Parasite control during the dry period using Albex Gold
Worming animals during the dry period has the obvious benefit of minimising milk loss due to withdrawal periods, as well as ensuring animals are parasite free and as healthy as possible at the start of lactation. With evidence to suggest that sub-clinical worm burdens can impact milk yield, body condition and fertility, it is important to be aware of parasites, even in adult animals.1
Parasites of concern in dairy cattle:
Gutworms
The two most economically important gastrointestinal (GI) worms of cattle are Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora. Immunity to gut worms, including Ostertagia can be slow and requires exposure over successive grazing seasons. Immunity is also variable between individuals and can be affected by a cow’s general health, nutrition and concurrent diseases e.g. BVD.
Economic losses arise due to reduced growth rates, poorer feed conversion efficiency, and veterinary and treatment costs, as well as potential deaths and poorer animal welfare. Disease due to parasitic gastroenteritis is most common in youngstock, usually during their first grazing season. However, subclinical burdens are being increasingly recognised as a cause of reduced yields and poor performance in lactating dairy cows, with several studies demonstrating a link between antibody levels to gastrointestinal nematodes in bulk milk tank samples and average herd mild production.2 Reductions in yield vary but can be in excess of 1 kg/day.3
Lungworm
Lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus) can affect all ages of animal that haven’t developed immunity. Disease is usually seen in the summer and early autumn, and tends to occur in outbreaks in susceptible animals, which can be severe and difficult to predict. Lungworm is most often seen in first grazing season calves, as a strong immunity develops after exposure, however maintaining this immunity is a balance of continued exposure and the ability of the immune system to provide a protective response.
In immunosuppressed animals, high yielders, heifers or those that have not grazed for some time, immunity may wane, leaving them susceptible to infection. Lungworm infection in adults is usually seen as mild coughing and reduction in milk yield at a herd or group level, with studies demonstrating a difference in both milk production (1.0– 1.7 kg/cow per day) and milk fat (0.08–0.14 %) between lungworm positive and negative herds.2 However severe disease and death, such as that seen in youngstock, can also occur.
Liver fluke
It is estimated that up to 65% of Irish cattle are infected or have been exposed to liver fluke (Fasciola Hepatica).1 It has a complex life cycle, requiring specific environmental conditions as well as the presence of the intermediate host Galba Truncatula, a species of mud snail. Animals pick up infection from grazing wet pastures in the summer and early autumn. Acute fasciolosis caused by immature fluke migrating through the liver, is rare in cattle and the most common presentation is chronic fasciolosis caused by adult fluke in the bile ducts causing damage and fibrosis. Clinical signs include scour, weight loss and poor milk yields.
Animals do not develop resistance to fluke, so on infected farms, a robust control plan is vital for all classes of livestock.
Treating for worms during the dry period:
It is no longer recommended to blanket treat every animal for worms at drying off and treatment should be reserved for animals known to be at risk, younger animals and those in poorer condition. Bulk milk tests are available for both Ostertagia and fluke and can be a useful guide to the presence of these parasites in the herd but give no indication of which animals are affected. Considering grazing history and other risk factors should be considered to allow treatments to be targeted to the appropriate individuals. Did the animals graze? When, and what was the risk level of that grazing?
The timing of treatment is also important and depends on the time of year and the management of the animal. For gut worms, treating as close as possible to calving will provide protection into the lactation, where maximised intakes are crucial. However, the milk withdrawal period of the product will be important to consider. For liver fluke; most flukicides have a significant milk withdrawal so if treatment is required in fluke endemic herds, treating at drying off is a good option.
Albex Gold (Chanelle Pharma) contains albendazole, which is a member of the benzimidazole or white class of wormers. It is licenced for the treatment of benzimidazole susceptible mature and developing immature forms of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, tapeworms and adult liver fluke in cattle. The product is also ovicidal against fluke and roundworm eggs. Albex Gold is twice the strength of market competitors and the only product to contain albendazole at 200 mg/ml. This means a smaller treatment volume can be given, improving convenience and ease of dosing.
It is important to follow responsible use principles when worming cattle to reduce the risk of resistance.
Learn more about Albex Gold here.
