U.S. Secretary of Agriculture Brooke Rollins launched the construction of an $8.5 million sterile fly dispersal facility on June 18 at the Moore Air Base in Edinburg, Texas, and announced a comprehensive five-pronged plan to bolster the USDA’s efforts to control New World screwworm (NWS).

For more than 70 years, the USDA has fought to keep New World screwworms out of U.S. livestock, but the battle has incurred some heavy costs along the way.

In order to have healthy animals, producers must understand the normal health attributes of livestock, routinely monitor their animals and make management changes when necessary.

As we approach midsummer, there are important reasons to consider deworming. Almost immediately after cattle are turned out on contaminated green grass, they begin picking up parasites that can start doing damage in a very short time.

Summer is here, and that means cattle are grazing, and with it, dealing with parasites. Deworming is a herd management practice that can yield a significant return on investment.

Cattle producers invest their time and resources in the best vaccination protocols and nutritional programs. However, these efforts are not fully utilized without an effective deworming strategy. Why? 

While word may travel fast, change can sometimes happen a bit slower. Such is the case with rotational deworming – an outdated approach that is still used today, albeit less, as studies indicate.

You may have heard about parasite resistance before, but what makes it a topic worth talking about? Understanding the what, why and how of the issue can help to ensure your operation has a successful deworming program for many years to come.