Evaluation of large scale trapping of flies as a means of reducing the
incidence of flystrike in lambs
D.S. Atkinson, D.M. Leathwick
AgResearch, Flock House Agricultural Centre, Private Bag 1900,
Bulls, New Zealand
Proceedings of the New Zealand Society of Animal Production. 1995,
55: 193-195
The potential of large scale bin trapping of flies as a means of reducing
the incidence of flystrike was evaluated. Two 5 ha paddocks of similar soil
type and pasture species composition, but more than 500 m apart, were used.
From Nov. 16 to Dec. 24 flies were trapped in paddock 1 using four 2001 bin
traps baited with sheepís offal and sodium sulphide. Both paddocks were
grazed continuously with lambs, the lambs being interchanged between
paddock on Dec. 7. This procedure was repeated, using different lambs and
with the bins transferred to paddock 2, between Feb.22 and Mar.25, with the
lambs being interchanged between paddocks on Mar.16. All lambs were
yarded and examined for flystrike 3 times each week. All strikes were
treated with insecticide after samples had been collected for fly species
identification. Small (31) West Australian fly traps were used to monitor
background fly populations in both paddocks throughout the trial.
There was no difference between paddocks in either numbers of lambs struck
or in strike rate (strikes/lamb/day), indicating that the presence of the bin
traps had no effect on the incidence of flystrike. A possible explanation for
this is that 90% of the flies caught in the bin traps were Lucilia
sericata while the dominant fly striking sheep was Licilia cuprina
(i.e., 68% of strikes comprised L.cuprina alone whilst 30%
comprised a mixture of L.cuprina and L.sericata).
Keywords: NZSAPAB;
flystrike; lambs; traps; bin traps; Lucilia cuprina Lucilia
sericata.
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Last Updated 25-01-1997
