Control of Manure Breeding Flies in Poultry Houses with Larvadex, 1981

Abstract

Abstract Three high rise poultry houses located in Lancaster County, Pennsylvania were used to evaluate Larvadex, an insect growth inhibitor for the control of manure breeding muscid flies. Treatment schedules were varied in order to determine the frequency of applications needed in order to maintain control. Two different treatment applications were tested, i.e., mixed in the feed and metered through the water. Changes in house fly populations were monitored by counting the number of adult flies resting within ft marked areas on the walls and posts. As a feed-through, 1 lb of Larvadex 0.3% premix per ton of feed was tested at a high rise house at Penryn. The house was 44 x 478 ft and housed 60,000 caged layers. The house was completely cleaned out before 22-week old birds were moved in on Mar 16. Larvadex was fed from May 4-19, 24-26, Jun 19-21, Jul 16-18, Jul 24-26, Aug 14-16, 21-23, 29-31, Sep 8-10, 16-19, and 26-28. The only other fly control measures taken to reduce adult fly buildup was spraying the pit walls with Atroban 25% WP (permethrin) on Oct 3, ‘80 and baiting upstairs occasionally with Golden Malrin (Lannate). When Larvadex was metered through the water, 3 ml 5% SC per 100 gal water, it was tested in two high rise houses. The house near Colebrook was 44 x 400 ft and housed 50,000 caged layers. The house was cleaned out in Feb before the birds went out and new birds were added Feb 25. Larvadex was immediately started and used every other day until Mar 11. Then it was used on Mar 12-13, 16-30, Apr 3, 6, 13, Apr 20-May 1, May 4-5, 8-9, 12, 15, 20, Jun 1-2, 8-9, 15-16, 22-25, 30, Jul 1, 3-7, and 10-11. None was used again until Sep 1 when it was used everyday for 12 days. After that, it was metered in only 2 rows, where breeding was most evident, until Sep 20. All 5 rows received treatment on Sep 28-30. Other fly control measures taken were spraying 83.8% of the pit wall with Ectrin 15% WP (fenvalerate) on Jul 27, and the upstairs was fogged with C-EM-DIE (pyrethrin) on Aug 21. The house at Ephrata was 44 X 500 ft and housed 45,000 caged layers. The flock had been in place since Nov ‘80 and the manure was totally removed May 8th and 0.33 on Sep 24. Larvadex was used from May 13th to Jun 12, Jun 20-22, Jul 10-11, 17-18, 23-25, Jul 31-Aug 3, Aug 26-28, Sep 4-6, 11-13, 19-21, and 26-28.