Boehringer Ingelheim News

NEWS

Success Through Sustainability: A Proactive Approach to Deworming. “It’s important to recognize that producers are doing so many things right,” said Dan Cummings, DVM, Boehringer Ingelheim. “A sustainable approach to deworming isn’t about correcting wrongs. It’s really about stewardship and building toward a sustainable future.”

Updating your deworming protocol could help combat parasite resistance and set your operation up for long term success. Dr. Cummings shared four pillars of a proactive approach:

Pillar one: Diagnostics - Routine diagnostic testing is an essential part of parasite control. Diagnostics can be used to monitor the efficacy of products, assess herd health, and determine the presence of resistant parasites.

“Diagnostics are critical to understanding what products and protocols work for your individual farm,” stressed Dr. Cummings. “The use of testing allows producers to ensure the best possible approach moving forward.”

Dr. Cummings recommends speaking with a veterinarian about fecal egg count reduction testing (FECRT) as part of a diagnostic strategy.

Pillar two: Combination treatment - All commercially available dewormers control parasites. Where they differ is the spectrum of parasites covered as well as the duration of their ability to control parasites.

Commonly used cattle dewormers can be divided into two categories, depending on their chemical structure: benzimidazoles (white dewormers) and macrocyclic lactones (endectocides). Combination treatment is an approach that requires using dewormers from each category. “Using the same product over and over again can open the door for more parasites to survive,” explained Dr. Cummings. “Using a white dewormer and an endectocide targets the parasites in different ways, and could potentially reduce the amount of parasite survivors.”

Pillar three: Refugia - “The simplest way to think about refugia is to start with the root word, refuge,” said Dr. Cummings. “The goal is to create a population of parasites that are in ‘refuge’ from the drug.”

Refugia is recognized as one of the most important factors in delaying the onset of parasite resistance. The idea is to have a population of parasites that are not exposed to selection pressure. This is accomplished by selectively choosing not to deworm a percentage of your herd. Consult a veterinarian for help in determining the appropriate number of animals to leave untreated.

Pillar four: Pasture management - Good management practices are key to slowing the development of antiparasitic resistance in livestock and can help to ensure current treatment options remain effective.1

Limiting overgrazing, maintaining appropriate forage heights, and rotating pastures are all ways to reduce parasite loads in your pastures and limit the number of infective parasite larvae ingested by cattle.

“Pasture management is crucial,” expressed Dr. Cummings. “We’ve learned that most infective larvae are found in the bottom two inches of pasture.2 If cattle are allowed to overgraze, parasite transmission increases due to the likelihood of ingesting infective larvae because they’re grazing lower to the ground.”

With spring parasite season just around the corner, it’s the perfect time to consider your deworming goals and refresh your practices if needed. “Implementing these four strategies could help to maximize productivity in your herd, reduce the risk of parasite resistance, and, ultimately, contribute to a sustainable future for our industry,” concluded Dr. Cummings. References 1FDA’s Center for Veterinary Medicine – Helpful Information for Veterinarians: Antiparasitic resistance in cattle and small ruminants in the United States: how to detect it and what to do about it. Available at www. fda.gov/downloads/AnimalVeterinary/ ResourcesforYou/UCM347442.pdf. Accessed November 15, 2021. 2Paras K.L., Kaplan R.M.. Assessment, management, and control of internal parasites in beef cattle production systems, in Proceedings. Annu Am Assoc Bovine Pract Conf 2019;55-59.

About Boehringer Ingelheim. Improving the health and quality of life of patients is the goal of the research driven pharmaceutical company Boehringer Ingelheim. The focus in doing so is on diseases for which no satisfactory treatment option exists to date. The company, therefore, concentrates on developing innovative therapies that can extend patients’ lives. In animal health, Boehringer Ingelheim stands for advanced prevention.

Boehringer Ingelheim is the second largest animal health business in the world. We are committed to creating animal well being through our large portfolio of advanced, preventive healthcare products and services. With net sales of $4.4 billion and around 10,000 employees worldwide, we are present in more than 150 markets. For more information, visit www.boehringeringelheim.com/animal-health/overview.

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Virginia Herd Health Management Services, PC

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