Parasite free animals perform the best!

Calves are more affected by internal parasites than adult cattle. Weaning mass can be increased if internal parasites are controlled pre-weaning. Parasite-free calves will also handle weaning shock (stress) better.

We rarely see deaths in cattle due to internal parasites. It is also sometimes not so easy to observe the negative impact of internal parasites - especially with roundworms. Liver fluke and conical fluke, on the other hand, can have devastating consequences if not treated in time. Tapeworm can also negatively affect the growth of calves - although it usually occurs at an younger stage. In calves that are weaned very young (<180 kg) and appear lethargic, internal parasites cannot be excluded as a cause.

Liver fluke can impair the ability of calves to perform in the feedlot. The liver is certainly the most important organ as it is involved in so many physiological processes in the body. In areas where liver fluke occurs, it is very important to apply effective liver fluke control. Although the injectable products that control liver fluke are very convenient to use, they have the disadvantage that they mainly - and in some cases exclusively - only control the mature stage of liver fluke. This, while the immature stage actually does the most damage. The early-immature stage of liver fluke is currently only controlled by oral products containing triclabendazole. While one goes to the trouble of dosing the calves, use the most effective means for the best results - the synergistic action of an oxfendazole/triclabendazole combination.

The articles in the "management" series only aim to bring home the most important aspects of the production stage under discussion. If more in-depth information about a specific aspect is to be obtained, feel free to check whether there are other articles available under "related" articles.

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