Integrated Management of Flies for Dairy Cattle Cultural, Biological and Chemical Control Options for New York State, Septe mber 2021 Ken Wise , Jaime C ummings, J acob Leeser (New York State Integrated Pest Management Program , Cornell U niversity), and Michael Helms (Pesticide Management Education Program, Cornell University) This publication contains the insecticides registered for use on dairy cattle in New York State as of May 2020. State registrations and labels change often. Make sure to only purchase and/or use a pesticide that’s registered in New York State. Be sure to read and follow the directions on the pesticide label. This publication is organized by how the insecticide will be used on the farm or cattle, and by insecticide class. It is important to know the insecticide classes of each product. Flies can become resistant to insecticides. Houseflies have already been found with resistance to many insecticides used on the farm. Horn flies in other parts of the country have also developed resistance to many of the insecticides used to control them. It is important not to use the same class of insecticide all th e time. Make sure to rotate the different classes of insecticides to prevent the development of resistance. It is important to use all aspects of Integrated Pest Management (IPM) for flies on cattle before deciding on an insecticide. There are many non-insecticide management tactics for controlling flies on cattle. For developing an IPM program for your farm, please refer to the numerous publications and resources on IPM for flies on cattle and other livestock on the NYSIPM website under live stock, and utilize the E lements of IPM for Dairy Cattle checklist. You can also contact Ken Wise at NYSIPM (klw24@cornell.edu) In this publication, we focus on horn, face, stable and house flies on dairy farms: • Horn flies are a biting fly that can occur at very high populations, causing reductions in milk production and weight gain in calves. • Face flies do not bite, but can annoy cattle. They feed on body fluid secretions around the eyes and other places. This can cause cows to focus their energy on the flies rather than feeding, thus reducing milk production on grazing animals. Face flies can also vector the pink eye disease, and transmit Thelazia eye worms to cattle. • Both horn and face flies occur on pastures where they lay eggs in newly deposited manure pats, which will hatch into maggots, pupate and then emerge as an adult flies. • Stable flies are a biting fly, which may occur on pasture or in the barn. They have a very painful bite and require blood meals to reproduce. Stable flies normally bite the legs of the animals, causing cattle to stop feeding and rather focus on getting rid of the flies. • Houseflies are a nonbiting fly that can annoy cattle, typically within and around barns. They can also be an issue with transmitting diseases. • Both house and stable flies lay eggs in moist (not wet), undisturbed decaying organic matter. This can include straw, hay, silage, feed, manure and more. If this organic matter is left undisturbed for 7 - 10 days, it can produce thousands of flies. Keeping areas clean can dramatically help control the house and stable flies. The simple act of removing, composting or spreading the rotting organic materials on a field can help kill stable and house flies without the use of insecticides. Flies can still occur at high populations despite your best efforts. An insecticide should only be employed as part of an integrated pest management program, and when you reach an action threshold. The action thresholds for each fly pest are as follows: Horn flies - an average of 100 flies on the back, side or belly on at least 15 animals in the herd Horn flies on the back of dairy cattle Face flies - an average of 10 flies/face on at least 15 animals in the herd Face Flies on Cattle Stable flies - an average of 10 flies/four legs on at least 15 animals in the herd Stable Flies on Cattle Houseflies - an average of 100 spots per 3" by 5" fecal spot card in areas of the barn where they are placed House flies on a calf Dung Beetles for Fly Control Dung beetles can compete with horn and face flies in a manure pat by recycling manure into the soil. Under the right conditions and a mix of species of dung beetles they can render a cow pat useless to horn and face flies in 35 to 48 hours. The flies need a cow pat for about 10 to 20 days, depending on the temperature, to complete their lifecycle. Dung beetles can break the life cycle of horn and face flies by eliminated