Cattle Lice –
We alert customers about lice every year as there are always some frustrations with results after a cattle louse treatment has been applied. Here are some helpful reminders about managing lice;
- Two species; biting lice and sucking lice. Both have a short 3–4 week life cycle, so numbers build up very quickly.
- Cattle lice are temperature sensitive, requiring cool conditions with less intense sunlight.
- Thick winter coats help to set a “nice” environment for them.
- No treatments kill over-summering eggs, so treat cattle as soon as you confirm that any “rubbing” is due to the presence of lice.
- Be aware that a rise in temperature can put them back into dormancy, from which, in another cold spell, they can start reproducing again.
Speak with your local FPAG store to get the right advice on the best treatment.
Sheep Lice –
Most flocks in our region are shorn in spring, so the majority of mature sheep are now carrying 6–9months of wool. If no lice treatment was done at shearing, or stock have been in contact with lousy sheep 2–3 months after shearing, you may now be seeing some evidence of an infestation. If present, numbers have built up, the lice are staying closer to the skin for warmth and rubbing starts to be noticed.
If you have confirmed a lice infestation, a decision needs to be made on a treatment to get you through to shearing. Before shearing, again talk with your local FPAG advisor on the best treatment to use then.
This season we expect at least 2 new off-shears Pour-On products to be available, so options for good effective lice treatment are available.
