Correct Methods for Deworming Cattle in Low-Temperature Winter Conditions

Beef is one of the red meats that people cannot do without in daily life; it is delicious and can help supplement iron. Nowadays, more and more people are raising cattle, but in winter, if they are not cared for properly, they are prone to disease attacks. So how should cattle be dewormed in winter? What other precautions are there during the breeding process?

1. How should cattle be dewormed in winter?

1. Choose an ideal deworming drug

There are many types of parasites that can infect cattle, and some also cause mixed infections. Therefore, before using medication, after confirming the diagnosis through the feces and various symptoms, the deworming drug should be selected according to the type of parasite infecting the animal. Do not use medication blindly. Otherwise, not only will the deworming effect be poor, but it will also be harmful to the cattle's body.

2. Conduct a small-group trial first

When deworming a large herd of cattle, first select a few head (animals) for a drug efficacy trial. Why? There are two benefits to doing this: first, to see whether the drug used matches the diagnosis; second, to prevent poisoning. Deworming drugs are generally highly toxic, so only after use proves them safe and effective should they be used on the whole herd.

3. Specific deworming methods

Roundworms (Ascaris, nodular worms, hookworms, whipworms, etc.) parasitize the digestive tract of cattle. A 1% refined trichlorfon solution can be used, calculated at 0.1 grams per kilogram of cattle body weight, administered orally on an empty stomach once each time, once a day, for 3 consecutive days. Levamisole can also be used. Calculated at 8 milligrams per kilogram of cattle body weight, administered orally on an empty stomach once each time, once a day, for 3 consecutive days. For fascioliasis, nitroxynil can be used, calculated at 6 milligrams per kilogram of cattle body weight, administered orally on an empty stomach once each time, once a day, for 3 consecutive days.

2. Precautions for raising cattle in winter

1. Properly process straw: In winter, forage is monotonous and nutritionally deficient, which easily causes cattle to lose condition and become thin. If the straw is ammoniated in winter, cattle will love to eat it. The method is: chop wheat straw, rice straw, etc. into short sections 2-3 cm long, and add 4 kg of urea per 100 kg of chopped wheat straw or rice straw. In actual operation, first fully dissolve the urea in 40 kg of water, then stir it into the chopped wheat straw and chopped rice straw. After stirring evenly, put it into a large vat or cement pit, compact it, seal it tightly, and carry out ammoniation. After one month, the vat can be opened for feeding. Ammoniated forage is soft, aromatic, and easy to digest.

2. Heat preservation: For cattle farms in northern regions, heat preservation is the top priority. Low temperatures mainly harm cattle in two ways: first, the energy cattle use to resist cold increases, growth slows, and feed is wasted; second, low temperatures easily induce some diseases in cattle. Such as upper respiratory tract infection (which can be treated with Kechuan Sukang).

Close doors and windows properly: Be sure to check whether doors and windows are closed properly, especially at night, as drafts can cause great harm to cattle.

Canvas insulation: For open or semi-open sheds, thick canvas or plastic sheeting can be used to enclose them for insulation.

Sunbathing: When the weather is good, cattle can be driven out to walk around and bask in the sun. First, this can promote blood circulation in cattle; second, it can promote calcium absorption and reduce the occurrence of limb diseases!

Heating equipment: When necessary, heating stoves, radiators, and other heating equipment can be installed in the cattle shed to keep the shed at a suitable temperature. Especially for newborn calves, the shed temperature is best kept above 5°C.

3. Warming drinking water: In winter, the weather is cold, so cattle should be given warm water at about 25°C, and a little salt and soybean powder should be added to the warm water. Cattle love to drink it, and it can also reduce internal heat and reduce inflammation.

4. Feeding: When raising cattle in winter, never feed frozen feed or spoiled feed, so as to avoid causing digestive system diseases in cattle. Because green forage is scarce in winter, premixes (such as Niuyang Yufei Tai and Jialijian) must be added to the feed to supplement nutrition. If conditions permit, juicy feeds such as radishes and sweet potatoes can also be appropriately supplemented. Some fats and oils can also be appropriately fed to help cattle gain condition better and enhance their cold resistance.

1. Carefully carry out breeding work: Cattle usually follow the pattern of “mate in summer and give birth in spring, mate in winter and give birth in autumn.” Breeding and conception in winter can avoid calving in the hot summer and help cattle achieve high production. Therefore, farmers should seize the good opportunity of winter, do a good job in cattle breeding work, improve the conception rate, and lay a good foundation for the smooth birth and healthy growth of newborn calves.