Ability of the Face Fly to Cause Damage to Eyes of Cattle12

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Abstract
A lacrimation eye score and eye index score for cattle was devised to evaluate effects of feeding by Musca autumnalis De Geer on eye lacrimation. The lacrimation eye score for cattle exposed to face flies for 33 days averaged 1.7 compared to 0.03 for the eyes of cattle not exposed to face fly feeding. The eyes of 75% of cattle exposed to an avg of one face fly/eye for 33 days developed petechial lesions. Unexposed cattle developed no observable eye lesions. After 43 days of face fly exposure, 38% of the lesions had progressed from the petechial stage to an ecchymosis stage. Lesions of this type can predispose the eye to pathogens that cause losses in animal production. Thus, an economic injury level of one face fly/eye/month is proposed.

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