In this column, Progressive Dairy summarizes issues in the news and attempts to describe how they might affect dairy farmers. Look for more extensive background and details at Progressive Dairy.

Treatment of horn flies is important from both an economic and animal welfare standpoint. On average, horn flies have been shown to reduce average daily gain (ADG) in stocker cattle and replacement heifers by 13.6 percent or about 0.2 pound per day.

External parasites can be costly for cattle producers and getting a handle on problems early can lead to more prosperous and better performing cows.