Quarantine Drenching of Beef Calves

Quarantine drenching of bought in lambs and ewes is now fairly common practice. With the ease of oral drenching the use of either Matrix (a triple drench) or a novel active helps avoid “buying in resistance”. Unfortunately this practice isn’t as wide spread with farmers who are buying in weaned calves for fattening. While triple combination oral drenches are available (and are the gold standard as a quarantine drench), calves are often of a size that makes it impractical to administer.

So what other options are there?

Firstly we have to consider that a quarantine drench must kill close to 100% of the worms in the calf, otherwise it isn’t achieving its purpose of protecting your property. Recent trial work looked at the use of single active ML pour-ons (such as Abamectin/ Ivermectin). The ML’s are mainly used for their efficacy against Ostertagia, the number one production limiting worm in cattle. In relieving news they still kill close to 100% of Osteragia. However their efficacy against Cooperia, a worm that is highly prevalent in calves (adult cattle acquire immunity to Cooperia at 12-18 months) is much poorer. To effectively kill Cooperia we require the addition of the drench Levamisole.

Therefore quarantine drench options must include both an ML drench component AND Levamisole to be effective. There are two options available:

• „ “Eclipse” (Abamectin + Levamisole) – a pour-on drench
• „ “Eclipse E” (Eprinomectin + Levamisole) – an injection

The injection may be the best option for beef farmers, especially if calves have long coats/mud that can interfere with the uptake of pour-on drenches. It is similar to Cydectin/Exodus that many sheep farmers are familiar with administering. Have a chat to one of our vets to work out the best quarantine drench option for your farming enterprise. 

Should I be drenching ewes?

Should I be drenching ewes?

Reasons for Worming Ewes:

1. For the Ewes’ Sake: If a ewe is worm free, she utilises her feed more efficiently, has an improved appetite, and therefore puts on more condition (or loses less).
2. For the Newborn Lambs’ Sake: A well fed ewe has more energy at lambing time and more ability to deliver her lamb quickly. Lambs from these ewes are born with body temperatures 1 degree Celsius higher, which affects lamb vigour. If a lamb is more vigorous at birth, the ewe is more likely to mother it well, so less starvation/exposure losses.
3. For the Milk Lambs’ Sake: It is possible for a milk lamb to achieve liveweight gains of 300-400g per day. This exceptional figure is approached by having the ewe perform well, with higher milk production and less loss of bodyweight - at weaning the ewe should not be more than 3-4kg below her next tupping weight, or she won’t get to her ideal tupping weight next season.
4. For the Weaned Lambs’ Sake: A better lamb at weaning means earlier lamb drafts and lowers the effective stocking rate.

Products currently marketed

Bionic: A 100 day combination capsule with continual release of abamectin and albendazole, plus selenium and cobalt. Withholding time 128 days.

Extender SeCo: A drench capsule which releases albendazole (white drench family) for 100 days, plus cobalt and selenium. Suitable for ewes up to 80kg. A priming dose of effective drench must be given to the ewes when the capsules are inserted. Withholding time is zero.

Ivomec Maximizer: A 100 day worm drench capsule, with Ivomec as the active ingredient. A single capsule is adequate for ewes up to 80kg. Because ivermectin resistance is so common, we caution the use of Maximizer. Withholding time is 126 days.

Exodus LA, Cydectin LA: These products contain a form of moxidectin injection in a novel base which increases their length of action. It is active against Trichs for 42 days, and Ostertagia for 112 days.

Cydectin Injection: This product contains moxidectin which has a persistent worm killing action following a single injection. It stays active for up to 30 days, but can suppress the egg output of the ewes for much longer. It is best used 2-4 weeks pre-lamb. Withholding time is 28 days for sheep meat.

Eweguard: This product combines Cydectin injection with a 6 in 1 clostridial Vaccination.  2000 dose order.