The usefulness of the natural phenols thymol and isoeugenol to control the emergence of flies from Japanese quail manure.

GLEISER R M; DE DIÓ, M.B.; BATTAN, M.; MARIN, R.H.

Congreso; 2015 Poultry Science Association Annual Meeting; 2015

Saprophagous flies are mechanical vectors of pathogens. Besides, their defecation and regurgitation soils equipment and structures and can reduce light levels of lighting fixtures leading to reductions in productivity, egg quality and welfare. A conventional method for pest control in the short term is the use of synthetic insecticides. However, their extensive and widespread use promotes the development of resistance, and can impact negatively on animals and the environment. Main components of plant essential oils were proposed as bio-friendly alternatives with a wide range of potential effects including pest repellent and biocide. This study evaluates whether direct spraying of thymol or isoeugenol on Japanese quail manure may affect the emergence of flies. Dropping samples from quails fed with a standard breeder ration were collected, placed in open plastic containers and sprayed with one of 6 treatments as follows: solutions of isoeugenol or thymol in ethanol at low (5 x 10-5 mol) or high (4 x 10-4 mol) concentrations of each compounds, ethanol (control), or untreated manure (naïve control). Each sample was exposed for 24 hr in the quail production area to allow flies to oviposit, after which it was incubated inside an emergence cage that was inspected daily to collect emerging adult flies. ANOVAs and proportion tests were used to detect differences at P<0.05.Droppings treatment with thymol significantly reduced the number of emerging Musca domestica and Ophyra aensencens compared with the other treatments. While Musca domestica took more days to emerge from those samples, O. aenescens developed faster. From isoeugenol sprayed droppings emerged a significantly higher number of Coproica spp and Muscina stabulans, with no effects on M. domestica. Isoeugenol did not significantly affect adult emergence times. Spraying quail manure with thymol appears as an alternative for M. domestica control. The use of isoeugenol remains uncertain. Further confirmatory studies should be done in actual farm conditions and also with other more economically relevant poultry species.