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Introducing Moxodex LA: season-long parasite control with a single injection
Introducing Moxodex LA: season-long parasite control with a single injection
The impact of gut worms and lungworm on cattle can be significant, threatening your herd’s health, productivity and welfare. Youngstock in their first grazing season are at the highest risk of both parasitic gastro-enteritis (PGE), caused by gut worms, and lungworm. When mixed infections with these parasites are likely, Moxodex LA provides season-long peace of mind, protecting your youngstock with a single injection, given at turn-out.
The cost of parasitic worms
Parasitic worms have a substantial economic impact on the Irish cattle industry:
PGE reduces growth rates by up to 30%1, leading to a delay in:
- reaching slaughter weight for beef cattle
- a delay in first service or poorly grown pregnant heifers in dairy herds
Parasitic worms cost the Irish cattle industry around2:
- €62 million per year beef cattle
- €157 million per year dairy cattle
Lungworm outbreaks are estimated to cost approx. €167 per adult cow3
What does Moxodex LA treat?
Moxodex LA contains moxidectin, a clear (3-ML) wormer. It is used to treat mixed infections of respiratory and gut worms, reducing the time, handling and stress of multiple treatments when several parasites need targeting.
Its broad-spectrum action kills lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus ), the most common gut and stomach worms, as well as lice and mites. This includes the two most economically important gastrointestinal worms of cattle Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora. as well as others that cause disease, such as, Trichostrongylus axei, T. colubriformis, Oesophagostomum radiatum and Trichuris spp.
The importance of reducing larvae build up
The lifecycle of gut worms is direct; larvae are ingested from the pasture by susceptible animals. These then develop into adult worms within the gut, producing eggs which are shed in dung onto pasture. Once the environmental conditions are appropriate, these eggs hatch into infective stages and are once again picked up by grazing animals.
Lungworm also has a direct lifecycle, but adult worms lay eggs in the airways, which are coughed up and swallowed, before being passed in dung onto the pasture.
This is why grazing management to reduce larvae build-up on pasture is an important aspect of worm control in cattle.
Moxodex LA has a long-lasting effect against several parasites, which means a single treatment at turn-out helps control lungworm and PGE throughout the grazing season by reducing the build-up of infective larvae on pasture.
Length of persistent action:
- Lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus): up to 120 days
- Gut worms: up to 150 days
- Stomach worms (Ostertagia ostertagi): up to 120 days
How to use Moxodex LA:
Moxodex LA is given as a single injection at turn out to provide cover for the grazing season. You should speak to your vet or RAMA for more advice on treatment schedules and fluke control.
Moxodex LA should be injected under the loose skin on the hairy side of the ear - the product insert provides step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
The dose rate is 0.5 ml/50 kg in cattle weighing 100 – 500 kg, and it should not be used in animals outside this weight range. The withdrawal periods are as follows:
- Meat: 108 days
- Milk: Not permitted for use in lactating animals producing milk for human consumption or within 80 days of expected parturition
Available in 50 ml and 250 ml packs; rubberless syringes, available from Chanelle, should be used for the 50 ml vials, and automatic syringe equipment should be used for the 250 ml sizes. You can expect to get 16 doses (300 kg calf) and 10 doses (500 kg store) from the 50 ml vials and 83 doses (300 kg calf) and 50 doses (500 kg store) from the 250 ml vials.
Responsible worming practices should be followed to reduce the risk of resistance developing. Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) recommend the RIGHT approach using the 5 R’s:
- The RIGHT product for the type of worm
- The RIGHT animal
- The RIGHT time
- The RIGHT dose rate
- Given in the RIGHT way
For more advice on worming protocols please speak to your vet or RAMA.
References:
1. Control of roundworm in cattle, COWS, 2020
2. Charlier J, Rinaldi L, Musella V, Ploeger HW, Chartier C, Vineer HR, Hinney B, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Băcescu B, Mickiewicz M, Mateus TL. Initial assessment of the economic burden of major parasitic helminth infections to the ruminant livestock industry in Europe. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2020 Sep 1;182:105103.
3. https://www.veterinaryirelandjournal.com/large-animal/151-lungworm-time-to-vaccinate#:~:text=The%20cost%20of%20an%20outbreak,milk%20yield%2C%20infertility%20and%20deaths.
