House Flies: A Hidden Cost in the Beef Industry? The humble house fly is often viewed as an annoyance rather than a significant economic factor.
Research published in March 2023 in the Journal of Medical Entomology, however, suggests that these tiny insects may have a more profound impact on the beef industry than previously thought.
A study examining the behavior of eight Angus heifers exposed to house flies while consuming grain found that despite significant agitation and "feeding hesitancy," both infested and uninfested groups ate the same amount of food.