Lice are a common problem in cattle, which, in the absence of diagnosis and treatment, causes a lot of inconvenience to animals and their owners. The disease occurs as a result of infection by small whitish insects, which pose a dangerous high risk of subsequent infection of cows and calves with various viral and fungal pathologies. An animal affected by pediculosis does not require quarantine conditions, but it is important to treat each head of livestock that has been in contact with the infected animal.
Causes of lice in cows
Cows and calves can get different types of lice - adult animals are affected by insects of the order Haematopinus, and calves are affected by the calf louse Linognathus vituli. The most common fleas found on cows are:
- the short-headed louse is the largest individual of its species, reaching 4 millimeters in length;
- long-headed calf louse - it is not easy to notice it on the body of an animal, since the length of the louse is only 2 millimeters;
- The hair louse is the smallest parasite that infects cattle; males reach a length of 1.5 millimeters, and females only 1 millimeter.
The source of lice is infected cows and calves, if parasites at different stages of the life cycle are already present on their hair. The spread of insects occurs through close contact of livestock (crowded housing, during mating).
Cattle can also pick up lice indoors if infested cows were previously kept there. Parasites are often transmitted through livestock care items (poor sanitary and hygienic conditions).
The risk of developing lice in cows and calves increases during the winter season, since during stalling the cattle's immunity decreases, a lack of vitamins develops, and the skin during this period of the year is covered with a thick coat of hair. In the summer, when kept on pasture, the number of lice in cattle is sharply reduced due to improved feeding, increased immunity, insolation and dry air.
Symptoms of lice
The louse pierces the cow's skin, damaging the capillaries, and injects liquid into the wound opening, which interferes with the normal blood clotting process and contains toxic substances. Due to the constant crawling of lice over the body and massive damage to the skin, animals become aggressive and agitated or, conversely, lethargic.Against the background of severe itching, cattle eat poorly, lose weight, and the risk of other systemic diseases increases.
Lice on a cow look like wingless dark insects with a thick outer shell; upon careful examination of the hair, in its thickness you can see white eggs of parasites - nits. They are firmly attached to the fur, it is difficult to remove or shake off nits, they reach a diameter of 1 millimeter, and are often located on the head, around the neck and horns, and tail. The main symptoms of pediculosis in cattle:
- altered behavior - the cow is worried and may suddenly jump out of place when lying down;
- trembling throughout the body - the animal tries to get rid of the itching, constantly rubbing against walls, fences and other objects;
- loss of appetite and body weight;
- decrease in milk yield due to constant itching and stress of cows;
- the presence of numerous bites on the animal’s skin;
- the appearance of anemia in calves, a noticeable lag in physical development.
In the most affected areas of the animal's skin, areas of eczema and boils, nodules and hemorrhages appear. Prolonged scratching of itchy surfaces with various objects leads to the fact that the livestock develops cellular infiltration - the sweat and sebaceous glands cannot fully function, which affects the functioning of the entire body. The situation is aggravated by the fact that multiple pathogenic microorganisms penetrate into cracks and wounds on the animal’s skin.
Methods for diagnosing lesions
Detecting lice infestation in cows is not problematic - the diagnosis is made on the basis of the clinical picture (constant itching, scratching and multiple bites on the animal’s body, areas of skin without hair, development of dermatitis). In the thickness of a cow's fur, you can see both the adult lice themselves and a large number of nits.It is important to distinguish pediculosis in cattle from diseases with similar clinical manifestations - scabies, eczema, trichophytosis.
How to get rid of parasites
To solve the problem of lice in cows, complex therapy methods are used. If there are several infected heads of cattle, treatment of the entire herd is required, since the probability of infection of the rest of the livestock is almost 100%.
Powders
The most common powder for eliminating lice from cattle is “Chlorophos”, it is a contact insecticide. To remove parasites from cows, powder at a concentration of 80% or 50% must be diluted with water to obtain a 0.5% solution, sprayed, rubbed into the skin or watered every 2-3 days. Pregnant cows and small calves should not be treated with Chlorophos.
Aerosols
The most effective sprays against lice are:
- “Ivermek” - the components of the drug help destroy lice, eliminate itching, pain, and accelerate wound healing;
- “Stomazan” - the emulsion should be diluted with water and applied with a spray bottle to the coat (from 500 milliliters to 1.5 liters per animal);
- “Butox” - apply the solution with a spray bottle, wash off after two weeks, re-treat after seven days;
- “Sebacil” – soak the cow’s hair generously with the product, rinse off with warm water after five to seven minutes;
- “Cyflunit Flock” is a spray with therapeutic and preventive properties. It is necessary to apply along the spine to protect against lice for up to a month.
Treatment with a combination of sprays and injectable drugs against parasites - Ivermectin, Baymek, Clozatrem - gives a good effect.
Folk remedies
Effective folk remedies for lice:
- rubbing wood ash into the skin for 14 days;
- washing the wool with an antiparasitic decoction for at least three weeks - infuse wormwood in a liter of boiling water, add hellebore water, tar-based soap;
- treatment of lice-affected areas with kerosene and birch tar for 14 days.
The listed methods are safe for young calves and do not affect the taste of milked milk.
How to treat the room
The following products with antiseptic properties are used for spraying barns:
- sodium hydroxide;
- slaked lime;
- kerol;
- "Chlorophos";
- Tar oil
You can use a sulfur smoke bomb. During processing, cows must be kicked out of the stall.
Prevention measures
The best way to treat pediculosis and the subsequent addition of concomitant skin diseases to it is timely prevention, which includes:
- control of the quality of livestock nutrition - it is important to balance the diet, include vitamin supplements to strengthen the immune system;
- compliance with sanitary requirements in stalls - regular disposal of manure, replacement of bedding, protection of animals from drafts and dampness;
- periodic treatment with repellents of the favorite habitats of lice - the spine, tail, neck and head of the cow;
- regular treatment of the stall with antiseptic agents;
- routine examinations by a veterinarian, vaccination;
- monitoring the condition of the animal’s skin and coat, behavior, appetite, weight gain and physical development of calves.
The listed measures are not troublesome or expensive, but will allow you to prevent and timely detect pediculosis in cattle and select therapeutic methods in a timely manner.
To avoid infestation of cattle with lice, it is recommended to take preventive measures and treat the barn with antiseptic solutions before the stall period or in the summer. It is important to diagnose and begin to treat head lice in a timely manner, since massive lesions on the skin of young calves can lead to the death of livestock.
