Treating Cattle for Parasites at Housing

Housing animals can cause a reduction in growth rate, which is likely to be because of stress and a change in diet. As this is already a stressful time for the animals, the added impact of handling for treatment at this time is small.

Treating animals at housing means there is no need to re‑handle them at a later date, which would take up valuable time and which could cause further stress and a reduction in growth rate.

Gut and Lung Worms

Worm infestations can lead to a 30% reduction in growth rate1 and potentially cause a 30kg improvement in animals if well-controlled during the grazing season2. It is crucial to effectively control worm infestations for sustainable production. The two most significant stomach worms in cattle are Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia spp. Ostertagia ostertagi, in particular, causes more disease as it damages the stomach surface, leading to a reduced appetite in affected cattle.

The development of protective immunity to gastrointestinal nematode infection in cattle varies depending on the parasite. Cattle develop immunity against Cooperia by the end of the first grazing season, while immunity against Ostertagia usually takes 2 years to develop. Treating beef cattle for worms at housing will reduce any negative impact on productivity caused by parasitic burden from gut and lungworms acquired during the grazing period.

Liver fluke

The fluke life cycle is more complex than worms because there is an intermediate host involved, in this case it is the mud snail. Once inside the cattle, the excysted immature liver fluke migrate through the gut wall and make their way to the liver. They then migrate through the liver tissue for 6-8 weeks causing damage, reducing productivity and predisposing to clostridial disease. This acute stage of the disease tends to occur in autumn and early winter and is more obvious in sheep than in cattle due to the relatively large size of the liver in cattle.

An important point to remember about liver fluke is that animals do not develop immunity to fluke, which means adult animals are as much at risk of disease as younger animals. Treating cattle for fluke at housing will kill fluke picked up during the grazing season, ensuring they have a reduced burden through the transition into housing.

Costs associated with liver fluke:

  • Reduced live weight gain3
  • Lower feed conversion efficiency
  • Reduced fertility
  • Lower milking ability
  • Deaths due to acute or untreated chronic infections

It’s important to choose a liver fluke treatment that targets the specific stage of the fluke you want to treat. Treating early or late immature fluke requires a product with activity against these stages, while chronic fluke treatment is caused by adult fluke, so a product that kills adult fluke can be used. This targeted approach allows for rotating different actives and reduces the chance of resistance developing.

Lice in Cattle

During winter, most housed cattle have lice infestations. Heavy infestations can cause irritation, rubbing, and hair loss. Lice can disrupt feeding patterns and cause anaemia.

Young animals and those on a low plane of nutrition are at higher risk, other risk factors for lice include heat, mixing of animals of different ages, dark housing and long hair. An outbreak can be diagnosed by close skin inspection, and different types of lice can be identified using a microscope. It is important to choose a product effective against the type of lice affecting the cattle on your farm.

CYDECTIN TriclaMox Pour‑On for Cattle

  • A combination fluke and worm pour‑on – managing mixed burdens in one treatment
  • Contains moxidectin – a potent formulation providing the most effective* ML efficacy against resistant worms
  • Contains triclabendanzole – Offering an effective control of late immature and adult fluke in a pour‑on combination
  • Lice treatment – Licenced for biting and sucking lice
  • Rainfast formulation – Rainfall before or after treatment will not affect the efficacy of the product

 

Withhold:

Meat: CYDECTIN TriclaMox has a withhold of 143 days. For example cattle treated and housed at the beginning of October are out of their withhold before the end of February.

Milk: Do not use in cattle of any age intended to produce milk for human consumption.

If fluke and worm control is required at housing, discuss utilising CYDECTIN TriclaMox Pour‑On in your beef animals, with your animal health advisor.

 

References:

  1. Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) www.cattleparasites.org.uk
  2. S. A. Bisset (1994) Helminth parasites of economic importance in cattle in New Zealand, New Zealand Journal of Zoology, 21:1, 9‑22
  3. Better Returns from Controlling Liver Fluke. Agriculture and Horticulture Development Board 2012
CYDECTIN TRICLAMOX 5 MG/ML + 200 MG/ML POUR‑ON SOLUTION FOR CATTLE contains moxidectin and triclabendazole. POM-VPS. For further information: Zoetis UK Limited, First Floor, Birchwood Building, Springfield Drive, Leatherhead KT22 7LP www.zoetis.co.uk. Customer Support: 0345 300 8034 Use medicines responsibly (www.noah.co.uk/responsible) Prescription decisions are for the person issuing the prescription alone. Date of preparation: August 2024

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