Ceva Animal Health has extended the licence for Eprecis, its injectable wormer for cattle, so it can now be used in sheep and goats as well. 

Eprecis injection (eprinomectin) is an broad spectrum endectocide with activity against gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep¹ and goats².

After Eprecis injection Haemonchus contortus in the abomasum in goats were reduced by 97.8%² and Trichostrongylus colubriformis in the small intestine were reduced by 98.7%².

In lactating dairy ewes Eprecis injection was found to be 99% effective against gastrointestinal nematodes³ and was associated with an increased milk yield of 8%⁴.

The bioavailability of eprinomectin after one Eprecis injection in goats is larger than that reported for eprinomectin pour on^{5, 6,} with Eprecis injection found to be four times more efficacious than eprinomectin pour-on across four dairy goat farms⁷. 

In sheep, the efficacy of Eprecis injection against gastrointestinal nematodes in sheep is 99.6% versus 86.1% for a pour-on formulation⁸. 

Eprecis injection is associated with higher plasma levels of eprinomectin and has a higher efficacy compared to eprinomectin pour-on in dairy ewes naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes⁸. 

This is also achieved using five times less active than a pour-on formulation⁸.

Eprecis injection is administered subcutaneously and there is no need to part the fleece or coat along the animal’s back. 

Ceva says it has excellent syringeability⁹ and a low dose volume (0.1ml/10kg) to help with accurate dosing of animals.

Harry Walby, ruminant veterinary advisor at Ceva Animal Health, said: “Eprecis injection is a highly effective broad-spectrum wormer that is now available in sheep and goats, as well as cattle. 

"The injectable formulation not only allows accurate dosing, but there is no subclinical dose transfer between animals.”

Eprecis injection is available in 100ml and 250ml CLAS vials.

References

1. Charlier et al (2020).  Initial assessment of the economic burden of major parasitic helminth infections to the ruminant livestock industry in Europe. Prev. Vet. Med. 182:105103.
2. Holzhauer, M., Van Schaik, G., Saatkamp, H.W. & Ploeger, H. W. (2011) Lungworm outbreaks in adult dairy cows: estimating economic losses and lessons to be learned.  Veterinary Record 169, 494.
3. Termatzidou, S.A. et al., 2019. Anthelmintic activity of injectable eprinomectin (Eprecis 20mg/ml) in naturally infected dairy sheep.  Vet. Parasitol. 266, 7-11.
4. Termatzidou, S.A. et al., 2020.  Effect of injectable eprinomectin on milk quality and yield of dairy ewes naturally infected with gastrointestinal nematodes.  Vet. Parasitol. 286, 109245.
5. Eprecis 20mg/ml solution for injection for cattle, sheep and goats SPC (section 5.2).
6. Eprinex Multi 5mg/ml pour-on SPC (section 5.2).
7. Couasnon, F., 2019.  PhD thesis in French.  Translated summary from Ceva internal technical book P:47-49.
8. Bordes et al., 2020. Lack of efficacy of eprinomectin in dairy sheep and goats: resistance or poor exposition of worms to the drug? Poster presented at Congres National des GTV, Poitiers, 2020.
9. Comparison of syringeability of 3 different endectocides (eprinomectin 20mg/ml, doramectin 10mg/ml, ivermectin 10mg/ml).  Poster P04-004-079.  Presented at 29th WBC; Dublin, Ireland 2016.

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