If you own a barn, flies may very well be a constant nuisance for you in summertime. Fortunately, there are also some other things you can do to eliminate—or at least reduce—fly populations in your barn. Below, a Marquette, MI vet offers tips on fighting barn flies.
Improve Drainage
Are there areas in your barn that are continuously wet? Look into improving drainage in these areas: moisture attracts all sorts of pesky intruders, including flies.
Standing Water
We all know how important it is to scrub those water buckets out, but it can be easy to forget to dump rainwater out of other containers.
Remove Manure Dumps
Every week, or two weeks at the most, have your manure picked up and moved to an off-site location. This can really help control fly populations! Keeping manure piles as far away from the barn as possible will also help.
Vinegar
Spray manure piles with a mixture of water and vinegar. You can also spray this solution along your aisles and on stall walls.
Fans
Setting up fans in your barn will also help reduce flies. These unwanted guests can’t fly very well against strong air currents.
Sealed Trash/Feed Bins
Use feed bins that seal tightly. (Tip: an old chest freezer can make a great grain bin.) You also want to use garbage cans that close securely. Even a fast-food wrapper tossed into the tack room trash can attract pests. Also, throw away empty feed bags immediately.
Commercial Products
Commercial products, such as timed-release sprayers, can be very effective, but they can be harsh on horses and people with chemical sensitivities. Certain supplements can also be helpful in reducing flies. Ask your vet for specific recommendations.
Pasturage
Don’t forget about your outdoor areas! Clean your pastures, paddocks, and rings regularly, and remove manure piles.
Screens
Don’t overlook simple, tried-and-true solutions. Installing screen doors on your tack and feed rooms can also help reduce flies.
Flytraps
There are many different types of flytraps. Fly strips are of course a very familiar sight around barns, and can work very well, but you will need to change them frequently. You can also look into making homemade flytraps, and putting one in front of every stall.
Please contact us, your Marquette, MI animal clinic, for all of your veterinary care needs. We are here to help!
