THE IMPACTS OF FLY MENACE ON LIVESTOCK PRODUCTION IN A CHANGING CLIMATE: A REVIEW

G. Ponnudurai; M. Rani

doi:10.56093/ijvasr.v55i6.185427

Authors

G. Ponnudurai Dean, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Theni - 625 534
M. Rani Professor and Head, Department of Veterinary Parasitology, Veterinary College and Research Institute, TANUVAS, Udumalpet

https://doi.org/10.56093/ijvasr.v55i6.185427

Keywords:

Livestock , fly menace, vector potentiality, economic losses, control strategy

Abstract

Livestock Production in India has been showing a steady and strong growth in recent years; milk production has reached a record high of 247.87 million tonnes in 2025 and total meat production rising to 10.50 million tonnes. However, fly menace has become one of the major constraints for the profitable livestock farming in the face of global warming, particularly in tropical countries like India. The rise in temperature and relative humidity directly influences the bionomics of arthropod pest such as frequency of feeding and life cycle duration. The accelerated life cycle results in high intensity of pest population, eventually the fly menace becomes beyond threshold level, causing huge economic losses in dairy and small ruminant production. The losses associated with flymenace include blood loss, reduced milk and meat production by direct injury, and indirectly the arthropod pests cause economic loss through transmission of dreadful diseases caused by virus, bacteria, rickettsia and parasites. The vector and vector borne diseases have long been controlled through various classes of insecticide, but indiscriminate use has led to insecticide resistance. Hence, in this review the common fly species affecting livestock, associated losses and control strategies.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Anbarasi, P., Ponnudurai, G., Senthilvel, K., Sukumar, K. and Srinivasan, P. (2021). Impact of Haematobia exigua (Buffalo fly) in cattle in Namakkal region, Tamil Nadu. Journal of Animal Research, 1(11): 207-211.

Anbarasi, P., Ponnudurai, G., Senthilvel, K., Sukumar, K., and Srinivasan, P. and Chitra, R. (2024). The effect of Haematobia exigua infestation on cattle behaviour and milk production. International Journal of Veterinary Sciences and Animal Husbandry, 9(5): 387-390.

Altunsoy, F. (2012). Seasonal abundance of horse fly (Diptera: Tabanidae). Journal of entomological research society, p. 95-105

Archana, M., Placid, E.D., Renuka Prasad, C. and Byregowda, S.M. (2014). Prevalence of different species of Culicoides in Bangalore rural and urban districts of South India. Journal of Parasitic Diseases, 40(3):591–604.

Baldacchino, F., Muenworn, V., Desquesnes, M., Desoli, F., Charoenviriyaphap, T. and Duvallet, G. (2013). Transmission of pathogens by Stomoxys flies (Diptera, Muscidae): a review. Parasite, 20: 26- 40.

Berry, I.L. and Campbell, J.B. (1985). Time and weather effects on daily feeding patterns of stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae). Environmental Entomology, 14: 336–34.

Boland, H.T., Scaglia, G. and Umemurat, K. (2008). Impact of horn flies, Haematobia irritans (L.), (Diptera: Muscidae), on the behaviour of beef steers. Professional Animal Scientist, 24:656-660.

Bramley, A.J., Hillerton, J.E., Higgs, T.M. and Hogben, E.M. (1985). The carriage of summer mastitis pathogens by muscid flies. British Veterinary Journal, 141(6): 618-627.

Breijo, M., Rocha, S., Ures, X., Pedrana, G., Alonzo, P. and Meikle, A. (2014). Accessibility of blood affects the attractiveness of cattle to horn flies. Medical Veterinary Entomology, 28(1):116-18.

Byford, R.L., Craig, M.E. and Crosby, B. (1992). A review of ectoparasites and their effect on cattle production. Journal of Animal Sciences,70:597-602.

