Lice alert - a consequence of a longer housing period?

Cows excessively scratching themselves can be a sign of lice.

It’s that time of year when I tend to notice patches of hair loss on the cattle while I'm out testing. They may even delay going into the crush in exchange for a good scratch on the shed wall.

January is usually notorious when it comes to lice infestations, and even more so this year perhaps due to the increased housing time. So apologies in advance for the imminent scratching that this week's article may induce.