Risk factors affecting dairy cattle protective grouping behavior, commonly known as bunching, against Stomoxys calcitrans (L.) on California dairies.

ABSTRACT: Bunching is the term used to describe the protective aggregating behavior of cattle against the painful bites of stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans), where cattle gather in a group with their heads to the center of the group and their tails to the outside to reduce stable fly attack. Both sexes of the stable fly feed on blood, and their painful bites negatively impact cattle health, productivity and welfare. A longitudinal study was conducted from April to July 2017 to estimate the stable fly activity on 20 California dairies (average herd size = 2466 ± 1050), to determine stable fly activity that induced bunching, and to evaluate the association between management and environmental factors, and cattle bunching. Stable fly activity was recorded weekly using trap counts and leg counts. Data

SUBMITTER: El Ashmawy WR 

PROVIDER: S-EPMC6837549 | biostudies-literature | 2019

REPOSITORIES: biostudies-literature