cow pat breeding sites. For more information on dung beetles please refer to the following publication: Dung Beetles Aid in Reducing Flies and Gastrointestinal Parasites in Pastures Biological Control of Flies with Parasitoids There is a good option for biological control. Two parasitic wasps, called Muscidifurax raptor and M. raptorellus, can be used to aid in the control of house and stable flies. The use of biological control combined with good sanitation and other IPM tactics can be very effective at controlling house and stable flies. You can release parasitoids weekly in known problematic areas of house and stable fly around the barns and calf facilities. Both M. raptor and M. raptorellus occur in New York naturally. Unfortunately, sometimes the parasitic wasps’ natural populations lag behind those of fly populations. By releasing them in the spring, you can boost the population to help control the flies. A local source of M. raptor and M. raptorellus is IPM Labs. Insecticide Feed Additives for Fly Control The following insecticides are fed to cattle for fly management. The product will pass through the cattle to the manure pat. The insecticide in the manure will kill horn and face flies. Be aware that some of these products can affect beneficial organisms within the manure pat, including dung beetles. Be sure that the product you use is labeled for the fly species you want to control. Insecticide Feed Additives for Fly Control METHOPRENE (INSECTICIDE GROUP 7A) ADM Dipteracide Premix 10.5% Altosid Cattle Custom Blending Premix Altosid Fly Control 0.4% Premix Altosid IGR 1% Liquid Altosid IGR Custom Blend 2% Altosid IGR Small Pack 0.4% BOVALYX® Protein Block Containing IGR BOVALYX® Recharge with IGR Cargill Cattle Grazers All Season MAG Altosid Cargill Right Now Emerald (Altosid) MC CRYSTALYX® IGR PRO Framework 365 Mineral ADE AFC Framework 365 Mineral Pasture Breeder Aide AFC Kent EnergiLass® 12 AFCTM Kent EnergiLass® Cattle Mineral 8 AFC Purina Wind and Rain as a 4 Mineral Tub Altosid Purina Wind and Rain Storm All Season 7.5 CP Altosid Purina Wind and Rain Storm AS 7 Complete Availa 4 Altosid Purina Wind and Rain Storm Hi Mag 4 CP Altosid R-ST 10 Cattle Premix Southern States Traditions Fly Stop Dairy/Beef Mineral Block W/Altosid SweetCake Mineral Tub With Altosid Fly Control Ultralyx 20% Mag Fly Control Vigortone 3V5 S Altosid IGR Prairie Pride Feeds Quality-Nutrition-Value Rabon Pressed Block Rabon 7.76% Oral Larvicide Pre-Mix ROLYX Pro-Mag Sweetlix EnProAl Rabon Supplement Sweetlix Pest-A-Side Pressed Block with Rabon Sweetlix Rabon Molasses Pressed Block Insecticides for Back Rubbers, Face Rubbers and Dust Bags Back rubbers and dust bags are a method of control for both horn flies and face flies. Face rubbers are designed to control face flies. Back rubbers, face rubbers and dust bags should be employed when the flies have reached the action thresholds outlined above, and should be placed conveniently, where the cattle pass daily, in order to get an application of the insecticide. Be sure that the product you use is labeled for the fly species you want to control. Insecticides for Back Rubbers, Face Rubbers and Dust Bags ORGANOPHOSPHATE (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Coumaphos Co-Ral 1% Livestock Dust Co-Ral Fly and Tick Spray PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Country Vet FarmGard Permethrin Concentrate* Bayer Permectrin Fly & Louse Dust Bayer Permectrin II DeLaval Applicator Fly Spray Durvet Permethrin 1% Ready-To-Use Pour-On Insecticide Ecolab Aero-Max Synergized Permethrin Gordon’s Poultry Dust Gordon's Back rubber and Pour-On Gordon's Dairy and Livestock Dust Gordon's Synergized Lice-No-More Insecticide Got Pests…Get Revenge Barn & Stable Fly Spray Concentrate Got Pests…Get Revenge Dust-On Fly Lice and Tick Control Intersect Gold Synergized Pour-On Intersect II Pour-On Martin's Fly Ban Synergized Pour-On Martin's Permethrin Pour-On 1% Synergized Martin's Viper Insect Dust Prozap Backrubber and Pour-On Prozap Insectrin 1% Pour-On Prozap Insectrin CS Prozap Insectrin Dust Pyranha 7.4% Synergized Pyranha Bug Armor Misting Concentrate * Pyranha Stock Guard Concentrate * MGK Sector Misting Concentrate * Starbar Cattle Armor 1% Synergized Pour On Starbar E-Pro Adulticide Spray Merck Synergized Delice Pour-On Insecticide for Cattle, Sheep and their Premises Z‐CYPERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Y-Tex Python Dust Livestock Insecticide TETRACHLORVINPHOS- DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Ravap EC Livestock, Poultry & Premise Insecticide Spray * Non-Lactating Z‐CYPERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) AmeriAg Insecticide Strips (non-lactating) PHOSMET (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Vet Kem Paramite Insecticidal Spray and Back Rubber *Restricted-use pesticide; may be purchased and used only by certified applicators. Pour-On Insecticides Pour-on insecticides are for controlling horn flies on pasture, although they may help with face flies. Use these products only when the population of flies reach the action threshold for horn flies, as outlined above. Be sure that the product you use is labeled for the fly species you want to control. Pour‐On Insecticides PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) DeLice Brute Pour-On For Cattle Boss Pour-on Insecticide for Beef & Dairy Cattle and Sheep Permectrin CDS DeLaval Applicator Fly Spray Ecolab Aero-Max Synergized Permethrin Gordon's Livestock Back Rubber and Pour-On Gordon's Synergized Lice-No-More Insecticide Intersect Gold Synergized Pour-On Intersect II Pour-On Intersect Pour-On Martin's Fly-Ban Synergized Pour-On Martin's Permethrin Pour-On 1% Martin's Permethrin Pour-On 1% Synergized Permectrin ® CDS Pour-On Insecticide Durvet Permethrin 1% Ready-To-Use Pour-On Insecticide Prozap Insectrin 1% Pour-On Bayer Permectrin CDS Pour-On Insecticide Clean-Up II Pour-On Insecticide with IGR Martin's Lice-Ban Prozap Insectrin CS Pyranha 7.4% Synergized Starbar Cattle Armor 1% Synergized Pour On Merck Ultra Boss CYFLUTHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) CyLence Pour-On Insecticide Non-Lactating Cattle PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Brute Pour-On For Cattle Direct-Applied Insecticides Directly applying an insecticide to cattle is an option to relieve the cattle of fly pressure. These help control horn flies, face flies and stable flies. Be sure that the product you use is labeled for the fly species you want to control. Direct Spray to Cattle PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Assassin Flying and Crawling Insecticide Atroban 11% EC (Lactating) Catron IV Country Vet Farm and Dairy CV-80D For Insect Control Country Vet Farm and Ranch RTU Spray For Insect Control Country Vet FarmGard Permethrin Concentrate * Durvet Screw Worm Aerosol DeLaval Applicator Fly Spray Eradicator Evergreen Pyrethrum Concentrate Exit Gold Synergized Exit II Synergized Total Solutions Extinct Insecticide Y-Tex Gardstar 40EC * Gordon's Dairy and Livestock Dust Gordon's Permethrin 10 Livestock and Premise Got Pests…Get Revenge Barn & Stable Fly Spray Concentrate Got Pests…Get Revenge Barn & Stable Fly Spray Ready to Use Got Pests…Get Revenge Dust-On Fly Lice and Tick Control Got Pests…Get Revenge Pour-On Synergized Fly & Lice Concentrate Gordon's Horse and Stable Spray Ready to Use Intersect 10% Multi-Purpose Insecticide * Intersect Gold Synergized Pour-On Intersect II Pour-On Martin's Fly-Ban Synergized Pour-On Martin's Horse & Stable Multi-Use Insecticide Ready-To-Use Martin's Permethrin Pour-On 1% Synergized Martin's Permethrin 10% Multi-Purpose Insecticide * Martin's Permethrin SRF Termiticide/Insecticide * Martin's Viper Insect Dust Share Permadoc 20 Bayer Permanone 10 * Durvet Permethrin 1% Ready-To-Use Pour-On Insecticide Bayer Permectrin CDS Pour-On Insecticide Bayer Permectrin Fly & Louse Dust Bayer Permectrin II Durvet Permethrin 10% * Gordon’s Poultry Dust Prozap Backrubber and Pour-On Prozap Fly-Die GPS Prozap Insectrin 1% Pour-On Prozap Insectrin CS Prozap Insectrin Dust Prozap Insectrin X Concentrate * Prozap LD-44Z Insect Fogger Pyranha 7.4% Synergized Pyranha Bug Armor Misting Concentrate * Pyranha Stock Guard Concentrate * MGK Sector Misting Concentrate * Starbar Cattle Armor 1% Synergized Pour On Starbar E-Pro Adulticide Spray Merck Synergized Delice Pour-On Insecticide for Cattle, Sheep and their Premises Tengard SRF One-Shot * MGK ULD BP-100 Contact Insecticide II MGK ULD BP-300 Contact Insecticide II Vector Ban Plus* Zeposector-A II ORGANOPHOSPHATE (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Coumaphos Co-Ral 1% Livestock Dust Co-Ral Fly and Tick Spray DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Nuvan Fog 2EC * Nuvan Fog 4EC * Nuvan Fog 5% * Prozap Vapona 400E * PYRETHRINS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) CT-75 Aerosol Insecticide (only in stanchion barn) Durvet Dairy Bomb 55Z Durvet Dairy Bomb 55-Z Evergreen Pro 60-6 Fly Zap Aerosol Fly Zap Aerosol Plus Gordon's Aqueous Fly Spray Lynx EC1.4 Lynx EC5.0 Prozap Aqueous Fly Spray