Spring is Ideal Time to Deworm Cattle

Most any cattleman knows that parasites can affect an animal’s performance. Studies have proven that a parasite burden can decrease intake, leading to lower weight gains and decreased carcass quality. But the affects of parasites can reach even further.

Parasites depress the appetite of cattle and interfere with nutrient absorption. So they eat less and actually get fewer nutrients from what they do eat. This decrease in nutrition leads to an animal being more susceptible to disease. But that’s not all. A parasite burden also decreases an animal’s immune response to vaccines, leading to an increase in the dependence of antibiotics. This “not so pretty” picture results in an overall reduction in efficiency. Even a low parasite burden can affect performance.

Implementing a well-timed parasite control program can prevent this loss of efficiency and improve the overall health of your cattle.

One of the best times to treat for parasites is when cattle are turned out in the spring. “Starting a parasite control program in the spring helps end the life cycle of the parasites in the pasture, if you use a long acting product,” explains Dr. Gary Sides of Pfizer Animal Health.

The typical life cycle of internal parasites begins with eggs that are in manure. They hatch, crawl onto a stem of grass, and are ingested by the animal. Inside the animal’s digestive tract they grow and mature, resulting in damage and inefficiencies. Next they lay eggs of their own that are passed through manure and back on the pasture. Then the cycle starts all over again.

“Deworm as you go to spring pasture, so any parasite burden the animal currently has is eliminated. By using a product that has residual affects for 30 to 40 days, you also kill any larvae that the calf consumes during that first month. Since the newly ingested larvae are not allowed to reproduce, cattle are not shedding eggs through their manure. This breaks the parasite life cycle, and you ultimately reduce the parasite burden on your pasture.”

The most important time to deworm is in the spring, according to Sides. The parasite life cycle peaks in the spring, he says. Couple that with the increasing nutrient needs of growing calves or spring calving cows. Not deworming during this critical time magnifies the reduction in cattle performance.