Flystrike among Domestic Animals: An Overview

Flystrike is a condition which arises due to egg laying by certain group of flies on open wounds of domestic animals. After hatching, the larvae bury themselves under the skin and feeding on their flesh for a certain period of time. Infested animals often exhibit symptoms like distress, low appetite, and putrid odour, many of which further result in enhancement of oviposition by flies. Flystrike can prove to be fatal for affected animal due to septicemia or ammonia poisoning. The condition is troublesome, not only leading to degradation of livestock, but also causing the economics losses to the livestock industry. The loss of productivity is generally in terms of reduced production from the individually struck animals, and through the elevated amount of time and cost of treating and preventing the condition. Effective measures are needed to minimize the risk of flystrike that can prove beneficial to the health and wellbeing of livestock and farm productivity