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cattle winter time hair loss

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I am from north carolina and run a small herd of about 120 head. Over the past two winters i have noticed hair loss on a large percenage of my cattle. our pastures hold grazing normally until the end of dec. and we start feeding fescue hay and brewers grains, but the hair loss never starts until later, around late jan. My first thought was a parasite such as lice but we never have summer problems with lice and i dont know if that could be the case during our cold winters? most of the hair loss is confined to the neck area but there are some small patches missing all over some animals. the cows are health and fat, and have a free choice of high mag salt and trace minerals. if any one can help i would really apreciate it. thanks mw
 
I agree lice.. Pour them and I'll bet it clears up... Lice are a cool and cold weather problem- they can't survive in the hot sun, but they will start showing up in late fall and winter........
 
Oldtimer said:
I agree lice.. Pour them and I'll bet it clears up... Lice are a cool and cold weather problem- they can't survive in the hot sun, but they will start showing up in late fall and winter........

Got a neighbor that bought an off-brand pour on de-wormer and it didn't work on the lice. I think? there's a couple of different kinds of lice. Biting and sucking? It only worked on one type after reading the label. Be careful what you buy cheap, you might get what you pay for. :)
 
Mike you are right about cheep wormer. My neighbor bought some cheep wormer and he ended up with a bunch of worme bull calves at yearling weights. He put some good stuf on them and they started gaining big time. When we checked to send some to the EPD sale they had gained 7 and 8 pounds a day in a mounth.
 
Would it be OK to bring Rio (my main herdsire) over to the shindig we talked about yesterday?
 
I think he would be a fine bull to showcase your operation. Thanks for your interest Mike.
 
My cows git hair loss on their necks in the winter time....after starting to feed hay....in hay rings...the rings wear hair off in spots. Just a thought might be the same with yours
 
mw said:
I am from north carolina and run a small herd of about 120 head. Over the past two winters i have noticed hair loss on a large percenage of my cattle. our pastures hold grazing normally until the end of dec. and we start feeding fescue hay and brewers grains, but the hair loss never starts until later, around late jan. My first thought was a parasite such as lice but we never have summer problems with lice and i dont know if that could be the case during our cold winters? most of the hair loss is confined to the neck area but there are some small patches missing all over some animals. the cows are health and fat, and have a free choice of high mag salt and trace minerals. if any one can help i would really apreciate it. thanks mw

Its lice, lice need long hair to migrate properly over the cow in the summer the lice tend to be on the belly and udder areas as winter hair grows the lice spread out.Pour them and they should clear up also does their hair look dull and rough are they rubbing and licking themselves? All are signs of lice.
 
I'd sure go along with treating for lice and would suggest dectomax, but as I estimate your growing season in Carolina, I'd consider the possibility of the cows browsing some winter annual that is causing a photosensitive reaction. Something like wild mustard will do it in my country.
 

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