Fly Repellent: Fewer Flies in the Stable, on the Pasture and at Home

Fly Repellent: Peace and Quiet for Animals and People

As soon as the weather warms up, flies multiply in the stable at an astonishing rate. They bother cows while they feed, make horses restless out on the pasture and settle on everything left open in the milk room or the farm shop. Good fly repellent therefore combines several measures: catchers and traps for adult flies, products against the larvae in the manure and horsefly traps for the field.

In the Stable and at Home: Catch Flies and Stop the Breeding

You get the best results by tackling the problem in two places at once. Poison-free fly catchers in the form of long sticky tapes, strings or fly rolls take the flies out of the air, while an electric fly killer with UV light works quietly in the milking parlour, the feed room or the kitchen. To stop a constant stream of new flies, fly control products such as larvicides against maggots in the manure, baits and concentrates for the stable are a big help. Never spray biocides on feed, water troughs or animals, and always follow the instructions for use. Mucking out regularly also takes away the places where flies breed.

On Pasture and Paddock: Traps with Attractant and Heat

Outdoors, the best place to catch flies is where they hatch and gather. A pasture fly trap lures them with an attractant that flies find irresistible and people find very smelly, so it hangs well away from the house and the animals. Horseflies call for a different approach: a dark ball warms up in the sun, the horseflies mistake it for an animal and end up in the collecting container. This keeps horses and cattle more relaxed while they graze.

Frequently asked questions

What works best against flies in the stable?
A single product is rarely enough. The best results come from combining a clean stable, sticky catchers or UV traps for the adult flies and a larvicide in the manure so that fewer new flies hatch.

When should I start with fly control?
Start in spring as soon as the first warm days arrive. Every fly you catch early lays no more eggs, so the plague in high summer is much smaller.

Why are there still so many flies despite the fly trap?
Often the trap is hanging in the wrong spot or the breeding sites in the manure are left untreated. Hang catchers where flies gather and tackle the larvae as well.