Now is the time to consider parasite control for animals that will be housed over the winter period. In conjunction with your RAMA or vet, you need to work out what parasites you need to treat, which products to use, and when to administer them.
The parasite risk changes each year and spring 2021 has seen a cooler start lead into a warm summer interspersed with very wet periods. This offers favourable but perhaps somewhat unpredictable environmental conditions for worm and fluke cycles meaning this autumn and winter parasite risks are likely to be significant for parts of the UK. More specific detailed information is available from the NADIS.
The economic impact of worm and liver fluke infections can be detrimental, even modest parasite burdens can result in significant reductions in expected cattle performance. From a recent Scottish study, abattoir data showed that “when compared with animals with no liver fluke burden, animals with 1 to 10 parasites take on average 31 days longer to reach slaughter weight, while animals with more than 10 F. hepatica flukes in their liver at slaughter take 77 days longer to finish.” Strategic anthelmintic treatment can also result in a positive milk yield response, estimated at 0.35kg-0.63kg/cow per day for the duration of lactation.
Douglas Palmer BVMS MRCVS, Large Animal Veterinary Advisor at Norbrook® Laboratories, advises that “it is very important to work with your RAMA or vet to establish a suitable anthelmintic plan that fits the requirements of your farm. Using the correct product for the right parasites is vital to controlling parasitic diseases. This includes knowledge of the potential housing worm burden as well as understanding the risk of which liver fluke stages are present will dictate which products are most suitable.”
Norbrook now offers a range of parasite treatment options in cattle including wormers and a combination fluke and wormer as well as a newly launched flukicide only product.
Eprizero Pour-On contains Eprinomectin, a macrocyclic lactone wormer which has persistency of 28 days against the most economically damaging worms affecting cattle, namely Ostertagia ostertagi (gutworm) and Dictyocaulus viviparous (lungworm). It has a Zero milk and 10 day meat withdrawal period making it a good choice for treating milking cows.
References: Mazeri S, Rydevik G, Handel I, Bronsvoort BMD, Sargison N. Estimation of the impact of Fasciola hepatica infection on time taken for UK beef cattle to reach slaughter weight. Sci Rep. 2017 Aug Sanchez J, Dohoo I, Carrier J, DesCôteaux L. A meta-analysis of the milk-production response after anthelmintic treatment in naturally infected adult dairy cows. Prev Vet Med. 2004 May Gross SJ, Ryan WG, Ploeger HW. Anthelmintic treatment of dairy cows and its effect on milk production. Vet Rec. 1999 May 22;144(21):581-7. doi: 10.1136/ vr.144.21.581. PMID: 10378289.
The parasite risk changes each year and spring 2021 has seen a cooler start lead into a warm summer interspersed with very wet periods. This offers favourable but perhaps somewhat unpredictable environmental conditions for worm and fluke cycles meaning this autumn and winter parasite risks are likely to be significant for parts of the UK. More specific detailed information is available from the NADIS.
The economic impact of worm and liver fluke infections can be detrimental, even modest parasite burdens can result in significant reductions in expected cattle performance. From a recent Scottish study, abattoir data showed that “when compared with animals with no liver fluke burden, animals with 1 to 10 parasites take on average 31 days longer to reach slaughter weight, while animals with more than 10 F. hepatica flukes in their liver at slaughter take 77 days longer to finish.” Strategic anthelmintic treatment can also result in a positive milk yield response, estimated at 0.35kg-0.63kg/cow per day for the duration of lactation.
Douglas Palmer BVMS MRCVS, Large Animal Veterinary Advisor at Norbrook® Laboratories, advises that “it is very important to work with your RAMA or vet to establish a suitable anthelmintic plan that fits the requirements of your farm. Using the correct product for the right parasites is vital to controlling parasitic diseases. This includes knowledge of the potential housing worm burden as well as understanding the risk of which liver fluke stages are present will dictate which products are most suitable.”
Norbrook now offers a range of parasite treatment options in cattle including wormers and a combination fluke and wormer as well as a newly launched flukicide only product.
Norbrook now offers a range of parasite treatment options in cattle including wormers and a combination fluke and wormer as well as a newly launched flukicide only product.
Eprizero Pour On
Eprizero Pour-On contains Eprinomectin, a macrocyclic lactone wormer which has persistency of 28 days against the most economically damaging worms affecting cattle, namely Ostertagia ostertagi (gutworm) and Dictyocaulus viviparous (lungworm). It has a Zero milk and 10 day meat withdrawal period making it a good choice for treating milking cows.Closamectin Pour-On
Closamectin Pour-On provides broad-spectrum efficacy against late immature and adult liver fluke, gut worms, lungworm and ectoparasites. It also kills triclabendazole resistant fluke. It has a meat withhold of 58 days. It is not suitable for milk-producing dairy cows, including dry cows. It can be used in first season dairy heifers and in second season dairy heifers up to midway through pregnancy.Solantel Pour-On
Solantel Pour-On is a NEW product launching in Autumn 2021. It is a flukicide only product containing closantel. This kills late immature and adult fluke including any triclabendazole resistant fluke. It is a suitable fluke treatment in first season grazed heifers after housing. When given 7 weeks after housing farmers can be sure that all fluke burdens will be cleared. In the second season grazed dairy heifers, Solantel Pour-On can be used in all non-pregnant heifers and those still in the first half of pregnancy. Heifers in the second half of pregnancy should not be treated with Solantel Pour-On. This has a 63 day meat withdrawal period.References: Mazeri S, Rydevik G, Handel I, Bronsvoort BMD, Sargison N. Estimation of the impact of Fasciola hepatica infection on time taken for UK beef cattle to reach slaughter weight. Sci Rep. 2017 Aug Sanchez J, Dohoo I, Carrier J, DesCôteaux L. A meta-analysis of the milk-production response after anthelmintic treatment in naturally infected adult dairy cows. Prev Vet Med. 2004 May Gross SJ, Ryan WG, Ploeger HW. Anthelmintic treatment of dairy cows and its effect on milk production. Vet Rec. 1999 May 22;144(21):581-7. doi: 10.1136/ vr.144.21.581. PMID: 10378289.