Keys to Successful Flea Control in Ruminants

Just mentioning the word “fleas” makes our skin itch. These small insects can be a real headache on a livestock farm.

Definition

Fleas are ectoparasitic hematophagous insects, belonging to the order Siphonaptera, meaning they are parasites that feed on the blood of other animals.

Characteristics

They are characterized by their:

• Small size
• Laterally flattened morphology
• Brown color

Despite their small size, they are surprising insects, worthy of the title “high jump champions,” capable of jumping up to 100 times their own height, a skill that popularized “flea circuses,” where their spectacular talent was showcased. Another of their “weapons” is the enzyme apyrase, an anti-platelet aggregator responsible for the intense skin and allergic reactions that appear in the host.

Of the more than 2,000 species and subspecies, the most relevant for human and veterinary medicine are:

They are parasites and, as such, directly affect the performance of animals due to the continuous discomfort of their bites. Most importantly, they are transmitters of significant diseases.

Main Problems Associated with Fleas

The main problems that can be found on livestock farms associated with fleas are:

Factors to Consider for Flea Control

Biological Cycle

Fleas have a great reproductive capacity, being able to multiply rapidly on a livestock farm, favoring the emergence of resistance to insecticides if the appropriate treatment is not carried out. The flea is a holometabolous insect, meaning it undergoes a complete metamorphosis, going through the stages of:

• Eggs

50% (invisible). They are not sticky, so they fall to the ground, mainly found in the host’s bedding. The facility fills with eggs in no time!

• Larva

35% (invisible). They feed on organic debris, moving by stimuli such as vibration, pressure, and CO2, during the night, as they are blind and avoid light.

• Pupa

10% (invisible). After a state of latency, they emerge thanks to stimuli such as CO2, pressure, vibration, and heat.

• Adult

5% (Visible). Their biological cycle depends on: Temperature. Sensitive to cold and heat Humidity Feeding. Females feed on the host’s blood Light. The change in light is the stimulus to jump onto the host

• Temperature: It has a great impact, as it determines the average development time of the flea
• Humidity
• Species
• Substrate they feed on

Average Development Time of the Flea

Environment

To achieve effective flea control, it is essential to act on two levels: on the host and in its resting place.

Vectors

It is important to avoid the presence of vectors and reservoirs on the farm, such as cats, dogs, rodents, foxes, etc., carry out good manure management, and strictly follow a cleaning and disinfection protocol designed according to the conditions of the facilities.

Product

The application of a treatment aimed only at eliminating adults will be a futile effort as they only constitute 5% of the population. The remaining 95% are precursor forms -invisible to the naked eye-, and if they are not eliminated, the cycle will continue.

An integral treatment on the farm is recommended, using an Adulticide combined with a Larvicide, so that all present phases are controlled

To effectively control the flea population, it is crucial to act on all phases of the insect. Some market products are designed to act specifically against a particular stage of the flea, and they can be used together to enhance their action.

Products formulated with different compounds and presentations should be combined to act at all levels, specifically in the different areas where fleas inhabit.