As Seen in the Field: Tabanids

Tabanids are a family of insects that include horse flies and deer flies. Active in the summer and fall seasons, tabanids can be difficult to control. Female horse flies take a blood meal that results in a painful bite. In grand proportions, tabanids can cause economic loss to animals through production loss, injury while avoiding a bite, or through secondary pathogen infection, as the wound left after a bite is often exposed and vulnerable.

Unfortunately, there are not many satisfactory control measures and management practices must be tailored to each facility. Treating animals with insecticides are often unsuccessful as tabanids do not stay on the host animal long enough to feel the effects. If you are faced with a tabanid problem, it is recommended that you shelter animals, if possible, as tabanids will avoid feeding indoors, and avoid pasturing animals near swampy areas.