Progress 10/01/03 to 09/30/08
Outputs
No publications reported.
Impacts
The project leader retired and no data was collected.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/06 to 12/31/06
Outputs
Fifty-six crossbred weanling beef steers and twenty-eight heifers were allotted to treatments in the fall of 2005. The treatments were Cydectin, Safeguard, Cydectin plus Safeguard and a non treated control. Animals were weighed at 28 day intervals for the 169 day trial (January 11 to June 29). Calves grazed sod-seeded ryegrass from January until May and common bermudagrass in May and June. Heifers were exposed to bulls for a 72 day period from April 18 to June 29 (72 days). Heifers were pregnancy checked in October. Average daily gains for the steers and heifers were: .58, .63, .60 and .55 kg/d for calves treated with Cydectin, Safeguard, Cydectin plus Safeguard and controls, respectively. Heifer pregnancy rates were 71, 20, 71 and 83 percent for the treatments, respectively.
Impacts
Internal parasites are of continual concern to Louisiana beef cattle producers. Many studies have documented the detrimental effect of stomach worm infections on the gains and body condition of weaned calves and stocker animals. Bovine liver fluke infections have also been reported to affect calf and stocker gains.
Publications
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Progress 01/01/05 to 12/31/05
Outputs
The heifers utilized to evaluate the effects of bovine liver fluke on beef heifers have weaned their first calves. Treating the heifers with Clorsulon 84, 56, or 28 days prior to the beginning of the breeding season or administering no treatment for flukes ( treatments 1 through 4, respectively) had no effect on calving rate, calving date or calf 205 day weight. Respective calving dates were 2/8, 2/7, 2/5 and 2/2. Calving rates were 88, 80, 77 and 90%. Treatment birth weights were 66, 66, 68 and 66 pounds and respective 205 day weights were 355, 349,362 and 361 pounds. Average fluke egg counts have remained below 1 egg per gram and prevalence rates have remained below 10%. These data have been affected by climatic conditions (long dry and hot periods) that have reduced the population of the Lymnead snail that is the intermediate host for the bovine liver fluke. Because of these conditions, data from the second year will also probably be inconclusive.
Impacts
Under the environmental conditions that have existed at this location this year, liver flukes have not been a problem. Infection rates and parasite burdens have been extremely low.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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Progress 01/01/04 to 12/31/04
Outputs
Ninety six heifers were utilized to determine the effect of bovine liver flukes on the reproductive performance of beef heifers. Heifers were treated with Clorsulon at either 28, 56 or 84 days prior to breeding. Controls received no treatment. Average egg counts were below 1 epg and prevalence rates were less than 10% at breeding. Blood assays indicated treatment effects on the number of heifers that reached puberty at breeding. Estimated puberty rates for treatments 1 through 4 were 53, 61, 57, and 69 percent. Average heifer weight at breeding was 765 pounds. At palpation, the heifers averaged 869 pounds. Respective pregnancy rates for heifers on treatments 1 through 4 were 92,80,96,100%. The average pregnancy rate for all heifers was 92%.
Impacts
Data from this trial will allow us to make recommendations on how long heifers have to be treated for liver flukes prior to their initial breeding season and will allow us to determine if the flukes significantly affect heifer or calf performance.
Publications
- No publications reported this period
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