Even though it’s only February, it’s not too early to start preparing to control flies this summer. Kooyman and Son Dairy in Acampo, California, seemed to be doing everything right but still had some flies. Here’s what we found there. Is your dairy the same?

1. The sand-bedded stalls were well-groomed, and the alleys were meticulously clean. Fly larvae could not develop in these clean, dry conditions.

2. The feed bunks were well-maintained. No moldy feed there.

3. However, fly larvae were developing in small piles of moist silage that would accumulate after defacing the pile, if it sat there a week, and at the base of undisturbed piles. Look for maggots in the damp areas. If you find them, clean up or spread that material to dry out in order to eliminate the fly breeding. EL

	Dr. Bill Clymer Spalding Labs This e-mail address is being protected from spambots. You need JavaScript enabled to view it