Cattle Lice Life Cycle

The adult lice have fully grown and measure up to 2 mm in length. Also because a female louse lays approximately 40 eggs during her life and the life cycle is 21 days long if one does the math a single adult female on an animal in september can result in approximately a million lice in january.

Lice Springerlink

The timing of the various stages.

Cattle lice life cycle. Almost similar to the size of a sesame seed the adult lice live up to 30 days if fed frequent blood meals on a daily basis. The cattle lice spends it whole lifecycle on the host animal the female louse lays her eggs which attach to the hair shaft. It often can be found in dense patches on the dewlap muzzle around eyes and neck.

The little blue cattle louse solenopotes capillatus figure 5 is about 1 2 mm in length bluish in color and smallest of the sucking lice species. The eggs nits often creamy white and about 1 5mm in size are attached to the hairs. The life cycle from egg to egg laying adult normally takes between 21 to 22 days.

Development varies with temperature and species but generally they hatch in 7 14 days and the life cycle is completed in 3 4 weeks. Sucking lice penetrate the skin and suck on blood. The eggs hatch as nymphs at any time between 8 and 19 days.

The nymphs complete three moults on the cattle on their way to becoming fully grown. Cattle s winter hair coat provides lice protection and an ideal environment for reproduction he says. Cattle especially young animals may be infested with multiple species of lice simultaneously.

Three nymph stages the three nymph stages of the lice life cycle grow and undergo their molts over about 9 22 days depending on the lice species in question. For all age classes of cattle stressors such as high stocking density poor feed quality gestational status and underlying health issues. The adult lice will die in one or two days if it s off the host.

Egg the lice egg lice nit stage of the lice life cycle hatches in 7 14 days depending on the species of lice and on environmental conditions. S capillatus and h eurysternus infestations are more often recognized on mature animals whereas l vituli is more commonly seen on calves and on dairy stock. The life cycle is 20 30 days and the entire cycle takes place on the host which makes lice an easier parasite to kill.

The life cycle of lice is relatively short as little as 3 4 weeks so if cool conditions persist lice numbers can quickly increase. Chewing lice rasp at the skin and hair. On the positive side because the entire life cycle of lice happens on the host animal it makes control a little easier.

Adult females attach their eggs to hairs which hatch in 5 14 days. The entire life cycle takes 3 6 weeks.

Getting The Jump On Lice