Dosing Overview for This Winter
by Mark Armitage
With the good weather we have had this autumn, livestock have been left outside grazing for longer. This has reduced pressure on housing and feed this autumn but how has it affected parasite control? Parasite control for winter is usually done at housing but with housing being delayed, so too has the housing dose. Animals have been exposed to parasites for longer due to the extended grazing season, so the burden will be high this winter in both fluke and worms, making the housing dose vital this year.
Stomach worms (Cooperia & Ostertagia) larvae concentration in pastures increase over the grazing season with August/ September traditionally being the months with the highest amount of Larvae in the pasture. With the milder autumn, and the increased length of the grazing season this year would lead to an increased concentration of Larvae for October and November.
With this winter dose being delayed considerations should be taken to ensure the correct products are used. Type II stomach worms can cause scour later on in winter, they are not controlled by Levamisole based wormers so products like Levafas Diamond & Levacide Low Volume would not be suitable to give to animals as a winter dose.
There has been reports published warning of the increased risk of liver fluke in the western side of the country this autumn due to rainy conditions in July/ August and the extended grazing season giving perfect conditions for fluke to thrive and attack cattle late in the year. Product choice and timing are the two big factors to take into account when controlling fluke. The length of time animals are housed is important to know when controlling fluke – this will give an indication on what part of the life cycle the fluke are at when being dosed. Some products will only cover adult fluke (>10 weeks), others control immature fluke (>6 weeks), and some will control early immature fluke.
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Trodax is unavailable to purchase this year, however in Liffey Mills we are stocking a substitute product called Distomicide. This product contains the nitroxinal, the same active ingredient as Trodax. Its dose rate is 1ml per 25 kg bodyweight and comes in a 250ml bottle. Ditomicide will cover immature and adult fluke so it should be administered 6-7 weeks after housing to control all fluke ingested before housing.
Another new product stocked by Liffey Mills for fluke control is called Solantel. It is the first fluke only pour-on for cattle. It contains Closantel as the active ingredient which will cover immature and adult fluke. Like Distomicide it should be administered 6-7 weeks after housing to control all fluke ingested up to housing. Solantel is administered at a rate of 1ml per 10kg bodyweight and is sold in 1L, 2.5L, & 5L packs.
Lice control should not be ignored this year, a lot of animals will be housed after the mild autumn lice burdens will be higher than last year. If giving a pour on wormer at housing lice will be covered, if worming is delayed or a drench is being administered then it is advised to give a Pyrethroid Pour on at housing for example Lice-ban or Spot On. In severe cases another application may be required in 4-6 weeks after the first application.
Be sure to call into your local mills branch, where our trained responsible persons can guide you through the products and tailor a dosing plan to your specific issues.
