4 pp., 4 photosProper diet and pasture management can control brown stomach worms in cattle without the use of deworming drugs. This publication explains how the combination works

Faries Jr., Floron C.

Texas A&M University

Controlling Brown Stomach Worms
in Cattle by Management
Floron C. Faries, Jr.*
Begin a worm control program by improving
the nutritional condition of cattle as winter
ends. Cattle have lost their aging worm infec-
tion from the previous fall exposures and are
not reinfected during the winter, while the soil
temperature is below 55 degrees F and larvae
are hibernating.  As soil temperatures rise, the
larvae on the contaminated pasture become
active. Protein deficient cattle become infected
with overwintered larvae by grazing contami-
nated, wet grass in early spring. Then, worm
L-5335
12-01
Protein deficient cattle have a low immun-ity against stomach worms. However,proper diet and pasture management can
result in the control of brown stomach worms
without the use of deworming drugs.
Cattle can be protein deficient if they graze
pastures low in protein or if they are over-
grazed on pastures adequate in protein. Low
protein intake results in low protein levels in
blood and tissues and a suitable environment in
the stomach for worms.
Overcrowding and overgrazing pasture lead
to poor nutrition of cattle and to poor sanita-
tion. Excess manure and worm larvae contami-
nate the pasture. Rain is needed to wash the
larvae from the manure onto pasture where
they can be ingested by cattle. Weekly rains
and moderate temperatures increase the risk
that cattle will become infected with worms by
grazing contaminated grass wet from rain or
dew. Dry weather decreases pasture contamina-
tion and the  transmission of worm larvae is
reduced.
The most important way to control worms in
grazing cattle is to maintain good nutrition
practices. The rate of infection can be reduced
by preventing exposure to heavy levels of
larvae on the grass and by interfering with the
establishment of larvae and adult worms in the
stomachs of cattle.
*Associate Professor and Extension Program Leader for
Veterinary Medicine, The Texas A&M University System
Good quality pasture with high protein
content controls brown stomach worms in
cattle.
eggs passed in their manure become a con-
tinual source of pasture contamination during
the spring if weekly rains occur to wash the
larvae from manure.  To ensure cattle maintain
noneconomic, low levels of brown stomach
worms, feed a protein supplement during late
winter and early spring to fortify the cattle’s
diet of hay and /or grass.  When the spring
grass emerges and haying stops, do not over-
crowd cattle and overgraze pasture.
If manure piles on the pasture are difficult to
find, there is probably a low contamination
level of larvae in the pasture. Conduct soil tests
and fertilize pastures as needed to maintain
adequate protein and grass growth throughout
the grazing season.
Cattle on overcrowded pastures should be
fed hay and supplements during the spring. If
manure on the pasture is easy to find, there is
probably a high contamination level of larvae.
Use a drag implement to break up dense ma-
nure piles on the pasture. Breaking up manure
when there is no rain helps dry and kill larvae
before they can be washed by rain from ma-
nure and contaminate wet grass.
Give pasture a rest to relieve the grazing
pressure of cattle on grass. Divide the pasture
into four cell pastures. Rotate the cattle every
week to allow 3 weeks of uninterrupted grass
growth in each cell. A high percentage of worm
larvae die during the resting of a cell pasture.
Infective larvae, if not swallowed by cattle
within a few weeks, will die from starvation or
from drying. Grazing of a cell for 1 week does
not provide enough time for worm eggs in fresh
manure to hatch and develop into infective
larvae. Therefore, concentrated cell grazing for 1
week does not increase exposure of cattle to
worms.
As ingested larvae of brown stomach worms
invade the cattle’s stomach linings, an immunity
against the worms in healthy cattle is stimu-
lated. Repeated low exposures to larvae boost
the level of immunity. High immunity in cattle
interferes with the invasion of infective larvae
and reduces the egg-laying ability and life span
of adult worms.
In late summer, cattle lose their aging adult
worm infections acquired from the previous
spring exposures. They are not exposed to pas-
ture larvae during July and August because, dur-
ing times of no rain, larvae on the pasture die
from dryness and heat. Also, during dry weather,
manure piles dry, creating a crust that inhibits
larvae from being washed out by rain, and the
larvae die from dryness and bacterial decay.
Maintain normal protein and
immunity levels of cattle during
August and September by feeding
hay and supplements to cattle
grazing short, summer pasture.
Continue the feeding during the fall
if the growth of summer grass is not
boosted by fall rains.
However, in the fall, the infection
cycle begins again. Larvae swal-
lowed in June and inhibited in
cattle’s stomach linings will emerge
and mature into adult worms in
September as cattle’s immunity
decreases because of protein defi-
ciencies. High immunity in supple-
mented cattle interferes with the
emergence of inhibited larvae. This
results in less damage to cattle’s
stomach linings and a reduced adult worm
population. Eggs from these reduced numbers
of adult worms are passed in the cattle’s ma-
nure and become a source of pasture contami-
nation during the fall.
Overcrowded conditions lead to overgrazing, increased
manure concentrations and increased larval contamination.
Repeated exposures to larvae on the grass
only occur when weekly rains wash the larvae
from the manure. Larvae remain active until
the soil temperature drops below 55 degrees F.
Then, the larvae hibernate on the pasture
during the winter.
To kill larvae on a contaminated fall pasture,
disk the soil and plant a small grain or ryegrass
for winter grazing. Worm infections in cattle
grazing winter planted pasture are stopped
because of the soil cultivation, cold soil tem-
peratures and high protein diet.
To reduce worm exposure to young nursing
calves, maintain a 2-month calving period for a
cow herd grazing a single pasture. When the
calving period is in the fall, nursing
calves can be weaned and removed
from the cow herd before the high
risk of exposure to pasture larvae
in the spring.
Calves and young cattle are
more susceptible to worms and
pass more eggs in their manure
than adult cattle. Older nursing
calves are a major source of pas-
ture contamination. Young nursing
calves have a higher risk of becom-
ing infected with worms when
they occupy the same pasture with
older nursing calves.
Separate young cattle from the
cow herd. Not only is the cow herd
Dietary protein supplements help control stomach worms.
pasture a possible source of infec-
tion to them, but they are source of
pasture contamination for nursing
calves. Separate replacement
heifers from the cow herd until
their second calving is the same 2-
month calving period as the cow
herd.
Extreme cold and hot tempera-
tures, as well as lack of rain,
control the transmission of the
brown stomach worm. Control by
management works well for graz-
ing cattle in high risk areas with
periodic rains, soil temperatures
between 55 degrees to 85 degrees
F, and larval activity during the
spring, fall and warm winter. Regardless of
pasture management, worms occur in greater
frequency in cattle in high rainfall areas than in
cattle under the same type of management in
low rainfall areas.
To reduce rates of contamination to pastures,
prevent overcrowding and separate cattle by
age groups. If cattle are exposed, infections can
be killed by increasing immunity of cattle by
ensuring proper nutrition, which also causes
the environment of the cattle’s stomachs to be
unsuitable for worm development. If these
management practices are followed, then the
use of deworming drugs in cattle is not neces-
sary, nor economical.
Older calves should be separated from younger calves to
control worms.



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Controlling Brown Stomach Worms in Cattle by Management

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Controlling Brown Stomach Worms in Cattle by Management

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