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ARS Home » Research » Publications at this Location » Publication #279628
Title: Use of a molasses–based liquid feed supplement to deliver Ivermectin to cattle to control ectoparasites

Author
item Lohmeyer, Kimberly - Kim
item Pound, Joe
item MILLER, ALLEN - Retired ARS Employee
item Klavons, Jerome
item Davey, Ronald

Submitted to: International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine
Publication Type: Peer Reviewed Journal
Publication Acceptance Date: 6/23/2012
Publication Date: 6/23/2012
Citation: Lohmeyer, K.H., Pound, J.M., Miller, A.J., Klavons, J.A., Davey, R.B. 2012. Use of a molasses–based liquid feed supplement to deliver Ivermectin to cattle to control ectoparasites. International Journal of Applied Research in Veterinary Medicine. 10:137-141.

Interpretive Summary: Two different doses of ivermectin were used to medicate a liquid molasses feed supplement for consumption by cattle. Calves that fed on the low dose supplement (25 ppm) had a 14 day mean consumption of 0.62 ± 0.07 kg supplement per animal per day producing an average dose of 15.5 mg of ivermectin per calf. Calves that fed on high dose supplement (100 ppm) had a 14 day mean consumption of 0.63 ± 0.14 kg supplement per animal per day, producing an average daily dose of 63 mg of ivermectin per calf. The peak average ivermectin blood serum level for the high dose was 85.6 ± 23.6 ppb on the tenth day of treatment; and for the last seven days of the trial the mean ivermectin blood serum level was 76.7 ± 6.2 ppb. No ivermectin was detected in the blood of cattle treated at the low dose seven days after termination of the treatment and no ivermectin was detected in the blood of cattle treated at the high dose a 14 days after termination of treatment. The use of an ivermectin-medicated molasses supplement could be useful for controlling biting flies and ticks on cattle and could have potential for use in the USDA-APHIS Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program.

Technical Abstract: Two different dosages of ivermectin were used to medicate a liquid molasses feed supplement for free-choice consumption by cattle. Calves that fed on supplement medicated at 25 ppm with ivermectin had a 14 day mean consumption of 0.62 ± 0.07 kg supplement/animal/day producing an average dose of 15.5 mg of ivermectin per calf. The peak average ivermectin blood serum level for the 25 ppm rate was 20.0 ± 8.8 ppb on the fifteenth day, one day after the last day of treatment; and for the last seven days of the trial the mean ivermectin level in serum was 15.7 ± 2.6 ppb. Calves that fed on supplement medicated at 100 ppm ivermectin had a 14 day mean consumption of 0.63 ± 0.14 kg supplement/animal/day, producing an average daily dose of 63 mg of ivermectin per calf. The peak average ivermectin blood serum level for the 100 ppm rate was 85.6 ± 23.6 ppb on the tenth day of treatment; and for the last seven days of the trial the mean ivermectin blood serum level was 76.7 ± 6.2 ppb. No ivermectin was detected in the serum of cattle treated at the 25 ppm rate seven days after termination of the treatment and no ivermectin was detected in the serum of cattle treated at the 100 ppm rate 14 days after termination of treatment. The use of an ivermectin-medicated molasses supplement could be useful for controlling biting flies and ticks on cattle and could have potential for use in the USDA-APHIS Cattle Fever Tick Eradication Program.