Ovine cutaneous myiasis: effects on production and control

Area of Science:

• Veterinary Entomology
• Sheep Husbandry
• Climate Change Impact on Livestock

Background:

• Ovine cutaneous myiasis (fly strike) is a persistent global sheep health concern.
• Myiasis incidence is influenced by complex, seasonally varying factors including fly/host abundance, host susceptibility, climate, and husbandry.
• Predicting myiasis outbreaks and optimal management responses is challenging due to this complexity.

Purpose of the Study:

• To review key risk factors for ovine cutaneous myiasis.
• To consider how anticipated climate change may alter future myiasis incidence.
• To inform future research directions for effective fly strike management.

Main Methods:

• Review of existing literature on ovine cutaneous myiasis risk factors.
• Analysis of seasonal and spatial dynamics of contributing factors.
• Consideration of climate change projections and their potential influence on myiasis.

Main Results:

• Myiasis risk is multifactorial, involving interactions between environmental, host, and management elements.
• Seasonal and spatial variations in these factors complicate prediction.
• Climate change is anticipated to influence future myiasis incidence, though specific impacts require further study.

Conclusions:

• Future research should prioritize evaluating integrated management strategies.
• Integrated approaches, such as combining insecticide and trap use, show promise.
• Optimizing these integrated methods across diverse environments and farming systems is crucial for effective control.