Effect on the host

EFFECT ON THE HOST - HORSE FLY

Direct Effect

  • The sight of the fly results in panic amongst the animals and they run madly- gadding. This results in the animals getting fractured, abortion in pregnant animals and even death
  • The bites are painful and irritating and may give rise to wheals in soft skinned animals
  • The tabanids also feed blood @0.2-0.3ml per day which can result in anaemia
  • Due to the addition of anticoagulant through the saliva of tabanids, blood continues to ooze out of the wound and this attracts other flies like Musca domestica to feed on the oozing blood- which can result in myiasis of the affected animal
  • 17% reduction in feed conversion efficacy has been recorded in animals affected by Tabanid infestation

Indirect Effect (vector potentiality)

  • Interrupted method of feeding of Tabanus makes mechanical vector for Trypanosoma evansi and cyclical vector for Trypanosoma theileri
  • Mechanically they can also transmit Anaplasma maginale and the causative organisms of anthrax, tularaemia, rinderpest and equine infectious anaemia
Last modified: Friday, 23 September 2011, 5:35 AM