6 in 1 vaccine, drench pre-lamb gives income boost

MEDIA RELEASE 18 June 2007

6 in 1 vaccine and drench pre-lamb provides vital income boost to farmers

Leading animal health company Fort Dodge reminds farmers that a dose of Eweguard[1], a 6 in 1 sheep vaccine and wormer three weeks before lambing is one of the best investments you can make in the welfare and profitability of your farm.

Eweguard provides ultimate protection against five deadly clostridial diseases, along with cheesy gland. This ‘one shot wonder’ also provides persistent worm control with the addition of moxidectin, the active ingredient in Cydectin and Vetdectin. Eweguard prevents parasitism in ewes which boosts milk production resulting in faster growing lambs. Eweguard plus Selenium gives extra mineral supplementation, protecting against deficiency in this vital trace element. Traditional 5 in 1 vaccines only deliver defence against five clostridial diseases.

Around lambing time, ewes have special needs. Their natural immunity to worms weakens and remains low for some time. If the ewe remains untreated for parasites she will contaminate the pasture that her lambs are delivered onto and will ultimately be grazing from. The long acting worm control in Eweguard means fewer worms in the ewe and fewer on pastures, giving lambs the best possible start in life. The reduced larval contamination on pasture will continue through to weaning, reducing the drench requirement of the lambs.

If ewes are treated with Eweguard three weeks pre-lambing their immunity to clostridial diseases, such as tetanus and pulpy kidney, will also be passed to the lambs to give them vital early-life protection. The ewe will also have better body condition with significantly fewer dags and weighing an average of 5.3 kg more than if she had not received Eweguard.

A ewe whose body is not compromised with parasites also produces more milk resulting in significantly higher weight gains in lambs. The lambs will also flourish in the absence of a worm burden. Heavier lambs wean earlier and are far more likely to get away before Christmas ensuring a premium return for the farmer. Trials have found that ewes treated with Eweguard produced an average of 4.6kg lamb liveweight at weaning over and above untreated ewes.

Keith Morgan runs over ten thousand ewes on Pukatiti Station in Pio Pio. He has used Eweguard pre-lamb in seven out of the last eight years. This seasoned farm manager is convinced of the value of Eweguard saying, “I’ve got great faith that Eweguard keeps my ewes clean for longer. It also lets us get the lambs away quicker. I didn’t use Eweguard one season and both the ewes and lambs were poorer than in previous years.”

Dr Richard Lee BVSc of Vet Services in Waipukurau works predominantly with large animals in the field of applied reproductive services. He maintains that the use of Eweguard in the pre-lamb period overcomes many of the risks associated with this time of year saying, “Where the risk factors of unacceptable and significant production losses before, during and after lambing exist, for example low BCS, feed covers, high FEC, twinning, history of L3 contamination etc, then the rational, planned use of a product like Eweguard is definitely on my management option list. Selective, targeted usage within a background of active refugia makes Eweguard convenient, protective, productive and financially sustainable.”

Lee reminds farmers that the combination of administering the best products to stock with regular and thorough management planning in consultation with an animal health professional is key to maximising farm productivity saying, “Any factors that exacerbate parasite genetic trends toward anthelmintic resistance must be balanced against both the positive productivity and welfare issues of Eweguard use. These factors are themselves able to be mitigated and this is what we vets aim to deliver. For protection around lambing this year in New Zealand we will need every post to be a winning post. Eweguard will help.”

Eweguard saves time, combining the tasks of vaccinating and drenching in a single treatment. This also reduces yarding time, handling and stress on expectant ewes at a time when they need all their strength. Sheep farmer Keith Morgan agrees saying, “With such a large scale operation achieving two tasks in one is a mighty benefit.”

The proven performance of Eweguard protects ewes and lambs at the most critical time of their lives. Developed and produced especially for New Zealand sheep farmers, Eweguard is the only 6 in 1 vaccine and wormer on the market with the added potency of moxidectin. Numerous trials (results available on request) have confirmed that farmers can expect Eweguard to improve the profitability of their farm.

ENDS

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