapping this up, the core message here 00:26:02.200 --> 00:26:04.279 seems clear. Effective fly management isn't just 00:26:04.279 --> 00:26:06.119 about keeping the guys from getting too annoyed, 00:26:06.240 --> 00:26:08.720 though that's important for welfare. It's really 00:26:08.720 --> 00:26:11.119 a direct and crucial defense of our milk checks 00:26:11.119 --> 00:26:13.539 and the overall profitability of our dairy operations. 00:26:14.160 --> 00:26:16.380 Precisely. It's an investment, not just an expense. 00:26:16.700 --> 00:26:19.460 We strongly encourage you, everyone listening, 00:26:19.599 --> 00:26:22.420 to critically evaluate your current fly control 00:26:22.420 --> 00:26:25.140 protocols. Are they working? Are you measuring? 00:26:25.500 --> 00:26:28.200 Are you rotating? Yeah. Consider implementing 00:26:28.200 --> 00:26:31.460 this comprehensive, multi -pronged approach. 00:26:31.859 --> 00:26:35.940 Combine rigorous sanitation practices with consistent, 00:26:36.140 --> 00:26:39.700 accurate monitoring. And then strategically deploy 00:26:39.700 --> 00:26:42.599 your chemical control options, always keeping 00:26:42.599 --> 00:26:45.359 those principles of insecticide resistance management 00:26:45.359 --> 00:26:48.109 at the forefront of your decision making. So 00:26:48.109 --> 00:26:50.289 as you're walking through your barns and pastures 00:26:50.289 --> 00:26:53.130 later today, maybe tomorrow morning, take a closer, 00:26:53.210 --> 00:26:55.190 more analytical look at those buzzing, biting 00:26:55.190 --> 00:26:58.250 pests. Don't just swat them away. Yeah, count 00:26:58.250 --> 00:27:00.569 them. Count them. And really consider the potential 00:27:00.569 --> 00:27:02.670 financial gains, both in terms of increased milk 00:27:02.670 --> 00:27:05.289 production, better growth, and reduced animal 00:27:05.289 --> 00:27:07.210 health costs that could come from actively and 00:27:07.210 --> 00:27:09.329 effectively crushing those fly infestations. 00:27:09.750 --> 00:27:12.269 What could that extra margin mean for the long 00:27:12.269 --> 00:27:14.309 -term sustainability and success of your dairy 00:27:14.309 --> 00:27:16.390 operation? It's definitely something worth thinking 00:27:16.390 --> 00:27:18.829 about. digging into for your specific situation. 00:27:19.190 --> 00:27:22.369 Absolutely. A topic worth a deep dive for every 00:27:22.369 --> 00:27:24.630 single one of us in the business. If you're ready 00:27:24.630 --> 00:27:27.230 to stop being a fly buffet and start reclaiming 00:27:27.230 --> 00:27:29.410 your milk check, we've got your battle plan. 00:27:30.210 --> 00:27:33.009 Implement weekly manure removal from Kansas State's 00:27:33.009 --> 00:27:37.069 2023 trials. Rotate pyrethroids with organophosphates 00:27:37.069 --> 00:27:40.289 annually. Start feed -through larvicides 30 days 00:27:40.289 --> 00:27:44.460 preseason. Visit thebullvine .com. slash fly 00:27:44.460 --> 00:27:47.019 control for our free monitoring checklist and 00:27:47.019 --> 00:27:49.500 resistance rotation calendar. Help other dairy 00:27:49.500 --> 00:27:52.079 producers combat this $2 .2 billion problem. 00:27:52.579 --> 00:27:55.259 Hit share and tag a colleague who needs to hear 00:27:55.259 --> 00:27:59.460 this. Next week, we're exposing the methane to 00:27:59.460 --> 00:28:01.819 money pipeline, how forward -thinking dairies 00:28:01.819 --> 00:28:04.400 are turning climate regulations into $1 ,200 00:28:04.400 --> 00:28:07.799 head profit opportunities. Until then, remember, 00:28:08.079 --> 00:28:10.680 in the battle against winged thieves, knowledge 00:28:10.680 --> 00:28:13.490 is your best insecticide. Keep milking for it.