From average daily gain and conception rates to milk production and immunity, parasites can wreak havoc on them all.2,32 - Lawrence JD, Ibarburu MA. Economic analysis of pharmaceutical technologies in modern beef production. Proceedings of the NCCC-134 Conference on Applied Commodity Price Analysis, Forecasting, and Market Risk Management. 2007;1-18.3 - Hawkins JA. Economic benefits of parasite control in cattle. Vet Parasitol. 1993;46:159-173. Whether your cattle spend their days roaming the pasture or the dry lot, your bottom line can suffer if you’re not deworming. By choosing Eprinex® (eprinomectin) for parasite control in dairy and beef cattle, you can be confident in your ability to treat them effectively and focus on what really matters — a healthy herd, and quality beef and dairy production.
Though they differ in shape, size and impact, these worms share a common characteristic: They can take your hard work and suck the health – and dollars – right out of it.
The infamous Ostertagia is the most economically important parasite in cattle. This worm also has a unique ability to penetrate the lining of the true stomach and become dormant, or inhibited, so that it can survive during weather that’s too cold or too hot. When conditions improve, the larvae can emerge all at once and do serious damage to the lining of the stomach.
Also known as red stomach worm. This bloodsucker is easily recognized by its trademark "barber pole" coloration in adult females. It has a significant impact on cattle.
The black scour worm can be found worldwide. Cattle become infected after ingesting larvae while grazing or through contaminated soil. Like other gastrointestinal roundworms, black scour worms damage the lining of the small intestine or the stomach. Signs of infection include diarrhea or constipation, appetite loss, reduced weight gain and weight loss. Acute severe infections in young cattle may be fatal.
Nematodirus worms are characterized by their swollen heads and thin necks. While fatalities due to the thread-necked intestinal worm are rare, chronic infections may lead to reduced weight gain and loss of appetite, and can also worsen the damage caused by other parasites.
The black scour worm can be found worldwide. Cattle become infected after ingesting larvae while grazing or through contaminated soil. Like other gastrointestinal roundworms, black scour worms damage the lining of the small intestine or the stomach. Signs of infection include diarrhea or constipation, appetite loss, reduced weight gain and weight loss. Acute severe infections in young cattle may be fatal.
Severe D. vivaparus infections can lead to complications that can cause a mortality rate of 20 percent or more among affected animals. Larval lungworms irritate the bronchioles before eggs can be seen in nasal secretions or larvae appear in feces. Later, the adult worms irritate the trachea and bronchi. In both stages, increased respiratory secretion causes lung congestion. The disease caused by lungworm is parasitic bronchitis, which is characterized by rapid shallow breathing and coughing.
This thin, thread-like worm infects the small intestine. Larvae develop in the soil, then typically reach cattle by penetrating the skin through the foot or orally through milk during suckling.
Female whipworms produce several thousand eggs per day, which are shed along with the animal’s feces. These eggs can resist extremely cold weather and dryness, and also remain infective on the pasture for years. Immature larvae that line the large intestine can cause irritation and damage the wall of the cecum, while more prominent infections can cause more serious harm.
A gastrointestinal roundworm found both in beef and dairy cattle, the hookworm can be a serious threat to herds, especially in warm, moist areas. If infected, cattle, especially the young, may grow poorly and not thrive.
Infective larvae burrow into the intestinal wall, causing the formation of pea-sized nodules called granulomas. These nodules reduce intestinal function. Adult worms are a larger issue for young animals vs. older animals where the effect of the nodules is of greater concern.
This worm irritates and erodes the villi of the abomasum, damaging capillaries and lymph vessels within these structures and causing blood loss.
Not only can external parasites turn a shiny coat into a tattered one, they also can reduce the comfort, efficiency and overall performance of your cattle. In today’s competitive market, not treating your herd for external parasites isn’t worth the risk.
Lice cause discomfort and health problems for both beef and dairy cattle. Typically found in colonies on the tail, shoulders and back, biting lice feed on cattle by scraping the skin or hair. Sucking lice, such as the short-nosed, long-nosed and small blue lice, extract the blood of their host. Both biting and sucking lice are known to reduce weight gain and decrease general thriftiness. Though they present a year-round threat, lice burdens are greatest during the winter months.
Mange mites attack and damage the skin and hair. Chorioptic mange (C. bovis) can cause hair loss, scabbiness and dermatitis around the feet, legs and tail head. Mange-infested skin typically swells and can become inflamed. Sarcoptic mange (S. scabiei), a quarantinable mite, causes even more severe skin lesions than C. bovis – infection by just a small number of these mites can be detrimental to an animal’s health and production.
Horn flies are one of the costliest external parasites for producers – the sheer number of flies typically found in a herd renders them a constant threat. Cattle are frequently playing defense against the flies, which can lead to inefficiencies in grazing and milk production. As a result, weaning weights often decrease.
Similar to H. lineatum in behavior and life cycle, the northern cattle grub can distress and damage its host. One difference from the common grub: Northern grubs migrate to the animal’s epidural tissues of the spinal canal, while the common grub infiltrates the submucosa of the esophagus.
Capable of causing poor weight gain and losses in milk production, the common cattle grub is a major nuisance for herds throughout the country. Cattle defend themselves from the grubs’ irritation by actively running away or spending excessive time in water, hindering proper grazing or relaxing. Grubs can migrate into their host’s esophagus and negatively affect the health of the animal, as well as cause damage to meat, which may require discard at slaughter.
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