Pests & Wildlife

Does your deworming program align with the data?

kevin.johnson11@merck.com — Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Don’t let horn flies eat your profits

dboxler1@unl.edu — Fri, 01 May 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Since its introduction into the U.S. in the late 1800s, the horn fly has become a persistent challenge for livestock producers in pasture-based systems. For beef and dairy operations, horn flies are more than a nuisance; they contribute to measurable losses in weight gain, milk production and overall animal performance.

Fly control management for beef cattle

megan.vanemon@montana.edu — Tue, 28 Apr 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Fly control in beef cattle continues to be an in-demand topic each year as the potential resistance to conventional fly tags and the introduction of garlic as a feed ingredient to mitigate flies becomes more prevalent. Fly control management is important to minimize the spread of disease and to minimize the negative impacts on livestock production.

Feral hogs impact livestock

Tue, 10 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Destructive rooting and wallowing are the obvious signs of a feral hog population moving into a farm, ranch or suburban neighborhood. Using their long, distinctive snouts, they dig up and turn over soil as they search for grubs, worms and vegetative material in pastures, corn crops and golf courses.

Liver damage from redwater disease and liver flukes

Mon, 09 Mar 2026 00:00:00 -0400

Several serious livestock diseases are caused by a group of bacteria called clostridia that can produce deadly toxins. Many cattlemen are familiar with blackleg, tetanus and enterotoxemia, but some may not be familiar with redwater.

Considerations for deworming the cow-calf herd

mark.alley@zoetis.com — Mon, 22 Dec 2025 00:00:00 -0500

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.

Calculating the cost to cattle ranchers of an expanding wolf population

ecdooley@ucdavis.edu — Wed, 28 May 2025 00:00:00 -0400

A California study has found that one wolf can cause up to $162,000 in losses due to increased stress, reduced growth and reduced pregnancies.

South Central: Horn fly control options

jason.banta@ag.tamu.edu — Wed, 23 Apr 2025 00:00:00 -0400

There is no perfect strategy for controlling horn flies, and the most successful strategies generally require more than one approach.

Managing the existing and looming threat of feral swine

Mon, 17 Mar 2025 23:00:00 -0400

For cattle producers, feral swine aren’t just another wildlife species to be ignored or even tolerated. These wild pigs cut into profit margins, destroy land and threaten the livelihoods and buying power of landowners and consumers.

Boost cattle health and performance with sustainable deworming

dl.step@boehringer-ingelheim.com — Fri, 20 Dec 2024 00:00:00 -0500

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

Who wants healthy livestock?

ckinder@uidaho.edu — Wed, 18 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Decreasing temperature, increasing lice

dboxler1@unl.edu — Mon, 02 Sep 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Five species of lice parasitize cattle in the U.S. Four of these are blood feeders, and the fifth is a biting or chewing louse. Cattle with hair loss, an unthrifty appearance, and leaving hair on fences and other objects from rubbing may be a sign of lice infestation.

A new invasive tick

Thu, 29 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In 2017, a New Jersey farmer discovered a significant number of ticks that were only on his sheep. Neither the sheep nor its owner had traveled from the farm or had come in contact with other livestock. Experts are scrambling to learn more about this latest invasive species.

Controlling flies on cattle

cwillmore@uidaho.edu — Mon, 05 Aug 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The best way to treat flies is to first understand what fly you are treating for. Remember: Face flies are found on the face, stable flies are found on front legs, and horn flies are found on the back and sides.

Summer deworming impacts cattle health and productivity

Mon, 17 Jun 2024 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Stable flies on pastured cattle

dboxler1@unl.edu — Mon, 06 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Pastured animals that exhibit defensive behaviors such as tail flicking, skin twitching, leg stamping, lying with their legs tucked underneath, standing in water and bunching in corners of pastures are likely being attacked by the stable fly.

Get a handle on parasites during summer grazing

abby@agproud.com — Fri, 03 May 2024 00:00:00 -0400

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.

Black vultures: A problem with solutions

Wed, 03 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

In recent years, black vultures have been expanding their range northward. Common in the southeastern U.S., black vultures now range at least as far north as Pennsylvania and southern New England.

Ducks Unlimited shares interest with cattle producers across the U.S.

Tue, 02 Apr 2024 00:00:00 -0400

The interests of waterfowl and cattle have a shocking number of similarities. What is good for the ducks is often good for the cattle and vice versa.

Technology advancements drive shifts in pest control strategies

Tue, 19 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Technology marches onward, changing work processes and management in every industry. These continually evolving advances are also greatly affecting modern agriculture, including how pests are controlled.

Controls for flies on pastured cattle

dboxler1@unl.edu — Tue, 12 Mar 2024 00:00:00 -0400

Face flies are pests of pastured livestock animals such as beef cattle and horses. The face fly is a robust fly that resembles the house fly in appearance.

Fly control management strategies for your herd

cashworth@zinpro.com — Wed, 28 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

Many producers think that when a cow shakes flies off or swats them away with her tail, the issue is over. It isn’t. However, by controlling flies, you can improve cow comfort, lower disease transmission and minimize production losses.

Horn flies on pastured cattle

dboxler1@unl.edu — Tue, 20 Feb 2024 00:00:00 -0500

The horn fly is a major pest of pasture and rangeland cattle throughout the U.S. Adult horn flies are blood-feeding flies taking, on average, 30 blood meals per day.

NCBA, others weigh in on Washington grizzly introduction

tyrell@agproud.com — Thu, 30 Nov 2023 00:00:00 -0500

The reintroduction of apex predator species to parts of their historical range continues to be a hot-button topic in the western U.S. Concerns and discussions have arisen in regard to federal plans to establish a grizzly bear population in the North Cascade Range of Washington state.

Colorado wolf reintroduction plan moves forward

tyrell@agproud.com — Fri, 06 Oct 2023 00:00:00 -0400

Despite growing questions about where the animals will be sourced from, Colorado wildlife officials are continuing with a plan to reintroduce a gray wolf population to the state by the end of 2023.

Congress hears rancher testimony on black vultures

tyrell@agproud.com — Wed, 02 Aug 2023 00:00:00 -0400

On July 27, Missouri cattle producer Charlie Besher testified before the House Natural Resources Water, Wildlife and Fisheries Subcommittee in support of the Black Vulture Relief Act, sharing how predatory black vultures take a toll on cattle producers’ livestock and livelihoods.

Help nix the culex mosquito that transmits 3 of 5 core equine diseases, and more

arobinson@neogen.com — Thu, 25 May 2023 00:00:00 -0400

For your horses and livestock, hang fans to keep mosquitoes out of your barns. You also can deploy proven mosquito prevention products to do all that you can to control them and the risks they can pose to your family and animals.

South-Central: Feed-through insecticides for horn flies

jason.banta@ag.tamu.edu — Wed, 03 May 2023 17:05:55 -0400

Horn flies, stable flies, house flies and face flies can all be a challenge for cattle and cattle producers.

Internal parasites wreak havoc on more than growth rates

Wed, 26 Apr 2023 11:02:01 -0400

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?

Ticks, pathogens and livestock in Idaho

bstokes@uidaho.edu — Mon, 10 Apr 2023 18:04:50 -0400

If there's just something "off" about an animal, have you checked for ticks?