3/3/2010 10:50:05 AM The objective of this study was to assess the effects of horn fly and gastro intestinal (GI) nematode control on the performance of stocker cattle grazing Bermudagrass in Louisiana. A total of 168 (56 per trial) weaned calves were available for three trials. Stocker cattle were stratified by sex and body weight and randomly assigned to two replicate treatment groups. The treatments were 1) no horn fly or GI nematode control, 2) horn fly control administrated with insecticidal ear tags, sprays and pour-ons, 3) GI nematode control administrated every 28 days with fen bendazole and 4) both horn fly and GI nematode control. Lengths of the trials were 84, 98 and 112 days for trials 1, 2 and 3, respectively, and trials were initiated in early to mid-May of each year.

* Stocker cattle treated for horn flies had lower fly counts than control cattle for each trial; however, counts for treated stocker cattle ranged from 42 to 62 flies per side.

* Stocker cattle treated with fenbendazole had lower fecal egg counts than controls 14 days posttreatment in all three trials.

* In trials 1 and 2, stocker cattle treated for both horn flies and GI nematodes had 0.31 and 0.51 pounds greater ADG, respectively, compared with untreated stocker cattle.

* Under the conditions of this study, even with a lack of effective horn fly control, improved growth rates were achieved for stocker cattle when treated for both external and internal parasites.

* Improvement in stocker growth performance was achieved when the animals were treated for both horn flies and gastrointestinal nematodes.

Averaged over the three trials, stocker cattle treated for both horn flies and gastrointestinal nematodes responded with approximately 29 pounds total body weight gain advantage over untreated cattle. At current prices in the United States, investing in the cost for both treatments would result in over a four-fold return for beef stocker producers.

Source: University of Arkansas Division of Agriculture Cooperative Extension Service


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