Preventing moisture in potential fly breeding areas is the critical cultural factor in fly control.
The basic design of the livestock and poultry production facility determines how easily and how well the system can be managed to keep it dry, and how effectively the manure can be removed.
Watering systems for the animals are a potential source of moisture if those systems are poorly designed and/or maintained.
Grading and site selection for the animal facilities determines how well rain water is removed from the area to reduce moisture in the fly breeding media.
Liberal use of properly sloped concrete floors, with appropriate gutters and curbs, facilitates drainage and makes manure removal easier.
Areas that are hard to clean (such as under fences and rails, in corners, beneath feed bunkers and waterers) will allow the accumulation of manure and/or feed which will retain water and support the breeding of large numbers of flies.
Concrete aprons around feed bunkers and waterers encourage runoff, simplify cleaning, and lessen fly breeding.
Ventilation and airflow in animal housing will affect the rate of evaporation and may be critical in producing sufficient drying to suppress fly breeding.
Within the constraints of animals needs, as much airflow as possible should be maintained to promote moisture removal from manure and other fly breeding media.
Often insufficient airflow results in the unnecessary retention of moisture in houses - to the point even of condensation and runoff on the walls.
The large number of animals in confined housing contribute substantial moisture to the air, and proper ventilation and airflow are needed to remove this excess moisture. Otherwise, an ideal habitat for adult fly survival and for moist fly breeding media are created.
The outside temperature and relative humidity of the air will, of course, affect drying efficiency in different climatic areas.
