Swine Morsels

Swine morsels VIII

Drosophilae control
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By Monte W. Fuhrman - DVM, BSc
Published: Jul. 11, 2006

I have taken this from a previous farm report. It’s how to get rid of ‘barn gnats’ that are so pesky this time of year. The Drosophilae (gnat-like fruit flies) are just about gone! We will have to continue our current successful control methods. I’ll print them again here, just to reinforce them. The Pit Remedy is supposed to be used monthly. Please keep it on the calendar.

  • One control method we are going to try in the meantime is to break down the crust on top of the manure storage basin under the sows. These parasites are ovipositing (laying eggs) on top of the crust where the larvae are feeding on fermented spilled feed. We will use 2 gallons of Pit Remedy for every 1000 sows the first treatment and 1 gallon per 1000 sows after that monthly. There are 32 pits in the barn. Each has to receive about 12 ounces of the Pit Remedy. Dilution can occur for ease of administration. The crust must be locally broken down for the Pit Remedy to make its way into the basin content prior to administration.
  • Sweeping up spilled fermented feed could just about eliminate the gnats, the way it looks. It would have to be a daily affair and have to be complete - - in and around feeders and all floors. This is assuming no crust is present on the below floor nutrient.
  • Farrowing rooms should be controllable just from every three week washing.
  • Use Tempo at 1 ounce per gallon of spray. Wet all surfaces in the barn (top to bottom). It takes about 7 ½ gallons of spray to do 400 sow spaces. Repeat in about 21 days for good long term control. Don’t forget all of the above steps as well.