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Effect on milk production of controlling muscid flies, and reducing fly-avoidance behaviour, by the use of Fenvalerate ear tags during the dry period

Published online by Cambridge University Press:  01 June 2009

Jeanette A. Harris
Affiliation:
Department of Zoology, University of Reading, Whiteknights, Reading RG6 2AJ, UK.
J. Eric Hillerton
Affiliation:
Milking and Mastitis Centre, AFRC Institute for Animal Disease Research, Compton Laboratory, Newbury RG16 ONN, UK.
Steven V. Morant
Affiliation:
AFRC Institute of Food Research, Reading Laboratory (University of Reading), Shinfield, Reading RG2 9AT, UK.

Summary

Fenvalerate ear tags reduced fly loads on dry dairy cattle by 95% between July and September. Fly dislodging behaviour, such as ear flicks which correlated with numbers of Musca autumnalis on the face and stamps/kicks which correlated with numbers of Stomoxys calcitrans on the legs, was also significantly reduced. There was no significant difference between the tagged and untagged groups in the total time spent grazing each day. Milk yields were not statistically significantly different, but the tagged group showed a greater increase in milk yield between lactations, of 1·45 kg/cow daily in the first 12 weeks of the lactation.

Information

Type
Original Articles
Copyright
Copyright © Proprietors of Journal of Dairy Research 1987

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