Distribution of Fly Pests in a Farm in Plateau State, Nigeria

An evaluation of fly pests of cattle was conducted in Federal College of Animal Health and Production Technology (FCAH&PT) Farm, Chaha Village, Jos South Local Government Area, Plateau State, Nigeria between August and October, 2020. Samples were collected from the farm weekly for three months. A total of nine hundred and nineteen (919) adult dipterous flies comprising fifteen species in eight genera across the three sub-orders were caught and identified using aerial sweeping hand net, light trapping and aerial insecticide spray. Phlebotomus papaltasi (44.18%) was the most prevalent while Simulium damnosum (0.22%) was the least. Others were Musca domestica (17.73%), Stomoxys calcitrans (11.43%), Culicoides species (10.99%), Musca autumnalis (10.23%), mosquitoes – Anopheles gambiae/Culex quequinfasciatus (4.89%) and Tabanus species (0.33%). The haematophagous flies (72.04%) out-numbered the non-haematophagous flies (27.96%) and the number of females collected/caught 780 (84.87%) were higher than the males 139 (15.13%). The highest collections were made in October (353 representing 38.41%) while September had the lowest (263 /28.62%). The study established the presence of fly pests in the farm and recommends that appropriate control measures should be put in place to forestall any disease outbreak.

Efficacy of Broilers as a Method of Face Fly (Musca autumnalis De Geer) Larva Control for Organic Dairy Production

The objective of this study was to evaluate Freedom-Ranger broiler chickens as a method to control face fly (Musca autumnalis De Geer) larvae in cow dung pats on pasture. Ninety-nine pats in three replicates were inoculated with first-instar larvae and exposed to one of four treatment conditions for 3 to 4 days: (1) an environment-controlled greenhouse (GH); (2) pasture without broilers (NEG); (3) pasture with 25 broilers stocked at a low density of 2.5 m2 of outdoor area per broiler (LOW); and (4) pasture with 25 broilers stocked at a high density of 0.5 m2 of outdoor area per broiler (HIGH). Broiler behaviors and weather conditions were recorded twice daily. Survival rates of larvae (mean, 95% CI) were similar for pats in the NEG (4.4%, 2–9%), LOW (5.6%, 3–11%), and HIGH (3.2%, 2–7%) groups, and was greatest for larvae reared in the GH (54.4%, 36–72%) group compared to all other groups. The proportion of broilers observed pasture ranging was 14.0% (6–28%) but was negatively related to solar radiation. Broilers were never observed foraging in pats. Results indicate that use of broilers may not be an effective method for controlling larvae of dung pat breeding flies.