title: A multi-country study to assess the effect of a treatment with moxidectin pour-on during the dry period on milk production in dairy cows.
abstract: A randomized clinical study was conducted in a total of 45 commercial dairy farms in France (14 farms), Germany (28 farms) and the UK (3 farms) to evaluate the effect of an anthelmintic treatment on milk yield in the subsequent lactation. A total of 1287 animals with suspected exposure to Ostertagia ostertagi were included in the study. Animals were treated during the dry period (7-77days before parturition) with moxidectin pour-on (Cydectin®0.5% Pour-On, Zoetis; 638 animals) or left untreated (649 animals) according to a randomized block design. Animals were either heifers (n=296) or multiparous cows (n=991). The milk production was monitored at regular intervals after treatment up to 335days after lactation, and analysed using a general linear mixed model with the milk production as outcome variable and several random effects. The effect on milk yield after anthelmintic treatment over the whole subsequent lactation varied from no effect (-0.43kg/day; P=0.35) to an increase of milk yield with 2.35kg/day (P=0.01), depending on the study region and parity of the cows. Lactation curve analysis suggested that the treatment effect was mainly caused by a slower decay of the milk production in the treated animals compared to untreated animals. The present study highlights the beneficial effect of a topical treatment with moxidectin before parturition on milk yield in the subsequent lactation, as well as the importance of a careful evaluation of nematode exposure risk based on local grazing management practices to guide and target production-based anthelmintic treatment decisions.
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Mercuriusstraat 20, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium. Electronic address: thomas.geurden@zoetis.com.
authors.forename: Thomas
authors.initials: T
authors.lastname: Geurden
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Mercuriusstraat 20, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
authors.forename: David J
authors.initials: DJ
authors.lastname: Bartram
authors.affiliation: Zoetis, Mercuriusstraat 20, 1930 Zaventem, Belgium.
authors.forename: Hima Bindu
authors.initials: HB
authors.lastname: Vanimisetti
authors.affiliation: Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Jane
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Fanke
authors.affiliation: Commission Parasitologie SNGTV, 24 rue Carnot, 76190 Yvetot, France.
authors.forename: Philippe
authors.initials: P
authors.lastname: Camuset
authors.affiliation: Commission Parasitologie SNGTV, route de Tarare, 42360 Panissières, France.
authors.forename: Jacques
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Devos
authors.affiliation: Alnorthumbria Veterinary Practice Ltd.,Wagonway Road, Alnwick, Northumberland, UK.
authors.forename: Andrew
authors.initials: A
authors.lastname: Sawyer
authors.affiliation: Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Georg
authors.initials: G
authors.lastname: von Samson-Himmelstjerna
authors.affiliation: Freie Universität Berlin, Institute for Parasitology and Tropical Veterinary Medicine, Robert-von-Ostertag-Str. 7-13, 14163 Berlin, Germany.
authors.forename: Janina
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Demeler
authors.affiliation: Avia-GIS, Risschotlei 33, 2980 Zoersel, Belgium.
authors.forename: Johannes
authors.initials: J
authors.lastname: Charlier
mesh_terms: D000818:Animals; D000871:Anthelmintics / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D002417:Cattle; D002418:Cattle Diseases / Q000188:drug therapy* / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology; D005243:Feces / Q000469:parasitology; D005260:Female; D005602:France / Q000453:epidemiology; D005858:Germany / Q000453:epidemiology; D007559:Ivermectin / Q000627:therapeutic use; D007774:Lactation / Q000187:drug effects; D018942:Macrolides / Q000627:therapeutic use*; D008892:Milk / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000378:metabolism; D010028:Ostertagia / Q000187:drug effects* / Q000302:isolation & purification; D010029:Ostertagiasis / Q000188:drug therapy / Q000453:epidemiology / Q000469:parasitology / Q000662:veterinary*; D010270:Parasite Egg Count / Q000662:veterinary; D011247:Pregnancy; D006113:United Kingdom / Q000453:epidemiology
chemical_list: D000871:Anthelmintics; D018942:Macrolides; D007559:Ivermectin; C027837:moxidectin
keywords: Anthelmintic; Cattle; Cydectin; Gastrointestinal nematodes; Milk production; Moxidectin; Ostertagia