title: Efficacy against sheep lice (Bovicola ovis) and fleece wetting of six shower dip preparations.
abstract: The relative efficacy of 6 shower dip chemicals most frequently used for the treatment of sheep lice (Bovicola ovis) in Western Australia was examined. Groups of 20 sheep infested with lice were treated with products containing either alphamethrin, cyhalothrin, diazinon or diazinon plus piperonyl butoxide and rotenone, formulated as emulsifiable concentrates, and with products containing either coumaphos or magnesium fluorosilicate, formulated as wettable powders. All treatments were applied through a shower dip (Sunbeam model SSD). Inspections for lice were conducted until 9 months after dipping. No lice were found on sheep treated with the 4 emulsifiable concentrate products. In contrast, treatment with the wettable powders, which contained either coumaphos or magnesium fluorosilicate as the active ingredient, did not eradicate the lice infestations. The degree to which the fleece was wetted was assessed 20 minutes after dipping and showed that the wettable powder dips penetrated the fleece less than the emulsifiable concentrate dips. Less fluid was retained by wool staples in an in-vitro test when dip wash was made with the wettable powders. It was concluded that the degree of wetting attained at dipping was an important factor in achieving eradication of sheep lice.
authors.affiliation: Animal Industries Division, Department of Agriculture, Albany, Western Australia.
authors.forename: A R
authors.initials: AR
authors.lastname: Higgs
authors.forename: R A
authors.initials: RA
authors.lastname: Love
authors.forename: P W
authors.initials: PW
authors.lastname: Morcombe
mesh_terms: D000287:Administration, Topical; D000818:Animals; D003372:Coumaphos / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D003976:Diazinon / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D004338:Drug Combinations; D004351:Drug Resistance; D005459:Fluorides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007306:Insecticides / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D010373:Lice Infestations / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000662:veterinary*; D017633:Magnesium Silicates / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D008297:Male; D009570:Nitriles; D010882:Piperonyl Butoxide / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D011722:Pyrethrins / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012402:Rotenone / Q000008:administration & dosage / Q000627:therapeutic use; D012756:Sheep; D012757:Sheep Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy*; D012824:Silicic Acid; D014935:Wool / Q000469:parasitology
chemical_list: D004338:Drug Combinations; D007306:Insecticides; D017633:Magnesium Silicates; D009570:Nitriles; D011722:Pyrethrins; D012402:Rotenone; D012824:Silicic Acid; C004832:hexafluorosilicate; C017160:cypermethrin; D003372:Coumaphos; D010882:Piperonyl Butoxide; D005459:Fluorides; C037304:cyhalothrin; D003976:Diazinon