A combination of La Nina-induced spring rainfall and forecast milder than usual summer temperatures may provide the perfect storm for fly pressure this summer. At the same time, increasing reports of resistance have resulted in shorter protection periods for chemical control. With this in mind, producer’s may need to pull out all the tricks in their bag to manage flies this summer.
Trialling a new fly control product
As a result of extensive research and development, AusFarm Nutrition Products are currently trialling a new product that may assist in the fight against external parasites including lice, flies and mosquitoes in cattle and sheep. The product will be called FlyBye and contains a combination of bioactive compounds that, when ingested circulate in the blood and are excreted from the skin. Like insect repellents, these compounds act to discourage insects from interacting with the animal, thus reducing insect pressure.
Official trials of the active ingredients in FlyBye involving cattle in the US have been reported over various seasons since 2016. Early results from these studies have been positive, showing a correlation between the use of the ingredients and a reduction in fly cover.
Positive feedback from local use
Similarly, reports from early use of these compounds in northern Australian cattle have been encouraging, with anecdotal evidence suggesting that fly and tick pressure has decreased since adopting the technology.
At a local level, after initial milk quality concerns were satisfied, many of ANP’s dairy customers were eager to be the first to use FlyBye as an additive in their feed, with some positive feedback.
What about flystrike in sheep?
Flystrike is a huge welfare concern for sheep, and costs the industry more than $300 million in treatment, prevention and production loss. Any assistance sheep producers can get in the fight against flies would likely be a welcome addition to the arsenal.
While no formal trial data with respect to assisting in the control of blowfly in sheep are available to date, we are confident that FlyBye will have an impact on reducing fly pressure and therefore may complement an integrated flystrike management program.
FlyBye is offered in two forms, including:
StockMins-FlyBye: A weatherproof, granular loose-lick supplement, based on StockMins – General Purpose premix, designed to be fed free access to livestock to assist in the management of ectoparasites during times of high pressure.
FlyBye additive: FlyBye can be added to any supplement in the AusFarm Nutrition Products’ StockGro and StockMins ranges, to assist with the management of ectoparasites during times of high pressure.
Talk to the team at AusFarm Nutrition Products and be one of the first to try FlyBye in your operation this summer.