Choudhary, S., Kumar. R., Choudhary, Y., Kamboj, M., Kumar, A., Kumar, S. and Paul, A. (2019). Fly menaces in dairy farm and its strategies for prevention and control - an overview. International Journal of Livestock Research, 9: 1-1.

Desquesnes, M., Biteau-Coroller, F., Bouyer, J., Dia, M.L. and Foil, L. (2009). Development of a mathematical model for mechanical transmission of trypanosomes and other pathogens of cattle transmitted by tabanids. International Journal for Parasitology, 39(3):333–346.

Hansen, A.C., Moon, R.D., Endres, M.I., Pereira, G.M. and Heins, B.J. (2023). The defensive behaviours and milk production of pastured dairy cattle in response to stable flies, horn flies, and face flies. Animals, 13: 3847.

Harris, R.L., Miller, J.A. and Frazar, E.D. (1974). Horn flies and stable flies feeding activity. Annals of Entomological Society of America, 67: 891–894.

Hart, B.L. (1994). Behavioural defence against parasite Interaction with parasite invasiveness. Parasitology, 109:S139-15.

Johnson, S.J. Arthur, R.J. and Shepherd, R. (1986) The distribution and prevalence of Stephanofilariasis in cattle in Queensland. Australian Veterinary Journal, 63:121–124

Jonsson, N.N. and Mayer, D.G. (1999). Estimation of the effects of buffalo fly (Haematobia irritans exigua) on the milk production of dairy cattle based on a meta-analysis of literature data. Medical Veterinary Entomology, 13(4):372-6.

Karunamoorthy, G. (1993). Bionomics and biological control of Muscids of Veterinary importance. Ph. D Thesis submitted to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai.

Lysyk, T.J. and Moon, R.D. (1994). Diapause induction in the horn fly (Diptera: Muscidae). Canadian Entomology, 126: 949–959.

Morgan, N.O. (1964). Autecology of adult horn fly Haematobia irritans(L) (Diptera: Muscidae). Ecology, 45:728-736.

Mosca, M., Vabret, M., Randleff- Rasmussen, P. and Pin, D. (2018). Skin lesions in Aubrac cows strongly associated with fly bites (Haematobia irritans). Veterinary Dermatology, 29:254-29.

Muller, G.C., Hogsette, J.A., Beier, J.C., Traore, S.F., Toure, M.B., Traore, M.M., Bah, S., Doumbia, S. and Schlein. Y. (2012). Attraction of Stomoxys sp. to various fruits and flowers in Mali. Medical Veterinary Entomology, 26: 178–187.

Mullens, B.A., Lii, K.S., Mao, Y., Meyer, J.A., Peterson, N.G. and Szijj, C.E. (2006). Behavioural responses of dairy cattle to the stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans, in an open field environment. Medical Veterinary Entomology, 20: 122–137.

Narladkar, B.W. (2018). Projected economic losses due to vector and vector-borne parasitic diseases in livestock of India and its significance in implementing the concept of integrated practices for vector management. Veterinary World, 11(2): 151-160.

Nwaerema peace (2020). Impact of climate change on insects, pests, diseases and animal biodiversity. International Journalof Environmental Science and Nature Research, 23(5):556123

Onder, Z., Duzlu, O., Yildirim, A., Ciloglu, A., Okur, M. and Inci, A. (2018). Molecular characterization of the horn fly Haematobia irritans infesting horses in Central Anatolia region in Turkey. Journal of Equine Veterinary Science, 64: 49 -54.

Owens, W.E., Oliver, S.P., Gillespie, B.E., Ray, C.H. and Nickerson, S.C. (1998). Role of horn flies (Haematobia irritans) in Staphylococcus aureus- induced mastitis in dairy heifers. American Journal of Veterinary Research, 59(9):1122-4.

Ponnudurai, G., Harikrishnan, T.J., Abdul Basith, S. and Rani, N. (2010). Incidence of Hypoderma lineatum in a herd of cattle in Tamil Nadu. Indian Veterinary Journal, 87:621- 622.

