The house fly, and the lesser house fly are nuisance flies that can impact your layer operation. More than just annoying, however, flies also have the ability to carry and transmit Salmonella Enteritidis within a flock, or to other flocks.¹

Peter Holt and Christopher Geden, scientists for USDA Agricultural Research Services, found that house flies can contract Salmonella from infected hens. The disease can then be spread to an uninfected hen if it eats an infected fly. Peter Holt stated “We found simple physical contact may not be the primary method of transfer of Salmonella bacteria to different surfaces in a poultry house. But a hen’s eating of contaminated flies does seem to be the primary mechanism of transmission of Salmonella from flies to birds.”*

Fly Control in Layer Production

There are a number of strategies poultry producers can implement to decrease the fly population within layer houses. By controlling these pests, producers are not only supporting the health and welfare of the birds and workers but they are helping to control Salmonella transmission within the flock. When it comes to production and management of a layer house, there are a number of considerations.

1. Fly Monitoring Program

Monitoring fly populations should be part of the everyday management of poultry facilities. Monitoring provides a written record of the fly population throughout the production cycle. This provides useful insights to assess the efficacy of any given fly control program and helps indicate when treatment interventions are required. One way to monitor fly activity is to use spot (fly speck) cards. 

Producers can pin white index cards in areas of the chicken house where flies are resting. When the flies land on the cards they will leave light or dark colored spots from fecal matter or vomit. Light spots indicate vomit and dark spots are feces. The cards should be checked and replaced once a week. In general, if 100 or more fly specks are counted this indicates that fly activity needs attention.

2. Biosecurity in Poultry

Biosecurity includes protecting the facility from Salmonella entering the poultry barns. This includes disinfecting all footwear, vehicles and equipment when entering and leaving a facility; observing clean clothing protocols when entering and leaving the site; and eliminating or maintaining low pest and rodent populations.

3. Larvicide Treatments

Incorporating a larvicide treatment into your bioprotection program is an easy and effective way to proactively control the fly population. Some insect growth regulators (IGRs) are an in-feed solution for fly control in breeder and layer facilities that interrupts the life cycle of the fly at the larval stage. It’s recommended to use an IGR in conjunction with an effective adulticide. Because of the increased presence of manure in high-rise houses, incorporating a larvicide treatment into your fly mitigation strategy can be quite beneficial.

The unavoidable presence of manure and the adaptability of flies mean that these insects will never be fully eliminated. Taking the necessary steps to control the fly population on poultry farms helps support bird health and productivity, and reduces the nuisance to birds and humans.

Elanco offers full-spectrum larvicide and adulticide products that deliver quick kill and long-lasting residual control of house fly populations in your poultry operation. For more information on approaches to integrated pest management, contact your Elanco sales team.

*Shoo Fly! Role of House Flies in Spreading Salmonella in Poultry