Control of parasitic infection with ivermectin long-acting injection (IVOMEC® GOLD) and production benefit in first-season grazing cattle facing a high-level larval challenge in Germany

Abstract

Gastrointestinal and pulmonary nematode infections are affecting the health and productivity of grazing cattle worldwide. To evaluate the effects of a single treatment with ivermectin long-acting injection (IVM LAI; IVOMEC® GOLD, Merial; 3.15 % ivermectin w/v) in first-grazing season cattle, two studies were conducted under continued stocking conditions for 84 or 100 days in Bavaria, Germany. Each study involved 68 naturally infected, approximately 4- to 6-month-old Brown Swiss bull calves. Animals were blocked based on pretreatment body weights. Within each block of four animals, animals were randomly assigned to treatments: one to saline (control) and three to IVM LAI. Treatments were injected at 1 mL/50 kg body weight subcutaneously in front of the shoulder. Animals in both studies were managed as one herd each grazing together. Cattle were weighed and fecal samples were collected pretreatment and at intervals thereafter for determination of weight gain and treatment efficacy, respectively. Fecal examination including composite fecal culture indicated the presence of nematodes of the genera Cooperia (dominating), Haemonchus, Nematodirus, Ostertagia, Strongyloides, Trichostrongylus, Trichuris, and Dictyocaulus, and Moniezia cestodes in the cattle. Following treatment, IVM LAI-treated cattle did not shed any Dictyocaulus larvae for 84 days while controls continued to pass larvae. Compared to the controls, IVM LAI-treated cattle had significantly (p < 0.01) lower strongylid egg counts at each occasion. Percentage reductions were ≥94 % up to 70 days after treatment and were ≥83.9 and 58.9 % at 84 and 100 days. Over the 84- or 100-day study periods, IVM LAI-treated cattle gained significantly more weight than the controls: 22.7 and 12.4 kg, respectively. The two studies demonstrated a high efficacy of IVM LAI against gastrointestinal and pulmonary nematode infections under field conditions in Germany which was associated with significant benefit as to weight gain.

Long-Acting Moxidectin for the Control of Gastrointestinal Nematodes in Preweaned Beef Calves in Tropical Areas

“…Another factor that influenced the FEC counts was the anthelmintic treatment with 10%MOX in calves aged 3-5 months, with a significant reduction (P < 0.05) compared to the control group; this difference was observed in both stages of this study. Similar results have been reported in calves treated between 3 and 6 months with long-acting ivermectin, showing significantly lower mean FEC 84-120 days later, when compared to the control group (Catto et al, 2005;Rehbein et al, 2016).…”

“…In this study, ivermectin (IVM) was used, and the effect of a conventional formulation was also compared to that of a long-acting (IVM-LA) agent, noting that only IVM-LA resulted in an average increase in weight gain in calves of 7.1 kg compared to the control group. A similar result was obtained with IVM-LA in calves at 4-6 months, but under different epidemiological conditions, with gains of 22.7 and 12.4 kg in the period of 84-100 days of evaluation (Rehbein et al, 2016).…”

Treatment and control of bovine hypodermosis with ivermectin long-acting injection (IVOMEC® GOLD)

“…With respect to the efficacy profile of IVM LAI, which provides effective control of nematode infections in cattle for up three months [ 53 , 54 ] and the high sensitivity of Hypoderma spp. to macrocyclic lactones in general [ 42 ] and ivermectin in particular [ 55 , 56 ], it can be assumed that IVM LAI while the flies are at the adult developmental stage will also provide protection against cattle Hypoderma spp.…”

Veterinary endectocides for malaria control and elimination: prospects and challenges

“…Endectocides are widely deployed in high-income countries. They are used to improve livestock growth and yield by reducing the burden of intestinal parasites [36]. In developing regions, the wider use of endectocides in herds and household-based livestock would have benefits in human health beyond the potential reduction of malaria.…”