Dec. 6, 2025
VIROQUA, Wis. — A new video from Wild Farm Alliance highlights how a Driftless area farm is partnering with nature to tackle a persistent livestock problem, flies.
Keewaydin Farms in rural Wisconsin worked with a University of Milan researcher to show that barn swallows, small insect-eating birds, can dramatically cut fly populations without chemicals. The short film, “Barn Swallows: Farmers’ Partners in Pest Control”, follows farmers Rufus Haucke and Joy Miller as they explain how encouraging swallows to nest in barns and pastures improves animal health and biodiversity.
“Instead of trying to work against nature,” said Haucke. “We’re trying to work with it.”
The approach is simple, maintain barns and outdoor areas so swallows can forage and nest. Miller said the birds help prevent fly strike, a painful condition caused when flies lay eggs in soiled wool. By reducing fly pressure, Keewaydin’s sheep stay healthier and avoid tail docking, a common practice when fly populations are high.
Across the Atlantic, University of Milan Ph.D. student Francesca Roseo studied small dairy farms in the Italian Alps to measure the impact of barn swallows. She compared farms with and without swallow populations and found striking results.
“The sole presence of barn swallows is sufficient to reduce fly activity inside the barn,” said Roseo. “Farms with barn swallows saw an average 60% reduction in fly activity.”
The findings underscore a growing trend, biodiversity is not just good for wildlife, it is a practical tool for farmers. “Bringing back nature helps not only conservation, but brings a lot of resourceful solutions for farmers as well,” said Roseo.
Wild Farm Alliance, a nonprofit promoting farming systems that protect and restore nature, produced the video to show how ecological practices can benefit working lands. The film is free to watch at http://www.wildfarmalliance.org/barnswallows.
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