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438: Your Cattle Dewormer May Not Be Working Anymore with Dr. Leonor Sicalo Gianechini
Description
Parasite resistance is becoming a growing challenge for cattle producers, and the dewormers that once worked reliably may no longer be delivering the results you expect. In this episode, Lauren Moylan visits with Dr. Leonor Sicalo Gianechini about her research into cattle parasites, drug resistance and the future of parasite management. She explains how parasites develop resistance, why switching between products may not solve the problem, and how producers can determine which treatments are actually working on their operations.
Links:
Dr. Leonor at University of Georgia: https://vet.uga.edu/person/leonor-sicalo/
Connect on LinkedIn: https://www.linkedin.com/in/leonor-sicalo-gianechini
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Key Takeaways:
Parasite resistance is becoming increasingly common, and treatments that once worked effectively may no longer eliminate the same percentage of worms.
Gastrointestinal parasites can reduce appetite, cause diarrhea and anemia, slow weight gains, and hurt overall cattle performance.
Drug resistance develops through natural selection as resistant parasites survive treatment and pass those traits to future generations.
Switching between dewormers in the same drug class may not solve resistance because products can share the same mechanism of action.
Fecal egg count reduction testing helps producers evaluate treatment effectiveness, while additional testing can help identify which parasites are surviving treatment.
Underdosing creates selection pressure that can encourage resistance, making accurate animal weights and appropriate dosing essential.
Chapters:
01:17 – Dr. Leonor Sicalo Gianechini’s Journey to Veterinary Research
04:31 – Inside the University of Georgia’s Resistance Research
06:02 – The Biggest Gastrointestinal Parasite Concerns
11:45 – How Parasites Develop Dewormer Resistance
14:58 – Testing to Find Out What Actually Works
17:00 – Underdosing, Pasture Management and Risk Factors
21:14 – The Future of Parasite Research and Drug Resistance
25:52 – Practical Steps Producers Can Take Today
27:06 – Testing, Correct Dosing and Preserving Refug