Have used Genesis Pour on and not sure about treating lice

[Deleted]

Hi

After posting here about brushing the moos during their moulting season, it was raised about possible lice infestation. So I did some reading up on it and I still dont think we have a lice problem as we dont have missing patches on heads, necks or shoulders.

The moos are not scratching themselves anymore than they did this time last year even though we have a hard time getting the slicker brush through some of them with a couple requiring the slicker to be emptied every three strokes.

We cant see any lice either. We closely inspected them all over the weekend, several times.

The moos all appear to be in great health but I am now worried that we may have lice but just cant see it and we have calves due from [possibly] tomorrow onwards.

We treated everyone with Genesis pour in 3rd week in July synchronising with both neighbours drenching, but on reading more about the product we used, it doesnt really tell me how long the moos would be covered against lice/mites after treatment.

So I was wondering if you were in this situation of no missing hair, healthy bright-eyed moos, calves on their way would you treat for lice anyways for the just incase? I feel as if we should, just to be sure.

And if so, what can be used since a drench was used only two months ago?

Cheers
Donna

[carragheendexters]

Hi Donna,

I would treat for lice. Cattle still look healthy when they have lice. Lice doesn't affect their health, it is more a welfare and comfort issue. It's not nice being that itchy. Winter going into spring is when lice are about. The thick winter coats are the perfect breeding ground for them and the warmer weather has them active. They are very hard to see, you have to get the coat at the right angle in the sun before parting it and watch for them scarpering back out of the sun. You will only see heavy infestations. Treating in July will not have eliminated lice, as there will not be any hatched ones active to kill, only eggs which the drench won't touch. It is normal husbandry practice to treat for lice in early spring or when cattle start to rub on trees, fences etc.
I prefer to use Cydectin or Arrest for lice.

As far as drenching for internal parasites, if your cattle stay on your property and don't stray off, there is no real need to synchronise your drenching program with your neighbours, they can't catch worms from neighbour's cattle.
July is not the best time to drench for internal parasites. For a twice a year drenching program an ideal time is to drench in autumn just before the cold sets in, your cattle will head into winter "clean" , and with the cold there will not be any eggs hatching for your cattle to pick up. The cattle will go into spring with a low burden, and then drench again just as the hottest part of summer starts, you will then go into the rest of summer "clean" and the heat and dryer weather will slow down any eggs hatching. This way you will keep your cattle with a lower worm burden for most of the year if you are not doing rotational grazing.
Have you considered doing a worm test before drenching? Adult cattle develop resistance to worms and often don't need treating. You may only need to treat your calves and younger cattle.
regards Louise

[Deleted]

Lindsay was pretty thorough in checking the moos over. He didn’t do it just the once but several times over the weekend while we were brushing them and he couldn’t see anything.

And we don’t have patches of missing hair anywhere either but I think I would like to treat for lice on the off chance.

We have had way above average winter temps and spring is looking like it will be the same with more above average temps with added humidity.

So it would be safe to treat for [possible] lice now, this month, even though they were just drenched two months ago? Especially since we have calves due in just days?

I always worry about chemicals and the unborn irrespective of their species.

Where do you get the worm presence test kits from? Landmark? Or do you send samples off to somewhere?

Now we have closed the herd and the agisting cattle have left, I think we should follow your plan of testing before drenching. Makes perfect sense.

Thanks Louise for the info on drench times too which will now become our "test first" times.
The two neighbours will just have to live with it or come on board with the "new" plan of action

[carragheendexters]

You should be able to drench anytime that suits you and your internal parasite control program, it won't have any impact on your neighbours and their cattle at all.

If you have liver fluke, you will need a 3 per year drench program, another one in early spring, so that can be combined with the lice treatment. You can use Ultra or Fasimec for that, otherwise you can use Ivomec, Cydectin, or any of the other albendazole drenches. Not worth using Panacur as there is a lot of resistance now. The summer and autumn program is suitable for fluke as well.

If you are worried about chemicals and pregnant cows, the most critical time is early in pregnancy, that is when the foetus is most vulnerable to assault. In late pregnancy it is fine to drench cattle, as long as you take into account the extra weight they are carrying when determining the dose.

I do our own worm counts so not too familiar with sending off samples, nor the cost. There is the DPI Wormtest, you will often see the collection kits at farm/produce stores, or rural vets. You just collect your samples and send them off. I think they go to Elizabeth Macarthur, not idea how much. I think they also do drench resistance testing.
I had a friend not that long ago send some off to Parasite Diagnostic Services, and she was more than happy about the service, again no idea about cost.

regards Louise

[Deleted]

Thanks Louise

We had the vet out for a general checkup and no lice - no mites - no ticks.
We are also [currently] worm free and we were wrapped that he said our cows would have to be in the best condition for coming out of winter that he has seen in 30 odd years of practice


So the moos are just moulting and they are really enjoying their near-daily brushing down with slicker brushes as well as we, are loving the time we are spending with them.

So all is well