Dual active cattle drench a game-changer for cattle producers.

Article by Virbac Australia.

Dual active cattle drench a game-changer for cattle producers.

Independent research confirms significant cost of using innefective drenches on herd performance results.

Virbac Australia recently partnered with two independent research groups in northern and southern Australian cattle regions to uncover the most effective cattle drench in different conditions.

Research conducted by the New South Wales Department of Primary Industries and North Coast Local Land Service found that untreated yearling steers or those treated with an ineffective product were 15 kilograms lighter after 90 days.

The recent study looked at the response to a range of pour-on drenches over 63 days in 245 mixed breed steers, 9-11 months of age sourced from over 50 NSW farms, mean starting weight of 300kg and naturally infected with Ostertagia, Haemonchus and Cooperia.

The research found that Cydentin Platinum – as a dual active moxidectin and levamisole cattle drench -resulted in steers that were 11 kilograms heavier than untreated animals and 8 kilograms heavier than those who had been treated with doramectin pour on.

A second study conducted by James Cook University in Queensland found that the dual active drench was the most effective at worm control. The study involved 172 mixed-sex weaner beef cattle from a local research herd; animals had a mean starting weight of 280kg, mixed infections of Haemonchus, Cooperia and Oesophagostonum.

Cydentin Platinum had 100 per cent efficacy against worms at day 14 and 4.4-kilogram weight gain compared to controls and 2.4 kilograms compared to single active doramectin pour-on over 42 days. The single active doramectin pour-on was also the least effective and only achieved an efficiency of 88 per cent compared to controls.

Dr Matt Ball, Virbac Senior Livestock Technical Services Manager, encourages farmers to ensure they choose the most effective cattle drench to fight parasites.

“We now recognise that single active pour on drenches are no longer effective enough to control all key worms or protect productivity.  Farmers need effective products that don’t just remove some of the worms but also add excellent growth rates in their cattle,” he said.

“Over time, the products that we use become less and less effective and that is fundamentally the problem. If we use an ineffective drench, we lose productivity – our cattle don’t grow as well.

“With Cydectin Platinum, we’ve created a drench that not only improves worm control and holds off resistance, but it also keeps benefits like potency, persistency and ease of use. When it comes to animal health, don’t settle for the second-best. Make sure you’re using the right products and that your drench protects your productivity,” he concluded.

To purchase Cydectin Platinum, head over to your Local AIRR Member store or shop online here.