A feed additive to control flies in poultry manure

Area of Science:

• Entomology
• Animal Science
• Pest Management

Background:

• Poultry farms face significant challenges with fly populations, impacting animal welfare and productivity.
• Effective control of flies in poultry manure is crucial for biosecurity and environmental management.

Purpose of the Study:

• To evaluate the efficacy of methoprene as a feed additive for controlling fly emergence in poultry manure.
• To quantify the impact of methoprene on different fly monitoring methods.

Main Methods:

• 18,000 caged pullets were fed methoprene (10 gm/ton feed) for 42 days; 13,500 controls received untreated feed.
• Fly emergence was monitored twice weekly using manure buckets, fly traps, fly strips, and spot cards.
• Data analysis compared fly counts between methoprene-treated and control groups across all monitoring methods.

Main Results:

• Methoprene significantly reduced fly emergence in manure buckets (77.0%) and fly traps (65.5%).
• Conversely, fly counts increased on fly strips (19.2%) and spot cards (92.2%) in the treated group.
• Observed increases on fly strips and spot cards are attributed to fly migration from adjacent untreated areas.

Conclusions:

• Methoprene demonstrates significant efficacy in reducing fly emergence directly within poultry manure.
• Fly migration can confound results from certain monitoring methods, necessitating careful interpretation of pest control data.
• Integrated pest management strategies may be required to address methoprene's limitations and overall fly control challenges.