Parasitic gastroenteritis, commonly referred to as gut worms, is an infection of the abomasum (the fourth and final stomach) and intestines of cattle. The condition is caused by worm larvae that have survived the winter and are typically ingested during the early grazing season. Once established inside the animal, worms’ eggs are then passed through the animal’s feces, polluting the pasture where they are ingested by other grazing herd members, creating a cycle of the illness.
Cattle that have been infected by gut worms often lose their appetite, have diarrhea and experience extreme weight loss. Due to the passage of the eggs through an infected animal to the pasture, it’s also likely that numerous head will be affected. Treatment includes adequate nutrition and moving the herd to an area of ground that hasn’t been contaminated. The entire herd should be medicated, whether for cure or prevention.
Worm preventives should be administered to herds on a regular basis, and it’s important to vary the type of medication used to avoid parasites becoming resistant to them. We can work with you to customize a preventive treatment regimen to help spare your herd from this debilitating condition.