Prozap Dairy and Ranch Insect Spray Prozap Dairy Cattle Spray Prozap Dy-Fly Aerosol Insecticide PyGanic Livestock and Poultry Insecticide PyGanic Specialty Pyronyl 525 Oil Concentrate * Pyronyl Crop Spray * Total Solutions Quick Strike Insecticide MGK Vampyre PERMETHRIN AND PYRETHRUMS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Drummond Raze Crawling and Fling Insect Killer DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Durvet Super II Dairy and Farm Z‐CYPERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Y-Tex Python Dust Livestock Insecticide Octanoic, Nonanoic, Decanoic Acids Ecovet Fly Repellent Non-Lactating DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Prozap VIP Insect Spray TETRACHLORVINPHOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Ravap EC Livestock, Poultry & Premise Insecticide Spray * PHOSMET (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Vet Kem Paramite Insecticidal Spray and Back Rubber *Restricted-use pesticide; may be purchased and used only by certified applicators. Residual Spray Insecticides Residual sprays are applied to surfaces in the barns. The insecticide will only kill flies that land on that surface. Residual applications are for adult house and stable flies in and around the barns. Be sure that the product you use is labeled for the fly species you want to control. Residual Fly Sprays PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Atroban 11% EC Country Vet FarmGard Permethrin Concentrate DeLaval Applicator Fly Spray Ecolab Aero-Max Synergized Permethrin Exit Gold Synergized Exit II Synergized Y-Tex Gardstar 40EC Gordon's Permethrin 10 Livestock and Premise Gordon's Synergized Lice-No-More Insecticide Got Pests…Get Revenge Barn & Stable Fly Spray Concentrate Gordon's Horse and Stable Spray Ready to Use Intersect 10% Multi-Purpose Insecticide * Martin's Fly-Ban Synergized Pour-On Martin's Permethrin 10% Multi-Purpose Insecticide Martin's Permethrin SRF Termiticide/Insecticide Durvet Permethrin 1% Ready-To-Use Pour-On Insecticide Bayer Permectrin CDS Pour-On Insecticide Bayer Permectrin II Durvet Permethrin 10% * Pyranha Bug Armor Misting Concentrate * Pyranha Stock Guard Concentrate * Starbar Cattle Armor 1% Synergized Pour On Merck Synergized Delice Pour-On Insecticide for Cattle, Sheep and their Premises Vector Ban Plus * TETRACHLORVINPHOS + DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Ravap EC* TETRACHLORVINPHOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Rabon 50 WP Insecticide LAMBDA-CYHALOTHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) PRALLETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) PYRIPROXYFEN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 7) MGK Tobex Multi MoA Concentrate * TETRACHLORVINPHOS- DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) PYRIPROXYFEN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 7C) Ravap EC Livestock, Poultry & Premise Insecticide Spray * DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Nuvan Fog 2EC * Nuvan Fog 4EC * Nuvan Fog 5% * Prozap Vapona 400E * Non-Lactating DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Prozap Beef and Dairy RTU * DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) PYRETHRINS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A ) Prozap Fly-Die Defense *Restricted-use pesticide; may be purchased and used only by certified applicators. Fly Bait Insecticides Fly baits are designed to attract houseflies and kill them. They can temporarily help reduce a population of houseflies in and around the barns. Fly Baits METHOMYL (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) (Z)-9-TRICOSENE Starbar Golden Malrin Fly Bait DINETOFURAN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 4) (Z)-9-TRICOSENE (INSECT PHEROMONE) Starbar QuiStrike Fly Bait Spray* IMIDACLOPRID (INSECTICIDE GROUP 4) (Z)-9-TRICOSENE (INSECT PHEROMONE) Maxforce Granular Fly Bait* QuickBayt * SPINOSAD (INSECTICIDE GROUP 5) Elector PSP Premise Insect Control Agent *Restricted-use pesticide; may be purchased and used only by certified applicators. Space and Knockdown Insecticides: Space or knockdown sprays give temporary relief from stable and house flies inside the barn. These are normally sprayed or fogged inside the building. Be sure that the product you use is labeled for the fly species you want to control. Space sprays or knockdown sprays PYRETHRINS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) Country Vet Farm and Dairy CV-80D For Insect Control PyGanic Livestock and Poultry Insecticide Durvet Dairy Bomb 55 