Protect Your Cattle from Worms with Conventional & Natural Approaches

Many producers know internal parasites can hurt performance, but fewer realize how much they’re costing the operation.

One analysis estimates gastrointestinal parasites cost U.S. beef producers approximately $190 per head per year through reduced weight gain, lower feed efficiency and increased health challenges. (1)

That means even a moderate parasite burden can quietly chip away at profitability across the herd. A sound parasite management strategy doesn’t just protect animal health, it protects margins.

How to Manage Worms in Cattle

Kansas State University estimates an annual economic loss of over $3 billion to the livestock industry due to cattle worms. (2)

To combat these losses, dewormers have been a cornerstone of parasite control for decades. But today, many operations are facing a new challenges from resistance.

Research shows that repeated use of the same deworming products can allow resistant parasites to survive and multiply. Over time, this reduces the effectiveness of treatments and makes parasite control more difficult and expensive.

In fact, extension specialists now emphasize that parasite control should focus on strategic use of dewormers, pasture management and additional tools that reduce parasite pressure throughout the production cycle.

This shift reflects a growing reality in the cattle industry: Parasite management is no longer about a single treatment. It’s about a system.

Reduce Reinfection and Resistance

Parasites are highly adaptable and built to survive challenging conditions. Their eggs can persist in the environment through drought, cold weather and other stressors, allowing reinfection to occur even when conditions seem unfavorable. In addition, some adult worms can enter a dormant state within the animal, enabling them to survive treatment periods and re-emerge later in the production cycle.

At the same time, resistance to dewormers is becoming a growing concern across the livestock industry. Repeated or improper use of the same products can allow some parasites to survive treatment. Those surviving worms reproduce and pass along traits that make future treatments less effective, gradually reducing the reliability of traditional control methods.

As resistance becomes more common, veterinarians and producers are shifting toward more comprehensive parasite management strategies. These approaches focus on reducing overall parasite pressure between treatments through improved nutrition, natural strategies that support gut health and immune function and sound pasture management.

Best Practices for Parasite Management

Research from the University of Maryland Extension shows that frequent, calendar-based treatments can contribute to resistance and unnecessary costs if animals are treated when they don’t actually need it. (3) Instead, successful parasite programs focus on monitoring parasite pressure, targeting high-risk animals and using management practices that reduce exposure over time.

Producers can evaluate the effectiveness of their current program by working with their veterinarian to conduct a fecal egg count reduction test, which measures parasite levels before and after treatment. A reduction of at least 95% typically indicates the dewormer is working as expected.

In addition to monitoring parasite levels, several management practices can help maintain dewormer effectiveness and reduce reinfection risk:

Focus on high-risk animals first. Younger cattle, particularly calves under 16 months of age, are more vulnerable to parasite challenges and often benefit the most from treatment. Mature cattle generally develop greater tolerance and may not require the same level of intervention.

Avoid treating strictly by the calendar.

Deworming should be based on need rather than routine timing. Periodic fecal testing helps determine when treatment is justified and prevents unnecessary product use.

Use accurate dosing practices. Underdosing is one of the most common contributors to resistance. Weighing animals, or using a weigh tape when scales are unavailable, helps ensure the correct dose is delivered for maximum effectiveness.

Manage pastures to reduce parasite exposure.

Overgrazed pastures force cattle to graze closer to manure, increasing the likelihood of ingesting parasite larvae. Rotational grazing and allowing paddocks adequate rest can help break the parasite life cycle and reduce reinfection pressure.

Reevaluate your program regularly.

Parasite pressure and treatment effectiveness can change over time. Periodic testing and program adjustments help ensure control strategies remain effective and economically sound.

A Natural Solution to Manage Cattle Worms

Essential oils and other phytonutrients are also being intentionally studied and applied in livestock systems as part of integrated parasite management programs. These tools help reduce parasite pressure while supporting animal health and performance without contributing to resistance.

Research from Louisiana Tech University found that a particular blend of essential oils in lamb rations kept parasite eggs at levels similar to those of lambs receiving a commercial dewormer. Results from this study suggest that oral administration of through daily feedings may serve as a dewormer for producers focused on decreasing the use of medications. It also decreases the need to handle frequently, and subsequently stress lambs.

Another study conducted in Maine on four organic farms found that an essential oil feed supplementation in sheep and goats helped reduce coccidia parasites in fecal samples of treated animals by 39% in sheep and 51% in goats. Additionally, in goats, the parasites Trichostrongyles and Haemonchus contortus were reduced by 100% in treated animals compared with untreated animals.

How Phytonutrients Help Manage Worms

After cattle ingest worms, they pass through the rumen until they reach the gastrointestinal tract, where they latch onto the gut wall and begin robbing nutrients from the animal.

Research shows that certain essential oil compounds create an unfavorable environment for parasites in the gastrointestinal tract. This reduces their ability to attach to the gut wall and reproduce, helping lower parasite pressure over time.

With any parasite program, the goal isn’t to eliminate worms completely. It’s to maintain the economic threshold of the animal. While cattle will eventually develop immunity to parasites over time, young calves with weaker immune systems are more vulnerable and require protection.

Additionally, essential oils can have secondary benefits other than just managing worms. Studies show that essential oil feed additives and water additives can help improve cattle feed efficiency, immunity and overall herd health.

Want to learn more? Call 507-337-6916 or email us at RuminantHelp@RalcoAgriculture.com.

References

1. The Economic Impact of Parasitism from Nematodes, Trematodes and Ticks on Beef Cattle Production

2. University of Kansas Understanding Internal Parasites in Beef Cattle

3. University of Maryland Extension Best Practices for Deworming Cattle