Dairy and Beef Cattle Fly IPM Training Videos and Elements of IPM
Dairy production is an integral component of many rural communities in the northeastern US, helping to sustain the economic viability of our region. There are about 4,600 dairy producers in New York milking 625,000 cows (NYS NASS, 2018). In 2018, NY dairy cattle milk sales totaled $2.48 billion and beef are valued at almost half a billion dollars (NYS NASS, 2017). Many of these dairy and beef producers use insecticides to control nuisance and biting flies in the barn and on pasture without regard to action thresholds, environmental concerns or human health issues. We developed online integrated pest management training videos on flies affecting cattle in the barn and on pasture for agricultural professions including veterinarians, livestock/dairy consultants, extension educators, and dairy/beef producers in the Northeastern US. We also developed elements of IPM for dairy and beef cattle fly issues so that producers can evaluate and gauge their level of commitment to integrated pest management on their farms.