Lice?

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PaFFA Proud

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Earlier this week I ask what could cause shedding. Well last night I called the breeder who I bought the steer off of and he thinks it might be lice :( I have no idea how he could have gotten lice, he isnt around any other animals excpet for a chicken every now and then that gets into his stall. Is it possible for cattle to get lice from chickens? Also were is a good place to check for lice on cattle and what do they look like? I have never ever had lice in my barn. Just as a percaution I used a pour on ivametrician like the breeder told me to do just in case. I am about to have a heart attack with all the hair in my comb as I brush him. Or could it just be my barn lights being on 24/7 causing him to shed like this. Should I use anything on him to encourage the hair to stay healthy?
 

MooMooLover

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If birds can get in your barn, you can get lice. Why do you have your lights on all the time? They need the dark to grow hair.
 

PaFFA Proud

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well thats it...chickens r going to auction tuedsay(not to mention I hate them) we keep the light on because of keeping the chickens and calves warm...i have gone to turning the lights off now and putting blankets on the calves.
 

MooMooLover

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I mean flying birds. They sit up in the rafters and poop on them. Keep like baby calves warm? We have our fans on 24/7 and its been really cold here. Right now at noon its only 23 degrees. I might turn them off if it gets below zero, but not usually.
 

CAB

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If you have cattle you are going to be susceptible to lice and other parasites.That's a given. That's why some PPL treat for prevention of lice as regularly as weekly.
 

CAB

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Most PPL ramp up their pour-on schedule with product of choice. There are PPL that take precautions by rinsing once per week with water containing a parasite control such as tactic or one of many others to make sure that they don't lose their hard gained hair.
 

MooMooLover

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Only ever had a lice problem 1 time in 9 years on a show steer. Lost all the hair in a big spot on his top right in the middle. I think it was because that year it was really cold for 3 weeks and our barn doors were frozen open and we had 3 feet of snow. So we didn't wash as often as we normally do. Other than regular worming, we really don't do anything else except rinse.
 

PaFFA Proud

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Ok thanks for the info.....lmao a girl in our local 4h said use mayo that is suffocates them and soothes the skin
 

fbrmom

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I have the same thing.  I think ours came from birds, we use green oil, but don't have any right now so I am going to get pour on.  If I can get out with this storm.  I thought about trying Fluid film to see if that would work. 

 

PaFFA Proud

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I used the pour on...jw does anybody know if the pour on ivometrician makes the steers backs sensitive? Today while grooming his back he kept dropping his back in like it was sensitive and he never did this before.
 

bruiser

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Here's an  old trick I picked up: one half a capfull of TACTIN in couple gallons of rinse water once a week or so . You can find at F.S. and other supply stores. Its good for lice , mange  and other parasites
 

fbrmom

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I talked to the vet today and she said ours was probably from lack of sunlight.  I have our locked in right now cause he keeps running through the fence.  I am gonna move his pen where he can get some more sun and hopefully that will help.  I am also gonna use the pour on wormer so we will see what will happen. 
 

kattleluver

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OHIO
We have 4 calves in the barn... 1 heifer was rubbing pretty good.  I'm presuming it was lice we treated with cydectin a week ago.  It seems to have helped a whole lot.  I just don't get why one would get it and the other not so much.  I also was wondering why we've gotten it... the birds could be an option for sure(I hadn't head that so thanks for the info).  I don't know if I should retreat soon or not.  She's lost a lot of hair though :(  I've also heard to use cocunut shampoo I guess they(the lice) hate the smell of it.  Didn't take my chances with that working so I used the cydetin. 
 

ruhtram

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My vet always told me my steers needed more sunlight...A combo of these posts would probably work well. good luck!
 

kattleluver

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PaFFA Proud said:
I used the pour on...jw does anybody know if the pour on ivometrician makes the steers backs sensitive? Today while grooming his back he kept dropping his back in like it was sensitive and he never did this before.

I've head of ivermectin "burning" the skin.  It's almost like a chemical burn that's why I prefer cydectin.  We used it in college at our farm that's where I heard about it.  It worked great and I've never heard of them getting "burns" from it.  Look under the hair and see if there is anything you can see on the skin reaction wise.
 
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