1. Sam Womble County Extension Agent – Ag/NR Bexar County
Some Internal and External
Parasites of Cattle
Sam Womble
County Extension Agent – Ag/NR
Bexar County

2. Internal Parasites
Hair (Stomach)worms
Lung worms
Coccidia

3. Hair Worms
Infected cattle pass eggs in manure, larvae hatch and move to grass and are ingested
Mature in 3 weeks
Transmission occurs when soil temperature is between 55 and 75 F and conditions are humid
Larvae die in summer and hibernate in winter

4. Lung Worms
Lung worms cause a lung disease in cattle with clinical signs similar to those of allergies, viruses and bacteria.
Transmission is the same as for hairworms.
Lung worm disease occurs in previously unexposed cattle and calves.

5. Coccidia Coccidia cause an intestinal disease of young cattle
Transmitted from manure and ingested
Rain, cold or stress induced
Black or bloody scours
Treatment includes Amprol, Corid, Deccox, Bovatec and Rumensin

6. External Parasites
Flies
Mosquitoes
Ticks
Lice
Mites

7. Face Fly
About the size of a house fly, face flies are responsible for transmission of pinkeye
Control includes sprays, dusts, oilers and pour-ons.

8. Horn Fly Horn flies reproduce in fresh manure
Bite and suck blood and irritate animal
Treatment at 250 flies/head (2 hands)
Treatment includes sprays, dusts and dust bags, back rubbers, ear tags, a feed additive (Altosid), and pour-ons (with or without dewormer)

9. Heel (Grub) Fly
Flies lay eggs on heels of cattle in late winter and early spring
Eggs hatch and burrow into skin and travel through body emerging in fall along the back
Treatment includes CoRal, Warbex, Spotton, Neguvon, Tiguvon, or Prolate by early July or Ivomec, Eprinex, Dectomax and Cydectin later

11. Mosquito
In addition to blood loss and irritation mosquitoes can cause death by asphyxiation of young animals
Mosquito control is difficult and usually ineffective
Reduce areas of standing water
Remove cattle to other locations

12. Soft (Ear) Ticks
Spinose ear ticks can transmit anaplasmosis and cause nerve and tissue damage
Use premise control
On animal use CoRal, Permethrin, ear tags (not less than 3 months of age!)

13. Hard Ticks Lone Star and Gulf Coast ear ticks are the 2 most prevalent
Use premise control
On animal use Atroban, CoRal, Permethrin

14. Lice Biting (1 specie) Sucking (5 species) Control
Feeds on skin and hair
Sucking (5 species)
Short and long nose (head, neck and brisket) and cattle tail louse
Control
Chemical at 2 week intervals, some tags or use Ivomec, Eprinex, Dectomax or Cydectin
Mostly problem during winter and summer months

15. Mites Feed on surface or just under the skin
Control with Taktic, CoRal, Lindane, Permethrin twice or with Ivomec, Dectomax, Cydectin

16. Other Concerns
Bloat – gas accumulates in the animal high on the calf’s left side
Feed an ionophore, 1 pt. mineral oil/feeding
Founder – inflammation of the hoof tissue due to rapid growth
Anti-inflammatory drugs, remove grain from diet
Foot Rot – caused by bacteria which enters through a break in the skin or hoof
Sulfa boluses, anti-bacterial ointment

17. Continued… Ringworm – caused by a fungus infection of the skin
7% iodine, captan, ivermectin
Warts – caused by a virus
Vaccinate, mineral deficiency, cut them off and feed to animal
Scours – diarrhea, loose stool caused by abrupt changes to feed and/or stress
Sanitation, antibiotics, electrolytes, probias

18. Questions?