How to protect your animals against ticks, mites and lice
Protect your animals against ticks, mites and lice with Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health’s Taktic® range.
Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health helps farmers to protect their animals against ticks, mites and lice.
Amitraz is a parasiticide that belongs to the formamidine group of insecticides. The principle mode of action in the parasite is believed to be interaction with octopamine receptors in the central nervous system (CNS) of ectoparasites which induces increased neuronal activity, abnormal behaviour, detachment and death.
Amitraz is a contact insecticide/acaricide with extended residual activity, functioning as an agonist at octopamine receptors in the nerve synapses. This produces increased nervous activity leading to rapid detachment of parasites and their eventual mortality. This novel mode of action differs from other established insecticides e.g. organophosphates, carbamates and synthetic pyrethroids.
In a study in Tanzania (Kagaruki, 1996), the efficacy of Amitraz on cattle ticks was assessed by susceptibility tests, spraying and dipping trials. Spraying trials were carried out on calves infested with R. appendiculatus, A. variegatum and B. decoloratus. Amitraz wettable powder [as Taktic total replacement (TR)] was tested against B. decoloratus, and Amitraz emulsifiable concentrate (as Taktic EC) against the other two species. Both formulations showed instant action, with ticks detaching from the calves between 30 min and 8 h after spraying. More that 50% of the detached engorged females failed to lay eggs. The remainder laid few eggs and these had a low hatching rate of 0-2%, compared with 90-98% in the controls. The detached nymphs failed to moult, and the males and non-engorged females also detached, were immobilised and finally died. In the dipping trials, cattle heavily infested with ticks (mean tick counts of about 800) were dipped once weekly in Amitraz (Taktic TR). Weekly tick counts showed that the re-infestation rate was reduced to zero after the ninth dipping.
Amitraz has also been shown to be successful in controlling mange and lice infestations on pigs, which had failed to respond to diazinon and gamma BHC respectively, and by the use of prophylactic programmes to maintain pig herds mange free (Curtis, 1985). In addition trials have indicated the elimination of psoroptic mange from sheep by applying the compound to the animal using either conventional or less conventional methods of treatment. Mixed infection of Chorioptes spp., Psoroptes spp. and Sarcotes spp. in cattle have also been controlled using spray applications of Amitraz, where in some cases organochlorines, organophosphorus and organotin compounds had failed. In a pilot study of heavy infestation of chorioptic mange was controlled on a calf using a pour-on formulation of Amitraz.
One of the Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health’s flagships products containing the “the original Amitraz” is the Taktic® range. Taktic® controls ticks, mange and lice and is registered for use on most domestic animals. The list below gives products in the Taktic® range.
- Taktic® Cattle Spray (Reg no. 2535 Act 36/1947) contains 12.5% Amitraz – Cattle, Sheep, Goats and Ostriches.
- Taktic® Dip for Dogs (Reg no. 3153 Act 36/1947) contains 12.5% Amitraz – Dogs.
- Taktic® Pig Pour-On (Reg no. 2574 Act 36/1947) contains 1% Amitraz – Pigs.
- Taktic® TR Cattle Dip (Reg no. 2537 Act 36/1947) contains 23.75% Amitraz – Cattle, Sheep, Goats.
- Taktic® LS Cattle Dip (Reg no. 2536 Act 36/1947) contains 23.75% Amitraz – Cattle.
- Taktic® Wettable Powder Cattle Spray (Reg no. 2538 Act 36/1947) contains 23.75% Amitraz – Cattle.
Contact Details
For more information on how your business can benefit from Intervet Schering-Plough Animal Health’s products, please contact Dr Riaan Du Preez at:
Email: [email protected]
Website: www.intervet.co.za
