There are a variety of application methods for administering chemical products to cattle. Each product is formulated to ensure that the application method will transfer the chemical to a location that will affect the target parasite, e.g. direct contact via the skin or uptake as the parasite ingests host blood, plasma or tissue. More options are available for treating external parasites (flies, ticks, lice and mites) than internal parasites (roundworms, tapeworms and flukes). The different application methods are listed below.
Methods to treat cattle against worms
Methods to treat cattle against ticks
Methods to treat cattle against lice and mites
Methods to treat cattle against flies
Choosing an application method
In addition to cost, the decision process should include:
Example
Oral drenching has been around for a long time. It is a heavy physical job requiring cattle holding infrastructure such as yards, raceways, head bailing equipment and a degree of skill. An alternative might be a pour-on product. The pour-on product is easier to apply, but may result in less accurate dosing.
Chemical actives will vary in their effect on the different parasite groups depending on their formulation and application method. For help in selecting a product to treat specific parasites use the following links:
WormBoss cattle products search
TickBoss cattle products search