Parasite Management in High-risk Beef Stocker Calves

Gastrointestinal nematodes remain a major challenge in high-risk stocker cattle, impacting performance, health, and animal welfare. Routine blanket deworming combined with intensive grazing systems has accelerated anthelmintic resistance, threatening long-term parasite control. Sustainable management requires integrating diagnostics, refugia-based strategies, concomitant anthelmintic therapy, and improved nutrition and stress management. Adoption is limited by knowledge gaps and behavioral barriers. Developing cattle health and production data infrastructure, improving stakeholder collaboration, and implementing practical, evidence-based recommendations are essential to preserve anthelmintic efficacy and support long-term productivity in stocker cattle systems.