Most farmers across the country have the majority of their cattle housed by now and it is important to ensure parasites are kept under control in cattle to help sustain performance.
While nutrition plays an important role, parasites are a major cause of underperformance in livestock, and in extreme cases, high parasite burdens in livestock can result in death.
The College of Agriculture, Food and Rural Enterprise (CAFRE) beef and sheep advisor Jonathan Brown reminded farmers that the cost of raising beef or dairy calves to finishing or breeding condition “is increased by at least 30% if animal harbours a moderate burden of gastrointestinal parasites”.
He outlined the main internal and external parasites that need to be monitored and controlled in cattle:
- Lungworms;
- Stomach worms;
- Liver fluke;
- Biting and sucking lice;
- Mites.
When farmers have an effective parasite plan in place, livestock performance as a result of parasites will not be compromised over the winter period.
Brown said that young cattle have no resistance to lung and stomach worms, so must be treated as a priority where there is a parasite burden.
He said: “Choosing the correct product and getting the best results are key factors. Aim to achieve the highest level of cattle performance at least cost, whilst reducing the risk of anthelmintic resistance.
“Roundworms are parasites, which can live in many parts of an animal. They are usually found in the gastrointestinal tract. Roundworms can deprive an animal of nutrients by eating tissue, sucking blood, or eating stomach contents.”
Stomach worms are a type of roundworm that live in the abomasum of cattle.
While younger cattle are prone to worms, adult cattle over two-years-of-age will have built up a natural immunity to worms however, high stomoch worm burdens in adult cattle are not uncommon and symptoms such as poor thrive, weight loss or reduced appetite should be investigated further and vet advice sought.
Lungworms, infect the airways of cattle and can cause parasitic bronchitis, also known as ‘hoose’.
Brown said: “Livestock should be treated with either a white, yellow or clear drench. It is important that farmers know what developmental stage of the stomach or lungworm they are trying to target.
“This will help to assess if re-dosing will be required to ensure that eggs, larvae and adult worms will be controlled.”
Liver fluke is influenced by the climate and thrives in warm wet weather similar to what was experienced this autumn.
It takes three months for fluke to develop in the liver of livestock and it is of utmost importance to understand which stage you are treating.
The first month they are called ‘early immature’, the second month they are called ‘immature’ and the third month they are known as ‘adults’.
By dosing for fluke at the time of housing, you will potentially only kill off the adult fluke, however, by waiting for approximately six weeks after housing treatment will be much more effective.
Products which are triclabendazole-based will kill all stages of fluke, however, cases of resistance to these products are becoming common due to overuse.
Housing provides the ideal environment for external parasites such as lice and mites to thrive and all ages of livestock have no resistance to these parasites.
Signs of scratching or hair loss are early indicators of a problem which will lead to poor performance and discomfort. Treatment with a pour-on product is normally effective to control this issue.
To aid parasite control, Brown said it is advisable to clip animal’s backs and tails at housing. This reduces the cover for parasites to live in, reduces sweating, and keeps animals cleaner.
Farmers should also ensure they use a product that treats both biting and sucking lice.
The CAFRE advisor reminded farmers that consultation with their vet “is paramount to ensure parasite control at housing is an integral part of your health plan”.
