SCHEDULED SANITATION TO REDUCE STABLE FLY (DIPTERA, MUSCIDAE) POPULATIONS IN BEEF-CATTLE FEEDLOTS

Sanitation has been long recommended as a means of reducing stable By, Stomoxys calcitrans (L.), populations at cattle feedlots, but there i s little published research to support this recommendation. In each of the 2 yr of this study, 4 feedlots received complete sanitation and 4 feedlots received no cleaning. The objective was to have the initial cleaning done before 1 June and then to reclean as needed every 2 wk t hereafter. The feedlots that were cleaned had significantly fewer flie s than the uncleaned feedlots, with 50.9% fewer stable flies during th e 1st yr and 36.2% fewer flies in the 2nd yr. These reductions were re alized even though initial cleaning was not done by 1 June in either y ear: bad weather delayed completion until 20 June the 1st yr and 29 Ju ne the 2nd yr. Sanitation at cattle feedlots significantly reduces sta ble fly populations and sanitation may have been more effective if ini tial cleaning was done by 1 June.