ST. JOSEPH, MO. (April 5, 2010) — With the tight economy in cattle production, it is tempting to cut corners on animal health products. More than one cattle producer has thought about skipping vaccinations or using less expensive options in their herd health program.

One step that producers should not miss in the spring of the year is deworming the cowherd prior to going to pasture. According to a University of Nevada research bulletin, cattle producers that don’t control internal parasites could be losing $10 to $40 per cow each year.¹

In certain regions of the country, producers don’t include deworming in their animal health protocols because they think it’s too dry for parasites to survive and transmit to cattle. “Any time cattle are in areas where there are springs seeping, low areas where water collects, or cattle get water from a dam or pond, there is an opportunity for parasites, “ says Dr. Mac Devin, professional service veterinarian with Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. “Producers can’t put their head in the sand when it comes to internal parasite control.”

Producers many times think of only deworming cows in the fall of the year. However, research has shown that deworming the cow and the calf in the spring of the year helped increase weaning weights up to 49.5 pounds in 26 out of 27 studies conducted, and cows showed increased conception rates in 25 out of 33 studies.²

“If cattle have internal parasites, there will almost always be reduced performance because parasites will retard dietary intake,” says Devin. “Deworming is a widely accepted management practice to improve cattle performance.”

Devin says transmission can occur when cattle graze near fecal pats and there is adequate moisture on the grass for survival of the infective larvae. In most areas, optimum time is spring and fall due largely to rainfall and humidity. For one important nematode, Ostertagia, cattle will pick up the parasite larvae when grazing and the larvae penetrate gastric glands when the grass passes into the animal’s stomach. Larvae emerge from the gland as an adult and complete their life cycle.

Deworming in the spring helps reduce pasture contamination and reduces the amount of parasites passed to the calf when they begin grazing. Calves will also benefit from deworming if they are three months or older at the time of treatment, because they have had time to pick up parasites which may affect performance, adds Devin.

Research on two Montana ranches showed that stocker cattle receiving treatment with CYDECTIN® Pour-on gained more than untreated controls during summer grazing. A group of yearling bulls at one ranch, which grazed 108 days, showed a 22-pound advantage with the treated bulls. On a second ranch, replacement heifers grazed for 127 days and the CYDECTIN-treated heifers had a 16-pound weight advantage.³

“It is important for cattle producers to reduce the number of challenges replacement females and young cows are facing,” says Devin. “A replacement heifer is continuing to grow and trying to get bred during the early spring and summer. It’s the same for first calf heifers breeding back for a second calf. We expect them to continue growing while raising a calf and breed back for a second calf. We need to make sure parasites are not challenging them during this time.”

Devin recommends that cattle producers visit with their local veterinarian to establish an effective deworming program for the whole herd.

“It doesn’t matter if you run cow-calf pairs or yearling stocker cattle, the end goal is improved performance and a deworming program can help achieve that goal,” concludes Devin.

CYDECTIN Residue Warning: when used according to label directions, neither a pre-slaughter drug withdrawal period nor a milk discard time is required. Meat and milk from cattle treated with CYDECTIN (moxidectin) Pour-On may be used for human consumption at any time following treatment. A withdrawal period has not been established for this product in pre-ruminating calves. Do not use in calves to be processed for veal.

¹Kvasnicka B, Torell R, Bruce B. Internal Parasites of Cattle. Western Beef Resource Committee Cattle Producer’s Library, CL690, University of Nevada, 2008.
²Reinemeyer C. The effects of anthelmintic treatment of beef cows on parasitologic and performance parameters. Compend Contin Educ Pract Vet 14(5):678-687, 1992.
³Rock D. Production responses of cattle to treatment with moxidectin. Moxidectin: the difference in parasite control Fort Dodge Satellite Symposium XXII World Buiatrics Congress, 2002; p. 1-4.

Cydectin is a registered trademark of Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. ©2010 Boehringer Ingelheim Vetmedica, Inc. All rights reserved.