The Ins and Outs of Parasite Management

March 19, 2025, 7:00 PM MT 

Both internal and external parasites can affect the health, welfare and production of a beef cattle herd. Not only can livestock parasites impact grazing behaviour and cause irritation and stress, but they can also transmit various livestock diseases. This webinar for beef cattle producers and veterinary teams covers the best way to approach the management of internal and external parasites in a typical production year to ensure the health of a herd and to avoid resistance.  

This webinar is available for one CE credit for RVTs and DVMs across Canada. After watching the entire webinar recording, you may take a quiz to receive a CE credit.

Speakers:

  • Dr. John Gilleard, University of Calgary Faculty of Veterinary Medicine
  • Dr. Carling Matejka, Veterinary Agri-Health Services

Key Messages

  • Parasites may be small, but their impact on beef cattle health, productivity and profitability is significant
  • Routine, whole-herd use of endectocides like ivermectin has driven growing parasite resistance, and producers should shift from blanket “treat-first” practices to an “assess-first” approach—testing first and treating only when necessary with the right product at the right time

Three Parasite Management Tools

  • grazing management
  • monitoring parasite loads
  • targeted deworming

Eight Pro Tips for Parasite Management

  1. Apply the dose based on animal weight.
  2. Do not apply to snowy, wet, or manure-covered hair.
  3. Avoid unnecessary treatment; treat if parasites are there.
  4. When possible, rotate insecticides of different drug classes.
  5. Avoid overstocking and overgrazing.
  6. New animals should be quarantined, tested for/observed for parasites and treated prior to entering the herd.
  7. Consider rotational grazing strategies.
  8. Cull ill-thrift, potential high-parasite shedders from the herd.

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