Ponnudurai, G. and Harikrishnan,T.J. (2011). House fly (Musca domestica) population around caged layer in Namakkal Tamil Nadu. Indian Veterinary Journal, 88:22-23

Ponnudurai, G., Rani, N. and Velusamy, R. (2015). Integrated fly management for control of house fly (Diptera: Musca domestica) in layer chicken farms: A review. Indian Journal of Animal Sciences, 85:439-445

Ponnudurai, G. and Rani, N. (2018). Veterinary Clinical and Diagnostic Parasitology. First Edn pp40. Jaya Publishing House, New Delhi.

Ponnudurai, G., Sivakumar, K., Selvaraju, G., Rajendran, K. and Rani, N. (2022). Commercial layer farm a new breeding ground for biting fly Stomoxys calcitrans (Muscidae) in Tamil Nadu, India unpublished

Raju Metri. (2021). Morphological and molecular identification of Tabanids in Western Ghats of Karnataka and Evaluation of traps, Ph. D thesis submitted to the Karnataka Veterinary, Animal and Fisheries Sciences University, Bidar.

Rani, N. (2013). Evaluation of plant essential oils for control of house flies. Ph. D Thesis submitted to the Tamil Nadu Veterinary and Animal Sciences University, Chennai- 51.

Rodrigues, A., Fighera, R.A., Souza T.M., Schild, A.L. and Barros, C.S.L. (2009). Neuropathology of naturally occurring Trypanosoma evansi infection of horses. Veterinary Pathology, 46:251.

Sathiyamoorthy, N. and Ponnudurai, G. (2017). Prevalence of Culicoides spp. in Namakkal - unpublished

Sathiyamoorthy, N., Senthilvel, K., Ponnudurai, G., Rani, N. and Ramya, K. (2017). Survey on insecticide usage pattern against house fly (Musca domestica) population in commercial poultry farms in Namakkal, Tamil Nadu Abstract presented in International Conference onA local initiative for global solutions organised by the health departments, Veterinary College and Research Institute, Namakkal from 20th & 21st, 2017.

Senthilvel, K., Arunachalam, K., Velusamy, R., Anbarasi, P. and Ponnudurai, G. (2013). Comparative efficacy of closantel and ivermectin against nasal myiasis in sheep. Indian Veterinary Journal, 90:82-83.

Soulsby, E.J.L. (1982). Helminths, Arthropods and Protozoa of domesticated animals, 7th Edn, Published by Elsevier, a division of Reed Elsevier India, Rajkamal Electric Press, Delhi. pp 809

Tamilam, T.V., Ponnudurai, G., Harikrishnan, T.J. and Balasubramaniam, G.A. (2010). Efficacy of thermocole coated with spores of Metarhizium anisopliae and Beauveria bassiana against adult house flies. Journal of Veterinary Parasitology, 24:155-158.

Taylor, D.B., Moon, R.D. and Mark, D.R. (2012). Economic impact of stable flies (Diptera: Muscidae) on dairy and beef cattle production. Journal of Medical Entomology, 49: 198–209.

Thirunavukkarasu, P., Ponnudurai, G., Ramakrishnan, S., Sakthivadivu, R. and Nithya, C. (2023). Management of an unusual buffalo fly (Haematobia exigua) menace in swine farm. Annals of Entomology, 41 (1): 45-48.

Vitela-Mendoza, I.C., Cruz-Vázquez, J., Solano-Vergara, A. and Trujillo, O. (2016). Relationship between serum cortisol concentration and defensive behavioural responses of dairy cows exposed to natural infestation by stable fly, Stomoxys calcitrans. Journal of Dairy Science, 99: 9912-9916.

Wiliams, R.E. (2010). Veterinary Entomology: Livestock and Companion Animals. CRC Press, New York, 376 p. Zar JH 1999. Biostatistical Analysis. 4th Edn. Prentice-Hall, Inc., New Jersey, 663 p.