Parasitic Control in the Spring on Your Beef Herd

As we make our way through calving, we turn our attention to brandings and moving cattle to grass. One of the discussions that come up every spring is that of whether any parasitic control other than oilers should be used.

Some recent research conducted at Iowa State University concluded that, “Of all the pharmaceutical technologies examined, parasite control in cow herds had the greatest effect on breakeven prices”. Their conclusion on the study recently conducted indicated that producers who used parasite control could expect an advantage of 23% in weaning rate and 4% in weaning weight according to Dr. John Lawrence a professor at Iowa State University. Most producers do practice a fall parasite treatment on their cow herd, but now there is a growing interest in a spring program on the cows as well as the calves.

In the case of an Ivermectin product, many producers have expressed an interest in using the injectable form as the delivery method on calves at branding. The injectable products are convenient to use and allow for persistent activity against many internal and external parasites. Using the example of Noromectin, the administration is Subcutaneous injected under the loose skin in front or behind the shoulder using a 16 gauge needle. The labeled dosage is 1 ml per 50kg of body weight as per the manufacturer. I would recommend that what ever the product being used, follow label directions and if you have any questions, consult with your local veterinarian.

Watch for the upcoming “Going To Grass “ promotion at UFA to take advantage of the many products needed for branding and turning you cows out to grass. Stop by the UFA Farm and Ranch Supply stores for further details.

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