Introducing Moxodex LA: season-long parasite control with a single injection
The impact of gut worms and lungworm on cattle can be significant, threatening your herd’s health, productivity and welfare. Youngstock in their first grazing season are at the highest risk of both parasitic gastro-enteritis (PGE), caused by gut worms, and lungworm. When mixed infections with these parasites are likely, Moxodex LA provides season-long peace of mind, protecting your youngstock with a single injection, given at turn-out.
The cost of parasitic worms
Parasitic worms have a substantial economic impact on the Irish cattle industry:
PGE reduces growth rates by up to 30%1, leading to a delay in:
- reaching slaughter weight for beef cattle
- a delay in first service or poorly grown pregnant heifers in dairy herds
Parasitic worms cost the Irish cattle industry around2:
- €62 million per year beef cattle
- €157 million per year dairy cattle
Lungworm outbreaks are estimated to cost approx. €167 per adult cow3
What does Moxodex LA treat?
Moxodex LA contains moxidectin, a clear (3-ML) wormer. It is used to treat mixed infections of respiratory and gut worms, reducing the time, handling and stress of multiple treatments when several parasites need targeting.
Its broad-spectrum action kills lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus ), the most common gut and stomach worms, as well as lice and mites. This includes the two most economically important gastrointestinal worms of cattle Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora. as well as others that cause disease, such as, Trichostrongylus axei, T. colubriformis, Oesophagostomum radiatum and Trichuris spp.
The importance of reducing larvae build up
The lifecycle of gut worms is direct; larvae are ingested from the pasture by susceptible animals. These then develop into adult worms within the gut, producing eggs which are shed in dung onto pasture. Once the environmental conditions are appropriate, these eggs hatch into infective stages and are once again picked up by grazing animals.
Lungworm also has a direct lifecycle, but adult worms lay eggs in the airways, which are coughed up and swallowed, before being passed in dung onto the pasture.
This is why grazing management to reduce larvae build-up on pasture is an important aspect of worm control in cattle.
Moxodex LA has a long-lasting effect against several parasites, which means a single treatment at turn-out helps control lungworm and PGE throughout the grazing season by reducing the build-up of infective larvae on pasture.
Length of persistent action:
- Lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus): up to 120 days
- Gut worms: up to 150 days
- Stomach worms (Ostertagia ostertagi): up to 120 days
How to use Moxodex LA:
Moxodex LA is given as a single injection at turn out to provide cover for the grazing season. You should speak to your vet or RAMA for more advice on treatment schedules and fluke control.
Moxodex LA should be injected under the loose skin on the hairy side of the ear - the product insert provides step-by-step instructions on how to do this.
The dose rate is 0.5 ml/50 kg in cattle weighing 100 – 500 kg, and it should not be used in animals outside this weight range. The withdrawal periods are as follows:
- Meat: 108 days
- Milk: Not permitted for use in lactating animals producing milk for human consumption or within 80 days of expected parturition
Available in 50 ml and 250 ml packs; rubberless syringes, available from Chanelle, should be used for the 50 ml vials, and automatic syringe equipment should be used for the 250 ml sizes. You can expect to get 16 doses (300 kg calf) and 10 doses (500 kg store) from the 50 ml vials and 83 doses (300 kg calf) and 50 doses (500 kg store) from the 250 ml vials.
Responsible worming practices should be followed to reduce the risk of resistance developing. Control of Worms Sustainably (COWS) recommend the RIGHT approach using the 5 R’s:
- The RIGHT product for the type of worm
- The RIGHT animal
- The RIGHT time
- The RIGHT dose rate
- Given in the RIGHT way
For more advice on worming protocols please speak to your vet or RAMA.
References:
1. Control of roundworm in cattle, COWS, 2020
2. Charlier J, Rinaldi L, Musella V, Ploeger HW, Chartier C, Vineer HR, Hinney B, von Samson-Himmelstjerna G, Băcescu B, Mickiewicz M, Mateus TL. Initial assessment of the economic burden of major parasitic helminth infections to the ruminant livestock industry in Europe. Preventive Veterinary Medicine. 2020 Sep 1;182:105103.
3. https://www.veterinaryirelandjournal.com/large-animal/151-lungworm-time-to-vaccinate#:~:text=The%20cost%20of%20an%20outbreak,milk%20yield%2C%20infertility%20and%20deaths.