Haematobia irritans parasitical dynamics was studied in three farms rearing crossbred beef cattle, under different management systems, in the region of São Carlos, São Paulo State. In the farms was not utilized any specific treatment against horn flies. The experiment consisted in counting fortnightly the number of flies on the dorso-lombar area of the animals, from October, 1992 to October, 1994. Each farm used a different parasite control: T1- Ribeirão Bonito Farm, anthihelminthic treatment, with injectable levamizole (Ripercol L); ticks treated with pour on pyrethroid compound (Ectoplus); and berne, treated with trichlorphon (Neguvon) plus used motor oil, applied topically; T2- São Carlos Farm, antihelminthic treatmen with injectable levamizole (Ripercol L); ticks treated with formamidine (Triatox) in immersion bath; and berne treated with pour on fenthion (Tiguvon); and T3- Santa Eudóxia Farm, no parasitism treatments. The number of horn flies (MC) was analised in the scale √(MC + 0,5) in a statistical model that included, besides the mean, the effects of treatments, year, month, period and the double interactions. In the scale MC, all the effects differed from each other (P < 0.01). During the months in which the temperature was higher (October to March) average parasite load was of 15.7±36.4 flies, while temperature was lower (April to August) it was of 6.8 ± 23.6 flies. The average parasite load differed (P < 0.01) among years (92 = 4.8 ± 7.8; 93 = 8.8 ± 20.0; 94 = 16.6 ± 43.8) and among farms (T1= 3.1 ± 9.7; T2= 2.2 ± 13.7 e T3=26.0 ± 44.5), indicating that horn fly behaviour is irregular and noncyclic. The efficiency of 81.1% and 86.3% was observed for treatment T1 and T2, respectivelly, when compared to treatment T3.
herd cattle; horn fly; behaviour; control
