Why use a flystrike protection treatment at docking?  Lambs are the class of stock most at risk from flystrike and in areas where blowflies routinely cause problems, preventative treatments are commonly applied to lambs early in the Spring, usually at docking.

Research has shown that even relatively small strikes cause a marked loss in appetite in the affected animal with a resulting rapid loss in weight. Recovering this lost weight can take significant time and lengthen sale dates for lambs.

As the wounds caused by docking act as an attractant to flies it is very important that any treatment applied provides protection until these wounds have completely healed.

Which products and why?

Ready to use water based Insect Growth Regulator formulations containing the potent active ingredient dicyclanil ( i.e. CLiKZiN Spray On, CLik Extra Spray On and CLiK Spray On) or cyromazine (i.e. Cyrazin Spray On & Vetrazin Spray On) are favoured by many farmers for use as a docking flystrike preventative treatment.

The benefits of these products include:

1)      A wide  safety margin for operators (a significant issue during docking where animals are handled closely and contact with the formulation used is unavoidable).

2)      A wide safety margin for livestock (particularly important when treating young animals at docking and the product is applied near the tailing wound).

3)      Being water based formulations, they are non-flammable, an essential feature where a searing iron is used at docking.

4)      Good  flystrike protection period provided when these products are applied correctly.

5)      Using the approved docking applicator, 5-10 mLs can easily be applied to effectively protect the docking wound. It is important to remember that where the product is applied is the area protected against flystrike – if back or shoulder strike is anticipated product should be applied to these areas also.

6)      There is no known resistance recorded by strike flies to dicyclanil & cyromazine in New Zealand.

The protection periods shown on the label of each product indicate the expected duration of protection against body and breech strike in sheep, and should give an indication of the duration of protection when used after docking. Talk to the team at Eastland Vets  today about the most suitable fly preventative option for your lambs this docking season.

 

John Meban (BVSc), Phil Ware (B.Agr)