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Study Shows That Parasite Control Pays

published: July 17th 2008
by: Natasha Joseph
source: Merial

DULUTH, Ga — July 17, 2008 — In hard economic times, cutting corners can become a rule instead of an exception. As the cattle industry faces rapidly rising input costs, producers should make every dollar count. According to a recent study from Iowa State University,¹ one place producers cannot afford to cut is in their parasite control program. The study concluded that parasite control is the most economically important practice in beef production.

“We’ve known for years that parasite control was critical to the profitable cattle producer, but this study is significant because it proves the value of that practice in actual dollars and cents,” says Dr. James Hawkins, Parasitologist and Consultant for Merial Veterinary Services. “However, a parasite control program is only as good as the products used. That is why producers need to choose products they can trust and that are backed by a satisfaction guarantee, such as IVOMEC Brand Products.”

Iowa State researchers gathered the results of more than 170 previous studies and evaluated the various pharmaceutical technologies available to the cow/calf, stocker and feedyard segments, calculating their economic importance and their return on investment.¹

At the cow/calf level, the study showed that dewormers affect weaning rates and weights more than any other technology a producer can employ. Cow/calf producers who used parasite control saw an advantage of 23% in weaning rates and 4% in weaning weights. Parasite control was almost six times more important to a cow/calf producer’s breakeven cost than growth-promoting implants (the second-most economically significant choice). Eliminating parasite control practices would negatively affect breakeven selling prices by 34%, which would mean an added cost of $165 per head.¹

These numbers are a sum of production losses for cow/calf producers. Parasites cause all kinds of costly consequences for their hosts — added stress, lost production, decreased immune response and reduced fertility, to name a few.

“All of that can happen while parasite problems remain at a subclinical level, while cattle appear healthy,” Dr. Hawkins says. “That’s how many producers lose their profits to parasites without realizing it.”

The study showed that dewormers were also the most important choice for stocker operators, affecting average daily gain (ADG) by almost 18%. In that segment, failure to control parasites would increase breakeven prices by $20.77 a head.¹ In the feedyard, parasite control remained critical. There, dewormers increased ADG by 5.6% and reduced feed to gain by 3.9%. Eliminating their use would increase the per-head cost of production by $22.16.¹

“That’s more than enough to turn a profitable feeder into a loss,” Dr. Hawkins says. “The return on investment that parasite control offers for every segment of the beef industry is indisputable.”

Across segments, over the life of the animal, the study found that the impact of eliminating dewormers would be a 19% change in breakeven prices — or a cost of almost $190 on each head the industry produces.¹

But not all parasite control products are created equal, Dr. Hawkins says. For example, they don’t all control liver flukes, which are among the most costly of all cattle parasites. Flukes are a spreading problem; now endemic in 26 states, they are gaining new ground as cattle, hay and wildlife move around the country, Dr. Hawkins says. The National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA) concluded that flukes are one of the top 10 quality issues of the beef industry.²

“With liver flukes, prevention is critical because the only reliable way to diagnose a fluke infection is to observe an animal’s liver during a post-mortem exam — long after the economic damage has been done,” Dr. Hawkins says.

Liver flukes not only have a negative effect on rates of gain³, they affect reproduction too, causing decreased pregnancy rates⁴ and lower bull fertility.⁵

One product that does control flukes is IVOMEC Plus (ivermectin/clorsulon). “It also controls other economically important parasites, both internal and external, which provides producers a convenient option to use one product for all of these costly parasites,” Dr. Hawkins says.

He adds that IVOMEC Brand Products come in four formulations to meet any production criteria, and all are backed by a satisfaction guarantee.

“It takes less than a pound of gain to pay for the difference between an IVOMEC Brand Product and a generic ivermectin,” Dr. Hawkins says. “And generic products don’t have the same long history of proven results or the 100% satisfaction guarantee. Producers can trust IVOMEC Brand Products to work every time.”

As feed and other costs continue to rise, parasite control becomes even more important to profitable beef production and to producers trying to protect their investments. It’s a practice that pays for itself many times over, and that’s been proven for every segment of the beef industry.

For more information, contact your local Merial Sales Representative or visit www.merial.com.

Merial is a world-leading, innovation-driven animal health company, providing a comprehensive range of products to enhance the health, well-being and performance of a wide range of animals. Merial employs more than 5,000 people and operates in more than 150 countries worldwide. Its 2007 sales were nearly $2.5 billion. Merial Limited is a joint venture between Merck & Co., Inc. and sanofi-aventis. For more information, please see www.merial.com.

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IVOMEC Plus (ivermectin/clorsulon): Do not treat cattle within 49 days of slaughter. Do not use in dairy cattle of breeding age or in veal calves. IVOMEC (ivermectin) Pour-On: Do not treat cattle within 48 days of slaughter. Do not use in dairy cattle of breeding age or in veal calves. IVOMEC 1% Injection for Cattle and Swine: Do not treat cattle within 35 days of slaughter. Do not use in dairy cattle of breeding age or in veal calves. Do not treat swine within 18 days of slaughter. IVOMEC EPRINEX^® (eprinomectin) Pour-On for Beef and Dairy: No meat or milk withdrawal is required when used according to label. All IVOMEC Brand Products: Do not use in other animal species not on the label as severe adverse reactions, including fatalities in dogs, may result.

¹Lawrence JD, Ibarburu MA. Economic Analysis of Pharmaceutical Technologies in Modern Beef Production. 2007 Iowa State University.

²National Cattlemen’s Beef Association. National Beef Quality Audit (NBQA): 2000, Gaining Ground. Greenwood Village, CO. 2001.

³Hicks RB, et al. Impact of liver flukes on the performance of feedlot steers. Animal Science Research Report. 1989:123-126.

⁴Loyacano AF, et al. Effect of gastrointestinal nematode and liver fluke infections on weight gain and reproductive performance of beef heifers. Veterinary Parasitology. 2002;107:227-234.

⁵Kaplan RM. Fasciola hepatica: A review of the economic impact in cattle and considerations for control. Veterinary Therapeutics 2001(2).

®IVOMEC and EPRINEX are registered trademarks of Merial.
©2008 Merial Limited. Duluth, GA. All rights reserved. LAGEEGN838 (07/08)