Today’s decisions, beginning even before a calf is born, can determine whether that heifer becomes a long-lasting, productive cow or falls short of her genetic potential.

By the time today’s cattle leave the feedyard, they are heavier and have been there longer than ever before. This shift has created new opportunities for efficiency and carcass value. Today, the success of feeding cattle can be largely determined long before the animal ever sees a bunk.

As a cattle producer, you are constantly managing to give your herd the best chance at production, health and well-being. Unfortunately, an unseen obstacle can be working in the background to derail your efforts: internal parasites.

As parasites continue to adapt, the cattle industry must do the same to stay ahead of them. With no new molecules on the horizon, we must take a proactive approach to our deworming programs.

The calendar never lies. While it may feel like New Year’s celebrations have scarcely fizzled, the calf crop is on the ground, the winter feed supply is dwindling, and patches of green grass are beckoning.

Internal parasites can dramatically alter how an animal’s immune system functions, weakening its ability to respond to preventive health protocols like vaccinations.

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.

Drench guns are indispensable tools on livestock operations when administering oral dewormers or liquid medications. As with other tools on a cattle operation, it is important to know how to use these appropriately and maintain them.

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.