Lice infestations lead to lost performance and profitability. Be prepared to manage lice this winter.
November 16, 2016
The impact of lice on cattle
As we move into the cold winter months when lice populations increase, it’s critical to help your clients monitor cattle behavior to better control lice. Infestations cost the U.S. cattle industry more than $125 million annually.1,2 Moderate to heavy lice infestations can significantly reduce gain by as much as 9.2 percent, which is equivalent to 0.21 pounds per head per day in growing cattle.1,3,4
“When we see heavy lice populations in growing cattle, there is a larger impact than most producers realize,” said Doug Hufstedler, Ph.D., Elanco beef technical consultant. “Lice populations reduce average daily gain, decrease feed efficiency, increase susceptibility to other diseases, decrease body condition score and cause damage to fences, equipment and buildings. All of those things combined can significantly reduce performance, so it’s key to watch for lice in the winter.”
Monitoring lice
There are two types of lice that infest cattle — chewing and sucking. Sucking lice tend to cause the most severe infestations,5 which are the most obvious to spot.
“With more lice comes more irritation,” says Hufstedler. “That causes cattle to rub against available objects, which allows you to more quickly identify the issue. However, lighter infestations still lead to performance losses, so it’s important to teach your clients how to monitor cattle for lice.”
In the winter, as populations increase, lice tend to gravitate towards the dewlap, muzzle, back, sides, tailhead, neck, side of the face and around the eyes. The Kentucky Cooperative Extension Service recommends examining five one-inch areas on the face, dewlap, neck, back and base of the tail. 5 Look first for eggs, then carefully part the hair to look for lice.5 Treatment should begin when lice densities average more than three per square inch of surface area skin.1
Treating lice
“Good animal husbandry practices can help prevent lice, but the only way to get rid of lice is through an effective treatment program,” says Hufstedler. “Ensuring your clients have the right program in place can help them minimize the impact of lice on performance.”
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