Fly Control in the Pig Pen
Fly control is an annoying necessity for the mini pig owner. Depending on your geographical location, weather, season, pen setup, and maintenance schedule, fly control may not be needed at all, or it may require some big adjustments to your routine. The first step is to make sure you are set up for success!
Tips for a healthy environment
- Identify the source. Locate the source of the fly problem, focus on areas of food waste, trashcans, compost piles, manure, or wet areas.
- Minimize trash impact. Store trash cans well away from pig’s area. Keep trash dry with a tight fitting lid. Keep food waste tightly wrapped in bags.
- Keep pig pen dry. Flies thrive and breed in moisture rich environment. Keep pens dry through absorbent materials or waterproof roofing. Plan pig pen with good drainage to prevent water accumulation from rain.
- Manure Management. Remove manure on a daily basis.
- Diatomaceous Earth. If wet areas or manure areas persist, sprinkle food grade Diatomaceous Earth on the area to prevent fly breeding in the material.
- Fly Predators. Use harmless parasitic wasps to prey on the fly population.
- Fly Traps. Use non toxic fly traps to reduce the fly population. Keep these well away from the house as there may be a strong offensive odor. There are many fly traps on the market, like sticky traps and bag traps.
- Peppermint Leaves. Rubbing fresh mint leaves on your pig will deter mosquitos and flies.
- Chemical Control. Bronco Fly Spray (in the white bottle) can be sprayed directly on the pig or sprayed throughout the pig pen to repel flies from the area.
Visit our website to learn more about mini pigs, find a registered mini pig breeder, become a member of the AMPA and register your mini pig in the official mini pig registry!
www.AmericanMiniPigAssociation.com