Parasite control during the dry period using Albex Gold
Worming animals during the dry period has the obvious benefit of minimising milk loss due to withdrawal periods, as well as ensuring animals are parasite free and as healthy as possible at the start of lactation. With evidence to suggest that sub-clinical worm burdens can impact milk yield, body condition and fertility, it is important to be aware of parasites, even in adult animals.1
Parasites of concern in dairy cattle:
Gutworms
The two most economically important gastrointestinal (GI) worms of cattle are Ostertagia ostertagi and Cooperia oncophora. Immunity to gut worms, including Ostertagia can be slow and requires exposure over successive grazing seasons. Immunity is also variable between individuals and can be affected by a cow’s general health, nutrition and concurrent diseases e.g. BVD.
Economic losses arise due to reduced growth rates, poorer feed conversion efficiency, and veterinary and treatment costs, as well as potential deaths and poorer animal welfare. Disease due to parasitic gastroenteritis is most common in youngstock, usually during their first grazing season. However, subclinical burdens are being increasingly recognised as a cause of reduced yields and poor performance in lactating dairy cows, with several studies demonstrating a link between antibody levels to gastrointestinal nematodes in bulk milk tank samples and average herd mild production.2 Reductions in yield vary but can be in excess of 1 kg/day.3
Lungworm
Lungworm (Dictyocaulus viviparus) can affect all ages of animal that haven’t developed immunity. Disease is usually seen in the summer and early autumn, and tends to occur in outbreaks in susceptible animals, which can be severe and difficult to predict. Lungworm is most often seen in first grazing season calves, as a strong immunity develops after exposure, however maintaining this immunity is a balance of continued exposure and the ability of the immune system to provide a protective response.
In immunosuppressed animals, high yielders, heifers or those that have not grazed for some time, immunity may wane, leaving them susceptible to infection. Lungworm infection in adults is usually seen as mild coughing and reduction in milk yield at a herd or group level, with studies demonstrating a difference in both milk production (1.0– 1.7 kg/cow per day) and milk fat (0.08–0.14 %) between lungworm positive and negative herds.2 However severe disease and death, such as that seen in youngstock, can also occur.
Liver fluke
It is estimated that up to 65% of Irish cattle are infected or have been exposed to liver fluke (Fasciola Hepatica).1 It has a complex life cycle, requiring specific environmental conditions as well as the presence of the intermediate host Galba Truncatula, a species of mud snail. Animals pick up infection from grazing wet pastures in the summer and early autumn. Acute fasciolosis caused by immature fluke migrating through the liver, is rare in cattle and the most common presentation is chronic fasciolosis caused by adult fluke in the bile ducts causing damage and fibrosis. Clinical signs include scour, weight loss and poor milk yields.
Animals do not develop resistance to fluke, so on infected farms, a robust control plan is vital for all classes of livestock.
Treating for worms during the dry period:
It is no longer recommended to blanket treat every animal for worms at drying off and treatment should be reserved for animals known to be at risk, younger animals and those in poorer condition. Bulk milk tests are available for both Ostertagia and fluke and can be a useful guide to the presence of these parasites in the herd but give no indication of which animals are affected. Considering grazing history and other risk factors should be considered to allow treatments to be targeted to the appropriate individuals. Did the animals graze? When, and what was the risk level of that grazing?
The timing of treatment is also important and depends on the time of year and the management of the animal. For gut worms, treating as close as possible to calving will provide protection into the lactation, where maximised intakes are crucial. However, the milk withdrawal period of the product will be important to consider. For liver fluke; most flukicides have a significant milk withdrawal so if treatment is required in fluke endemic herds, treating at drying off is a good option.
Albex Gold (Chanelle Pharma) contains albendazole, which is a member of the benzimidazole or white class of wormers. It is licenced for the treatment of benzimidazole susceptible mature and developing immature forms of gastrointestinal roundworms, lungworms, tapeworms and adult liver fluke in cattle. The product is also ovicidal against fluke and roundworm eggs. Albex Gold is twice the strength of market competitors and the only product to contain albendazole at 200 mg/ml. This means a smaller treatment volume can be given, improving convenience and ease of dosing.
It is important to follow responsible use principles when worming cattle to reduce the risk of resistance.
Learn more about Albex Gold here.