Get More Parasite Coverage This Fall
Four tips offered for getting the most parasite control.
When you are deworming your cattle this fall with an oral drench dewormer, focus more on the amount of parasite control you get from the product and less about the dosage volume.
A higher-volume dose isn’t a bad thing for parasite control with oral drench. Benzimidazole products work best through prolonged exposure of parasites to “toxic” concentrations of dewormers.1,2 With a large rumen and abomasum, a higher-volume dose is more likely to expose parasites to the active ingredient and help improve product efficacy.
Fret more about incomplete coverage.
With some benzimidazole oral drench products, you’re looking at about 25% to 47% less parasite and larval stage coverage.3 Some oral drench products will also miss important control of liver flukes, both important species of tapeworms (Moniezia expansa and M. benedeni) and parasitic roundworms (Nematodirus spathiger).
These internal parasites are responsible for numerous problems, including suppressed appetite and reduced feed intake. Reduced feed intake leads to less nutrients, which can hinder an animal’s immune system and cause them to respond poorly to vaccines and disease challenges.
Here are more tips to help you get the most parasite control from your oral drench dewormer this fall.
- Collaborate with your veterinarian each year, so you have a solid deworming program that is best suited for your herd.
- Reduce feed or fast the animals prior to administration. This slows the rate of passage in the rumen, giving the product more time to work.1,2
- Weigh the animals so you are administering the most accurate dosage.
- Deworm based on your geographic location. Timing varies, so you’ll need to work closely with your veterinarian.
Parasites are complicated and found in all forage situations. These tips can help improve your success this fall and remember to look for an oral drench product with the most coverage against damaging internal parasites.
Editor’s note: This article was provided by Zoetis, which offers its website GetLessParasites.com for more about parasite control options.
1Benzimidazoles general information. Merck Veterinary Manual website. https://www.merckvetmanual.com/pharmacology/anthelmintics/benzimidazoles. Accessed July 30, 2018.
2Moreno L, Echevarria F, Munoz F, Alvarez L, Sanchez-Bruni S, Lanusse C. Dose-dependent activity of albendazole against benzimidazole-resistant nematodes in sheep: relationship between pharmacokinetics and efficacy. Exp Parasit. 2004;106:150-157.
3Comparison of approved label indications for Valbazen®, Safe-Guard® suspension and Synanthic® Suspension 22.5%.
