Fluke in dairy cows

[Jdunn55]

What does everyone do regarding fluke?
My plan is to fluke them with tribex which should do all stages at dry off but I've got a couple of thinner heifers who have come back as having moderate fluke in them so would possibly be treating them during lactation which causes problem re milk withdrawal, according to the box I have here it says you should fluke all cows several times through the year?
Only way I can see that working is if you chuck all milk away for 108 hours several times a year, does anyone actually do that?!

 

[lazy farmer]

We test the bulk tank .
Haven’t had to fluke for at least a decade

 

[Martyn]

We haven't fluked for years, do as @lazy farmer says. Why spend if you don't need to.

 

[Fedupfarmer]

What does everyone do regarding fluke?
My plan is to fluke them with tribex which should do all stages at dry off but I've got a couple of thinner heifers who have come back as having moderate fluke in them so would possibly be treating them during lactation which causes problem re milk withdrawal, according to the box I have here it says you should fluke all cows several times through the year?
Only way I can see that working is if you chuck all milk away for 108 hours several times a year, does anyone actually do that?!

We use Eprimole from molevalley no milk withdrawal.you should not need to do adult cows that often take no notice of what’s on your box it’s wrong.

 

[Masseymad]

Weve just had ours muck tested and come back as having fluke, have been advised to use zanil and, but were wondering whether to just do the cows as we dry them of.

 

[Jdunn55]

We use Eprimole from molevalley no milk withdrawal.you should not need to do adult cows that often take no notice of what’s on your box it’s wrong.

Just looked eprimole up and I don't think it does fluke from what I read?

 

[Jdunn55]

We test the bulk tank .
Haven’t had to fluke for at least a decade

We haven't fluked for years, do as @lazy farmer says. Why spend if you don't need to.

I've tested and got to fluke unfortunately but don't really want to chuck away a couple of grands worth of milk
There's only 2 that are on the thinner side of things so was going to treat them now and keep them out the tank and do all the other cows as I dry them off?

 

[Holsteinfriesian90]

We do ours at drying off with albex.

 

[lazy farmer]

I've tested and got to fluke unfortunately but don't really want to chuck away a couple of grands worth of milk
There's only 2 that are on the thinner side of things so was going to treat them now and keep them out the tank and do all the other cows as I dry them off?

Makes sense

 

[lazy farmer]

Maybe test the tank again whilst you’ve got those two out ?

 

[Cows 'n grass]

With spring calvers it easy just to use a generic fasinex product at dry off. Autumn calvers are harder because you are likely to reinfect before winter.

Fluke is a funny one, traditionally associated with heavy wet ground yet generally we are very free draining, we graze all milkers day and night from mid Feb into December, and yet the majority of my cull cows have livers rejected for active fluke.

 

[Spudley]

I've tested and got to fluke unfortunately but don't really want to chuck away a couple of grands worth of milk
There's only 2 that are on the thinner side of things so was going to treat them now and keep them out the tank and do all the other cows as I dry them off?

That's what I would do

 

[In the pit]

Dry off house for 2/3 weeks too let fluke mature then tribes then
You could then give a Zanil just before calving to make sure you’ve got everything
Only normally need to do once a year
If you outwinter bit more awkward or you autumn calve

 

[som farmer]

tribex at drying off, trodax was the best, it would kill all stages, sadly no longer licensed for milking cattle.
Just as @ cows 'n grass, fairly common to get liver rejection in livers, from culls, good job livers are not priced like steaks !

 

[Macsky]

tribex at drying off, trodax was the best, it would kill all stages, sadly no longer licensed for milking cattle.
Just as @ cows 'n grass, fairly common to get liver rejection in livers, from culls, good job livers are not priced like steaks !

Trodax no longer produced at all

 

[Slippery Slope]

We fluke at drying off (calf all year). If they are out at grass we use Fasinex240 which takes out immature and mature fluke and then from 6/7 weeks after housing we use Zanil as it only treats mature stage fluke but has a much shorter withdrawal period.

If I’ve got one in milk that’s infected I will use the Zanil (regardless of time of year) and then if I feel it’s necessary I will test again 6/7 weeks later to check no immature fluke have made it to maturity.

I’d add that I’m not doing it for the hell of it but because we are very vulnerable to it and since implementing this system I’ve not had a problem

 

[som farmer]

We fluke at drying off (calf all year). If they are out at grass we use Fasinex240 which takes out immature and mature fluke and then from 6/7 weeks after housing we use Zanil as it only treats mature stage fluke but has a much shorter withdrawal period.

If I’ve got one in milk that’s infected I will use the Zanil (regardless of time of year) and then if I feel it’s necessary I will test again 6/7 weeks later to check no immature fluke have made it to maturity.

I’d add that I’m not doing it for the hell of it but because we are very vulnerable to it and since implementing this system I’ve not had a problem

all animal treatments, will come under the spotlight, and we all need to realise, treatment has to be both justified, and properly used. There is still to much routine use, and perhaps to much casual/insufficient dose, still occurs. Resistance to drugs is increasing, both in stock, and humans, and is a mammoth problem, unless new drugs are produced, which basically are not, specifically a/b's, we will be in serious trouble. Animal drugs, will be limited, both to stop human resistance through ingestion of food, and to increase the range of drugs, for humans.

 

[lazy farmer]

all animal treatments, will come under the spotlight, and we all need to realise, treatment has to be both justified, and properly used. There is still to much routine use, and perhaps to much casual/insufficient dose, still occurs. Resistance to drugs is increasing, both in stock, and humans, and is a mammoth problem, unless new drugs are produced, which basically are not, specifically a/b's, we will be in serious trouble. Animal drugs, will be limited, both to stop human resistance through ingestion of food, and to increase the range of drugs, for humans.

There is no proof that human resistance to drugs comes from miss use in Agriculture in the Uk
There was a big trial carried out in your area that prove it.

 

[som farmer]

There is no proof that human resistance to drugs comes from miss use in Agriculture in the Uk
There was a big trial carried out in your area that prove it.

it doesn't need proving, whether correct, or not, it is the policy that has been decided on. And probably correctly, a/b's having increased resistance, and new ones being extremely rare now, and expensive, despite billions being spent on research. The alternative to fight infection, without a/b's, is amputation, a really scary thought, but unfortunately very true, and even now, we hear more reports of sepsis.
It is sobering to think, a/b's in bulk, arrived just in time, for 'D' day, and now, through basically overuse, or misuse. How many other everyday medicines we use, will go the same way, resistance to wormers etc, is well known.
Even in farming, we see increasing resistance for the use/type of a/b we can use, from s/mkts, etc.

 

[lazy farmer]

It is very encouraging to see over time. That with good management and protocols how little antibiotics are actually required. Apart from infections associated with calving and lure we don’t really use any anymore.