Spring is upon us! Unfortunately, so are those pesky flies! The fly population in your barn can be difficult to control if you don’t start early enough, so let’s start now! If you wait until last minute, you may have to resort to a fly control that uses many harmful chemicals which are not only bad for you, they are also bad for your horse and property. Use these four methods to naturally control the flies in your barn:
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Healthy diet – A healthy diet is often forgotten but it has a LOT to do with fly control in your barn. A horse that is fed highly processed food with poor quality will produce a horrible smelling manure. This stinky manure will attract more flies. If you feed your horse a more natural diet, you can avoid this. You can also feed your horse a small amount of garlic to keep flies away.
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Manure management – Like we previously stated, manure attracts flies. Keep your barnyard and stalls as clean as possible. This will keep your fly population down. Create a compost pile that is far away from your barn but convenient enough to haul manure to.
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Fly predators – This is becoming a more commonly used practice for many horse owners. Fly predators are insects that can be bought to help control the fly population. They feed on fly larvae which in turn, reduces the fly population. This can be used around your barn and property to create a “shield” from flies.
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Fly traps – There are many different fly traps out that that do NOT put harmful chemicals into the air. Choosing a good fly trap is critical for controlling the adult fly population. My personal favorite is the fly tape. The flies just stick to it. It is easy to use and get rid of!
Fly control should be a part of your farm management schedule. A natural method is always the best route. Start early and have a healthy spring and summer that is almost fly free!
For more information on natural fly control, visit:
http://www.equinewellnessmagazine.com/ and look for volume 10 issue 2!