Durvet Dairy Bomb 55-Z Entech Fog-10 Space Spray * Evergreen Pro 60-6 Evergreen Pyrethrum Concentrate Total Solutions Extinct Insecticide Fly Zap Aerosol Fly Zap Aerosol Plus Lynx EC1.4 Prozap Dairy and Ranch Insect Spray Prozap Dy-Fly Aerosol Insecticide PyGanic Livestock and Poultry Insecticide PyGanic Specialty Pyclear * Pyronyl 525 Oil Concentrate * Pyronyl Crop Spray * Pyronyl UL-100 Spray Concentrate Starbar UL -100 EC Insecticide Spray Stryker 100 Stryker 5-25 Martin's Stryker Farm and Dairy Stryker Insecticide Concentrate MGK ULD BP-100 Contact Insecticide II MGK ULD BP-300 Contact Insecticide II MGK Vampyre PERMETHRIN + PYRETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) Drummond Raze Crawling and Fling Insect Killer Clear Zone Double Impact Farm Fly Spray Martin's Pystol Farm and Dairy Aerosol PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) Country Vet FarmGard Farm & Dairy Fly Spray Assassin Flying and Crawling Insecticide Bayer Permectrin II 10% EC Country Vet FarmGard Permethrin Concentrate Flit 10EC Broad Spectrum Muli-Use Insecticide * Gordon's Permethrin 10 Livestock and Premise Got Pests…Get Revenge Barn & Stable Fly Spray Concentrate Intersect 10% Multi-Purpose Insecticide * Martin's Permethrin 10% Multi-Purpose Insecticide * Martin's Permethrin SRF Termiticide/Insecticide MGK Microcare 3% CS Prozap Insectrin X Concentrate * Pyranha Bug Armor Misting Concentrate * Pyranha Stock Guard Concentrate * Starbar E-Pro Adulticide Spray Tengard SRF One-Shot * DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) PROZAP VAPONA 400* Nuvan Fog 2EC * Nuvan Fog 4EC * Nuvan Fog 5% * PYRIPROXYFEN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 7) NYGuard IGR Concentrate * Prozap Dairy Cattle Spray ProZap Fly-Die Defense Non-Lactating DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Prozap Beef and Dairy RTU * Prozap Vapona 400E * DICHLORVOS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) PYRETHRINS (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) Prozap Dairy Cattle Spray ProZap Fly-Die Defense Prozap VIP Insect Spray Durvet Super II Dairy and Farm *Restricted-use pesticide; may be purchased and used only by certified applicators. Insecticidal Ear Tags Ear tags are designed to control horn flies, but may also help with controlling face flies. In other parts of the country, there is resistance to certain insecticides used in ear tags. If ear tags are used each year, make sure to change the insecticide group. This will help reduce the possible resistance to the current insecticides used in ear tags. Place ear tags when horn fly populations start to increase. Placing them in the ears too early can reduce their effectiveness toward the end of the summer. Make sure to take out the ear tags in the fall, or when horn fly populations decline. Insecticide Impregnated Ear Tags for Lactating Dairy Cattle PERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Y-Tex GardStar Insecticide Ear Tag BETA‐CYFLUTHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) CyLence Ultra Insecticide Cattle Ear Tag Z‐CYPERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Y-Tex Python Insecticide Cattle Strip Y-Tex Python Magnum Insecticide Cattle Ear Tags ABAMECTIN + ZETA-CYPERMETHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Tri-Zap Insecticide Cattle Ear Tag ABAMECTIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) Y-Tex XP 820 Insecticide Cattle Strips Non-Lactating Dairy Cattle COUMPHOS + DIAZINON (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Corathon PIRIMIPHOS-METHYL (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Dominator Insecticide Ear Tags PIRIMIPHOS-METHYL (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) CYHALOTHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) Double Barrel VP Insecticide Ear Tags DIAZINON (INSECTICIDE GROUP 1B) Max 40 Insecticide Cattle Ear Tag Y-Tex Optimizer Bayer Patriot Insecticide Cattle Ear Tag LAMBDA-CYHALOTHRIN (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3A) Saber Extra Insecticide Ear Tags Organically Approved Insecticides for Fly Management Fewer pesticide options exist for fly management on organic dairies. However, flies can be effectively managed by a combination or cultural, biological and chemical control on organic farms. Be sure that the product you use is labeled for the fly species you want to control. Organic Dairy Insecticides PYRETHRUM (INSECTICIDE GROUP 3) MGK Evergreen Pyrethrum Concentrate PyGanic Livestock and Poultry Insecticide PyGanic Specialty DIATOMACEOUS EARTH Celite 610