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Cervidae drench for deer

Internal parasites, particularly lungworm and ostertagia are a significant animal health problem on New Zealand deer farms. Due to widespread drench resistance, farmers have had to resort to using mixes of drenches that were not registered for deer, with the resultant 91 day withholding period.

Cervidae Oral is a new triple action drench developed specifically for deer in New Zealand. It is a combination of moxidectin, levamisole and oxfendazole and has a dose rate of 1 ml per 10 kg.

Cervidae has been developed and trialled in New Zealand conditions and has a 28 day meat withholding period.

To protect this new drench and slow the onset of resistance, farmers will still need to have an integrated parasite control programme. This should include:

  • Quarantine drench all new stock. After drenching put the new deer on a sacrifice paddock to clean out for 24 hours.
  • Don’t use single-active or pour-on drenches.
  • Cross -graze with cattle or sheep to decrease the volume of larvae on the pasture.
  • Don’t put weaners on the same areas every year.
  • Practice refugia by grazing clean pasture with undrenched deer such as adults before the weaners or graze the weaners on the clean pasture one week before drenching. Avoid drenching adults where possible.
  • Always dose to the weight of the individual animal.
  • Keep grass residuals at 1500-1600 to lower the intake of infective larvae.