Costs of existing and recommended manure management practices for house fly and stable fly (Diptera: Muscidae) control on dairy farms

Abstract

Costs of fly control practices were estimated for 26 New York and Maryland dairy farms. Objectives were to characterize existing practices, compare them with the cost of more frequent and complete manure removal to reduce fly breeding, and to compare costs of manure removal and insecticide application. Information was collected in scouting visits and personal interviews of farm operators. Equipment, labor, and bedding costs were included for manure removal. Insecticide application costs included chemicals and labor for application. A typical farm with a stanchion barn had manure removal costs of $0.348 per cow per day. Recommended changes would increase costs by $0.016-0.033 per cow per day. Insecticide costs averaged $0.021 per cow per day. It may be possible to eliminate many of the insecticide applications on the farms by using the recommended 7-d manure removal practice. Even if insecticides are not eliminated entirely, increased manure removal costs would be offset by some reduction in insecticide cost. This also would have the additional benefit of greatly slowing the development of insecticide resistance by the flies.