Request for Sheep Worm Meds
Question:
Is Coval the sheep dewormer that sheep ranchers usually use for stomach worming of sheep.
Response:
The assumption is that CoRal is an external parasite control product. Ivomec, Tramisol, Dectomax, Panacur, Levasole, etc are all dewormers I use on sheep and goats. We are concerned with extra labeling of products not approved for sheep but are prescribed by vets. This is the way we use most cattle dewormers for Sheep. The only effective way to use them is in a drench not an injection.
Wormers approved for sheep are albendazole (Valbazen), ivermectin/moxidectin (Ivomec, Privermectin, Cydectin), and Levamisole (Tramisol, Levasole, Prohibit).
Benzimidazoles
Benzimidazoles contain the anthelmintics albendazole, fenbendazole, mebendazole, oxfendazole, and oxibendazole. Fenbendazole is approved for use in goats, and albendazole is approved for use in sheep. This class of anthelmintics is also known as the white drenches. While benzimadoles have a high margin of safety (meaning that it can safely be given at double or triple the labeled dose) and are effective against many species of intestinal parasites, their efficacy against Haemonchus is fairly low. The other problem with benzimidazoles, which is more pronounced in this class of drugs than in others, is that if a parasite is resistant to one of the benzimidazoles, the resistance is most likely wide spread among all of the drugs in this class.
Avermectins
The main drugs in this class are ivermectin and moxidectin. Both drugs are effective against Haemonchus in normal situations, but they are only approved by the FDA for use in sheep, and requires extra-label use in goats. Extra-label use requires that the producer work with a veterinarian to get a prescription for the desired drug, as well as the proper doses and withdrawal times when using the anthelmintics. Sheep should be given the sheep drench form of ivermectin and moxidectin, and goats should receive a higher dose.
Imidothiazoles
The most important drug for sheep and goats in this class is levamisole. Levamisole is approved for use in sheep and is also shown to be very effective against Haemonchus. There is less of a resistance problem to levamisole than there is to benzimidazoles.
More detail at http://www.ces.purdue.edu/extmedia/AS/AS-573-W.pdf
Say need some help the ag director claims he wants to us Coval to deworm sheep with. The vets here are not supportive because the cost of using ivermectin will only cover 10,000 sheep for $25,000. If the director is correct he can get Coval through the Ag Ministry that will deworm 305,000 sheep. I want to spend the money on Coval and follow the director's recommendation. I will still use the American vets recommendation of ivermectin and do 10,000 sheep. We have 1.2 million sheep with worms in a drought if that is possible in the Western Desert in AR Rutbah. I can kill several birds with one stone by following the Directors Recommendation.
1. Treat 305,000 sheep
2. Use Ivermectin on 10,000 sheep
3. Opportunity for comparison to improve system of deworming
4. If I can get both medicines this will greatly assist in the drought situation.
5. The American vets are also looking into some vitamin shots and minerals also.