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Buzz Off! How To Keep Flies Away from Alpacas

Summer isn't that far away... The season of long, warm days, lush green pastures, and... flies. Lots of them.


While we love the sunshine here at Fostings Alpacas, it does bring some seasonal challenges - chief among them, keeping our alpacas cool and fly-free. Flies are not only annoying for the animals but can also lead to serious problems like flystrike, so we take fly control seriously, without reaching for anything too harsh or unnatural. Here’s how we manage the buzz and keep our herd happy...



Staying Cool is Key

First up keeping alpacas cool. Heat stress can make alpacas less active and therefore more vulnerable to flies, so it's crucial to help them stay comfortable when temperatures rise.


  1. We make sure there's plenty of shade in the paddocks, whether that's natural tree cover or man-made shelters.

  2. On hotter days, our gang loves a splash! We use large planter trays, dog paddling pools or alpaca splash mats with just enough water in to cover the legs and reach the bottom of the belly when they cush down to provide cooling baths.

  3. A gentle hose off on the legs and bellies helps too. Just a note: never soak their backs, as the wet fleece pushes down, trapping their body heat and actually increases their body temperature.



How to keep flies out of alpaca shelters

To keep flies out of the alpaca shelters, use red top fly traps, vanilla scented car air fresheners and encourage nesting birds!


  1. Red Top Fly Traps are brilliant at catching flies on mass and surprisingly satisfying to check!

  2. Birds - one of the best natural solutions! We found swallows quite like to nest in the shelters, so left their natural nests undisturbed and added in some extra artificial ones to encourage more. The birds do a brilliant job gobbling up insects on the wing!

  3. A less thought of, but no less effective trick (thanks Fancy That Alpacas for this one!) is vanilla scented car air fresheners hung in the shelters - flies hate the smell so stay away!



How to keep flies off alpacas

To keep flies off alpacas, use either NAF Off Citronella Gel dabbed on their head, ears, back and tail every 2 to 3 days or Deosect sprayed on the flanks of the alpacas every couple of weeks (20ml of Deosect diluted with 1 litre of water will cover about 10 alpacas at approx. 100ml solution per alpaca).


Feed the Flies Away:

Believe it or not, we’ve found garlic supplements added to their feed can help repel flies. It doesn’t turn them into vampires, but it does seem to make them less tasty to insects!


Natural Option:

For a completely natural solution to keeping flies off alpacas, try homemade tea tree spray - just dilute tea tree oil in water, but be careful to avoid eyes, mouths, and feed when spraying.




Flystrike in Alpacas


What is Flystrike in Alpacas?

Flystrike is a serious condition where flies lay eggs on an animal’s skin, and when the eggs hatch, the maggots begin feeding on the flesh, causing pain, infection, and potentially life-threatening damage, so quick action is essential with this condition.


What does Flystrike look like in Alpacas?

Flystrike can appear as dark or damp patches in the fleece, fleece loss, a foul smell, visible maggots or just a generally irritated, agitated alpaca. If you spot any of these signs, call your Vet straight away. Sometimes Flystrike is not noticed until after shearing, which is why getting hands on with your alpacas regularly through regular health checks and body condition scoring is so important.



Images: Left, Sheep with soiled rear, which attracts flies to lay eggs (credit to NADIS.org.uk) and Right, Lamb recovering from skin damage caused by flystrike (credit to SCOPS.org.uk)



How is Flystrike Treated in Alpacas?

Treating flystrike effectively typically involves applying an insecticidal dip to kills and/or remove most maggots before manually removing any remaining maggots with tweezers and cleaning and treating the affected skin with antiseptic and healing creams. This process is best done by a Vet as flystrike can cause significant tissue damage and may require additional care such as pain relief, and antibiotics.


How to prevent Flystrike in Alpacas

Flystrike is most commonly caused when flies lay eggs in soiled fleece or open wounds. The key to prevention is maintaining good hygiene and promptly treating any injuries. Here's how:


  1. Monitor for scouring Regularly check faecal egg counts (FECs) to manage worms and coccidia, which can cause scouring (diarrhoea).


  2. Dag if necessary If an alpaca has a dirty rear, dagging (trimming away soiled fleece) helps reduce the risk of fly attraction.

  3. Keep flies off cuts in alpacas To keep flies off cuts or wounds in alpacas, use F10 Barrier Cream which contains insecticidal, antibacterial, and antifungal properties and can be applied directly into cuts, apply NAF Off Citronella Gel around the wound (not in it) to create an insect-repelling barrier and spray the alpaca with Deosect to help keep flies away more generally.



Wishing you a Fly-Free Summer!

From vanilla air fresheners to paddling pools and garlic to trusty sprays, we hope these tips help you keep your alpacas happy, healthy and fly-free this summer!





Disclaimer: Fostings Alpacas are not a veterinarian body. Always consult your vet when creating a health plan for your herd and before administering medication.



Learn how to look after alpacas


This 110 page E-Guide is packed full of information for new and prospective alpaca keepers, covering Alpaca 101, Essential Requirements, Diet & Pasture Management, Costs to Purchase & Keep Alpacas, Routine Husbandry and Common Disease & Parasites in Alpacas. The E-Guide is downloadable upon purchase so you can dive straight in! For the full contents list and to get your copy, just click the image below!


 
 
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