Once Is Not Enough

Jul 08, 2020


Every year prior to pasture season, producers vaccinate their cattle and treat them for both internal and external parasites. These products provide excellent results, but unfortunately provide little, if any, residual protection. Once the protection level starts to drop, insects and parasites begin to re-infest your cattle.
 
The largest profit robbers in pasture situations are the internal parasites: worms. Worms are ingested as the cattle graze, and as the season progresses, the worm
populations grow. Large parasite loads reduce both average daily gain and milk production and can stunt reproductive performance. While we know this re-infestation is taking place, what we lack in most cases is either the time to retreat or the availability of facilities to perform these tasks — sometimes both.
 
However, there is a tool we tend to overlook, one that is proven and more convenient than we realize. Safe-Guard® (fenbendazole) has been on the market for years. Safe-Guard gained its fame as an oral wormer. The product works very quickly and has been shown to reduce fecal egg counts by 90%. Safe-Guard can be delivered to the pasture in pellet or block form, eliminating the added time and labor involved in gathering the cattle.
 
Producers have realized the greatest economic benefit when they provide Safe-Guard 28-30 days after turnout, then every 30 days thereafter for the duration of the grazing period. One worming near the middle of the grazing season is a more common practice and will provide a greater benefit than not worming at all.

This article was featured in the Summer 2020 Trail Blazer

Article by Derek Schrader, Livestock Production Specialist
 

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