Treatment of lice in cows and calves

Pediculosis in cattle occurs as often as in humans, other animals. The source of the disease are lice infecting cows, calves, horses, pigs, goats. A small insect with a body length of up to 5 mm feeds on blood, lives for about 45 days, lays eggs on the hairs of the coat. Lice in cows in the photo give a visual representation of what a lousy animal looks like.

Signs of pediculosis in cows

Lice in cattle often infest due to inadequate maintenance.The dark room, unsanitary conditions, the dirty body of a cow create favorable conditions for the reproduction of ectoparasites.

Signs of lice in cattle:

• Changes in behavior - agitation, aggressiveness, a sharp jump for no apparent reason. Or apathy, lethargy, powerlessness.
• Shivering through the body, the constant desire to scratch against a tree, a fence, other suitable constructions.
• Weight change - cows lose their appetite, stop eating, lose weight.
• Impairment of milk yield. The nervous animal is under severe stress, which affects its physical well-being, mental health. The amount of milk decreases.
• Bites, bumps, abrasions, and scratches are visible on the skin.
• Lice in calves do not give the young growth. With severe infection, exhausting the animal, leading to death.

Lice in cattle are localized on the head, neck, in the horn, near the tail. Parasites feed every 2 hours, the process takes about 40 minutes. During a bite, a special substance is released that thins the blood. It also causes a strong allergic reaction in the form of an intolerable itch. A cow is exhausted physically, mentally, at risk of becoming infected with more serious diseases.

Lice are carriers of protozoal, bacterial, viral infections. The insect does not directly infect on contact with blood. But if you crush it, spray with pathogens fall on the wounds of the animal, infection occurs.

Cow lice

How do lice in cows, calves

To determine how to treat an animal, it is necessary to deal with the disease. Inspection is carried out on the street or in a well-lit place. It is better to use a magnifying glass or magnifying glass.

The wounds, abrasions, bites on the body do not give grounds to believe that the cow has pediculosis. Similar symptoms occur when tick-borne infection, bites of gadflies, flies. It is necessary to find the parasites. Often found lashing at the cows. Both parasites have a similar lifestyle and appearance.

The adult insect has an inconspicuous color, moves quickly. You can see it only with a strong infection and thorough inspection. Attention should be paid to the presence of nits. They are always immobile, attached to the hairs on the head, neck, horn, tail.

Lice eggs up to 1 mm in size, bright, oval-shaped. Under the magnifying glass the lid at the base is visible, the dark spots inside are the larvae.Initially it may seem that it is dirt, dust. But when you try to shake it all out, nothing comes out. Nits are so tightly attached to the hairs that they can be removed by special efforts.

The incubation period is 10-14 days. Daily the female lays about 4 eggs. The larvae immediately after birth, begin to parasitize. A week later, become full-fledged imagos, capable of reproduction. For a month, pediculosis in a cow develops in full swing.

Professional treatment

Lice medicine

Cow lice may appear at any time of the year, but more often it occurs on warm days. When dealing with lice it is necessary to take into account the fact that not a single agent acts on nits. It will take 2-3 treatments at intervals of 7 days. In this case, the nymphs appear, but do not have time to give new offspring. To consolidate the results, it is recommended to conduct a final third processing.

Preparations for cattle for lice are sold in veterinary pharmacies. In most cases, they are used externally, but can be administered by injection. Insect drinks blood with a substance dangerous to it, dies.

From lice in cows, veterinarians recommend:

• 0.5% chlorophos solution. Treat the ridge, head, neck, area around the tail. The action of chlorophos is strong, but short. Kills nymphs, imago. Loses effect within 24 hours.
• Stomazan, Neostomazan, Ectomin-K. Bred according to the instructions, treated with wool.
• Vermec. Therapeutic drug broad-spectrum. Injected by injection. Destroys all ectoparasites.

Re-processing is carried out in the mandatory case. It is not recommended to use insecticides to pregnant cows, young calves. In such cases, treatment of pediculosis carried out folk remedies. When using insecticidal preparations, milk cannot be used for food or given to calves for 3-5 days.

Treatment of folk remedies

Home Remedies for Lice

Cow lice are common. Practically all livestock breeders are faced with this disease. There are many popular recipes that effectively treat lice, are safe for the health of animals, do not affect the quality of milk, and allow treatment at home:

• Wood ash. Grate the hair of the animal in places where lice most often settle. Strong zealous is not worth it, because the substance irritates the skin.Processing is indicated for cows, calves. Removal of lice is carried out within 2 weeks.
• Sagebrush. Prepare a decoction. Flowers plants pour 1000 ml of boiled water. Insist 30 minutes. Mix with chemeric water (sold ready-made in a pharmacy), add 3 pieces of grated tar soap. Wash the animals daily for 5 days, then repeat after a week. You can withdraw lice in 20 days, taking into account the break.
• Birch tar. Apply the medicine on the ridge, neck, between the horns, near the tail. Good for lice in cows and other blood-sucking parasites. You can cure in 10 days.

Treatment of folk remedies allows you to get rid of pediculosis for 2-3 treatments. The animal will not suffer physically, it is not dangerous to drink the milk of the owners, calves.

For the prevention of lice, it is recommended to periodically use parasite repellents - Hexamide, Dicresyl. Use the popular recipes - a decoction of wormwood, birch tar. In parallel, the treatment of the premises should be carried out; Any method requires a second course of treatment after 14 days.