THE BOT FLY.

Patea Mail, Volume XXXII, 14 December 1910, Page 3

THE BOT FLY.

' „ - " Now that the hot; fly season is ap. preaching, fa-mers maybe interested in the experiences of an Australian farmer, who recently lost a valuable draught mare through this peefc. A post mortem examination showed that scores of young hots had literally blocked tho passage of fova through the intestiues. whereas tho animal was thought to have been seized with gripes, or suffering from a very severe strain. Most of tho hots wore fully an inch in length, au's were found to have eaten away the inner lining of tho intestines. Mr Livingstone, the owner referred to, says the eggs Im'ch ip nine dhvs, and contends that the practice of hanging a piece of cloth behind the animal's jaw is no preventive, and he advises horse owners at loast onco a week to clip off the hair the eggs adhere, or apply turps, which will destroy them. - These flies commence to come in October and if th ■ weather ia dry are troublesome up to the end of February. Mr Livingstone states that a good plan is co give horses at the end of February a dose of chloroform, and then openiug medicioo. The formtr causes the rata or young flie3 to detach themselves from the intestines and the latter takes them out of tho body. He has found this the best cuve, ami is satisfied that scores of horsos which have died supposedly from gripes, pneumonia, etc,, have loally been infested internallv with hot larvae.