B.AHE.0314-ParaBoss for cattle parasites

Summary

Parasitic diseases cost Australian cattle producers $350million per annum. Treatment, prevention and production costs vary by region with cattle tick ($156m) and buffalo fly ($94.6m) having the greatest impact on northern cattle.

ParaBoss is Australia's premier resource for parasite management information for sheep, goats and cattle and since January 2014, it has become the go-to website for parasite management of sheep in Australia.

This project follows the successful model constructed by the sheep industry to develop TickBoss, WormBoss, FlyBoss and LiceBoss for cattle. It mined the current literature and scientific knowledge base for up-to-date information on cattle parasite control and deliver it in a practical and producer-oriented format.

Objectives

This project aligns parasite management resources for grassfed beef producers into an existing successful framework used by sheepmeat producers. While still offering regionalised integrated pest management strategies, ParaBoss for cattle parasites has consolidated Australia’s available cattle parasite management resources into one centralised national database.

Benefits to industry

ParaBoss for cattle parasites is the key platform for the development and extension of national best practice management for cattle exposed to mixed parasite infections, which will ultimately reduce its economic impact and improve animal welfare.

Related resources

• ParaBoss
• ParaBoss for cattle parasites flyer
• Four ways to bite back at parasites, Friday Feedback article, 22 April 2021
• ParaBoss set to expand to cattle, Friday Feedback article, 20 April 2017
• MLA’s engagement with ParaBoss, MLA report, 12 December 2016
• Livestock disease survey – stage Phases 1 and 2, MLA final report, 23 March 2015