Dosing to eradicate liver fluke is not as straightforward as dosing for worms.
If we want to get a full kill from our fluke treatment, we need two bits of information.
- The date that cattle were housed.
- The stage of liver fluke that our product treats.
This second point is hugely important. While all flukicides will remove an adult fluke, this stage is the least damaging to our animal’s liver and overall well-being.
Only certain active ingredients will treat the more dangerous early-immature (~weeks 1-5) and immature (~weeks 6-10) stages.
Products/actives that kill early-immature, immature and adult (from 1 week)
- Tribex – Triclabendazole – Use Tribex from one-week post-housing for a full kill.
Products/actives that kill immature and adult (from 6 weeks)
- Nitroxynil
- Closantel
Products/actives that kill adult (from 10 weeks)
- Rumenil – Oxyclozanide
- Albendazole – Albex
- Clorsulon – Animec Super (also contains wormer)
Use these products from 10 weeks post-housing for a full kill.
If we’re looking to achieve a full kill in one fluke dose, wait the instructed periods above post-housing before dosing – we can’t pick up fresh fluke once cattle are off pasture.
Exercise caution when delaying a fluke dose however. The longer we wait, the more time we give the early stages of fluke to damage the liver. Farmers in high fluke-risk areas may have to use a triclabendazole shortly after the animals are housed, or a protocol that involves more than one flukicide dose.
Consult your vet, advisor or SQP for the most suitable protocol.
Telephone Sally Cornforth for more advice on 01765 680216
