Potential of Tobacco Extracts in Controlling Stable Flies (Stomoxys calcitrans L.) in Beef Cattle

This research aimed to evaluate the potential of tobacco extract for controlling stable flies (Stomoxys calcitrans L.) in beef cattle. The study was divided into three experiments: 1) determination of nicotine concentration in tobacco extract using different fermentation times, 2) laboratory assessment of tobacco extract efficacy against stable flies, and 3) field evaluation of tobacco extract efficacy against stable flies. Results showed that fermenting tobacco with 95% ethanol for 48 hours yielded the highest nicotine content at 46.71 μg/mg, which was significantly different (P<0.001) compared to other fermentation periods. Laboratory studies revealed that the efficacy of tobacco extract in eliminating stable flies increased with concentration and exposure time. The 20% tobacco extract showed maximum efficacy with mortality rates of 98.33% at 24 hours and 100% at 48 hours, while 3% tobacco extract achieved 95% mortality of stable flies at 72 hours. In field trials, 3% tobacco extract demonstrated significantly better control of stable flies compared to the control treatment (distilled water) (P<0.001), but was less effective than 35% cypermethrin. The efficacy of tobacco extract decreased after 96 hours post-application, corresponding with increased fly-repelling behaviors in cattle, including tail flicking, skin twitching, foot stamping, and head swinging. Results from this study indicate that tobacco extract has potential as an alternative to synthetic chemicals for controlling stable flies in beef cattle, which helps reduce chemical use and is environmentally friendly.