[2022/02/15, 20:58:37] HO Reuter: Good evening! I know the subject of deworming has been extensively covered on this group. I personally strongly discourage farmers from routine, blanket deworming of antelope. However some farmers in Namibia strongly believe that once a year or every second year feeding of Feedmaster Game Pellets medicated with ivermectin powder mixed into the pellets by Feedmaster for 3 days, or repeated after a week has prevented worm infestation, or reduced losses significantly in their nyala, sable (and other antelope) herds kept in small camps. Feedmaster used to supply these game pellets on request / prescription. However, the supply of ivermectin powder in Namibia has been discontinued. Farmers now request alternative in feed products, e.g. fenbendazole powder to be used and mixed into feed and pelleted. Is this possible / advisable? At what dosage / formulation per ton of game pellets? Is Ivermectin powder (for pigs) still available in RSA? What alternatives do you suggest to farmers that had good results with the Ivermectin pellets fed once a year, and with no signs of resistance to ivermectin or deworming remedies (yet)? [2022/02/16, 07:12:58] Elmien Kotze: The last prescription for ivermectin in food I send to Meadows. I do not know if they can supply in Namibia? [2022/02/16, 08:03:38] Ulf Tubessing: HO, following years of use of Ivomec and similar products in dropout darts, I believe the Ivermectin is likely to be of very little use. [2022/02/16, 08:06:39] Ockert Botha: Febantel that is a fenbendazole derivative may be a good alternative. [2022/02/16, 08:07:42] Ulf Tubessing: That is what I currently recommend and seems like little resistance [2022/02/16, 08:10:08] HO Reuter: Hi Ulf. Do you sprinkle powder over game pellets, or let Feedmaster mix in prior to pelleting? [2022/02/16, 08:14:03] Ulf Tubessing: Hi HO. With ivermectin, I definitely advised professional food addition (Feedmaster) due to risk of toxicity. Since fenbendazole is pretty safe, I recommend either option. Obviously one can give more targeted treatment to suspected "problem" animals with no herd treatment needed if you sprinkle it on their food. With our green flush now, I believe animals will be very unlikely to take food in any case [2022/02/16, 08:23:58] Richard Burroughs: Resistance to the benzimidazole group is a problem worldwide, but agreed, it’s very safe. [2022/02/16, 08:25:27] Chuma: Really?? That is good news to hear, at least. [2022/02/16, 08:26:56] Ockert Botha: Vetscripts developed a powder where we mix the active in. Add some carrot powder and a food adherent gel. The final product is mixed with water to farm a slurry that one uses to coat the game pellets. It is left to dry for about 1 hour and the all the medication coats the pellets so that none is lost as a sediment. In such a way medication does not need to be mixed into the pellets [2022/02/16, 08:28:09] Ockert Botha: The Febantel active has less resistance. [2022/02/16, 08:29:44] Ockert Botha: In horses we found that due to the very high incidence of Ivermectin usage, a 5 day high dose treatment in horses was more effective than the Avermectins. When using Febantel a two day treatment would most possibly suffice. [2022/02/16, 09:25:28] Ulf Tubessing: I have done FEC following fenbendazole and have not found resistance in game - likely because everybody has been abusing the avermectins over decades and people ignoring the "old" Panacur. [2022/02/16, 09:32:40] Robert Campbell: I have to agree with Ulf. In zoo settings before my time, macrocytic lactone cube feed mix was over used. We have had major problems. We changed to fenbendazole that was made up for us by Driehoek Feeds, and then at the same time implemented an adaptive selection program. Animals that had high burdens on faecal EPG counts, but were in good condition and not affected, were selected to stay and the other removed from the herd. This was implemented in semi-captive and captive enclosures. This resulted in fewer deaths and better quality animals to show the public. I advise that this is always based on adaptation to environment, as well as balance with its parasites and circumstances. This is not an easy task I'll admit, but in the current small camp syndrome we are seeing. I believe it is a better approach! [2022/02/16, 08:17:18] HO Reuter: Thanks Ulf and Ockert!
