The stable fly is a little bit larger than a house fly and is a blood feeder. They tend to feed on the lower legs of animals. If you see cattle stomping their feet and you look at their legs you will likely see stable flies feeding. The painful bites they produce reduce the efficiency of your animals.

Fly control really is based on manure management and removal of breeding sites. Warm weather and frequent rains that keep even small amounts of manure and feed wet, it is important to remove these breeding sites as quickly as possible to reduce fly numbers as quickly as possible.

Residual fly sprays or fly baits can be used to knock down fly problems but are only a temporary solution.

For more information on controlling flies on the farm, contact the Barren County Cooperative Extension Service.

– Don’t Let Hay Harvest Go Up in Smoke

Producing hay in the springtime in Kentucky can often be challenging at best. After all the hard work, producers don’t want to let the excessive heat within bales result in them going up in smoke.

Every year in Kentucky, hay bales catch fire because of excessive heating. This sometimes leads to large losses of closely stored bales, as well as perhaps a storage building. There are some steps farmers can take to avoid excessive heating in hay bales.

“Moisture is generally the culprit to hay heating,” as reported by Tom Keene, University of Kentucky College of Agriculture hay marketing specialist. “The two moisture levels that need to be monitored are at the point of baling and when the hay is put into storage.”

Research shows that for small bales, the moisture content should be between 18 and 20 percent while for large round bales it should be between 15 to 18 percent. Even if hay is baled at these moisture levels, it can still excessively heat sometimes, especially if incorrectly stored.

The most reliable way to check for moisture in hay is with a microwave oven, which takes about 20 minutes. Farmers may obtain instructions on the full process through the UK Cooperative Extension Service.

Commercial moisture meters are also available and do a good job. Some meters also come with a temperature reading. If moisture levels are too high, put off baling until hay reaches desirable levels. Preservatives can allow for baling at high moisture levels, but be sure to read and follow label directions.

Hay generally goes through a heating cycle after it is baled, so it is best to let large round hay bales sit for a couple of weeks before moving it to the storage location.

To facilitate proper hay curing, store small square bales on edge, with the cut side up. This will allow warm, moist air to escape the bale better. Round bakes or mid-sized square bales should be left outside until temperatures have approached ambient temperature.

After baling, check the temperatures within the bale. It is not unusual for internal temperatures to be 100 degrees and may go as high as 130 to 140 degrees. As the temperature increases so does the risk of fire. If you see it climbing above 130 degrees, check it on a daily basis. Check it several times a day if the temperature continues to climb. If it is in a storage structure or in a tight row of bales outside, begin to think about moving them.

Immediately move the bales if the temperature reaches 150 degrees, and if it is above 160 and climbing, call the fire department before moving the bales.