Writer: Steve Byrns, 325-653-4576, s-byrns@tamu.edu
Contact: Dr. Sonja Swiger, 254-968-4144, slswiger@ag.tamu.edu
STEPHENVILLE – One of the Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service’s old standby livestock pest control reference publications has been updated, revamped and split in two.The first installment is now available to the public, said the effort’s coordinator.
New electronic livestock pest publication replaces old standby. (Texas A&M AgriLife Extension Service photo)
Dr. Sonja Swiger, AgriLife Extension entomologist at Stephenville, said the original publication formerly known as Managing External Parasites of Texas Livestock and Poultry B-1306, is now being released as two separate publications. The first, Managing External Parasites of Texas Cattle (E-570), is now available electronically on the AgriLife Bookstore http://agrilifelearn.tamu.edu and emphasizes pastured beef cattle. The second, Managing External Parasites of Horses, Pigs, Sheep and Goats, will follow next year. She said the poultry component was redone previously and released as Poultry Pest Management (E-445).
“The original work was written a decade or two ago,” said Swiger. “It addressed external parasites that attack all livestock and was the reference most AgriLife Extension agents grabbed when questions arose concerning livestock pest control.
“But I wanted to provide more in-depth information on the insect species involved, along with pictures for visual identification, so producers would know without a doubt what they were dealing with. With all the added information, it was clear some of the livestock species had to be dropped to keep the publication manageable.”
The new publication stresses the integrated pest management approach which uses the most effective, environmentally safe strategies available, Swiger said.
For more information contact Swiger at: 254-968-4144, slswiger@ag.tamu.edu .