Therapeutic and persistent efficacy of spinosad applied as a pour-on or a topical spray against natural infestations of chewing and sucking lice on cattle

W. Hunter White, Douglas E. Hutchens, Carl Jones, Lawrence D Firkins, Allan Paul, Larry L. Smith, Daniel E. Snyder

Research output: Contribution to journalArticlepeer-review

Abstract

Studies were conducted in Wisconsin and Illinois, USA, to assess and compare the therapeutic and persistent efficacy of spinosad when applied as either a pour-on or topical spray and compared with cyfluthrin pour-on and coumaphos topical spray for controlling natural infestations of chewing (Bovicola bovis) and sucking (Linognathus vituli, Solenopotes capillatus and Haematopinus eurysternus) lice on cattle. Thirty-five animals at each trial site were blocked according to pre-treatment lice counts and randomly allocated to one of five treatment groups: single treatments of spinosad (25 g/L), diluted with water to 0.04% active ingredient and applied as a whole-body topical spray; spinosad (25 g/L) applied as a neat pour-on at 2 mg/kg body weight; Co-Ral® Emulsifiable Livestock Insecticide (5.8% coumaphos), diluted to 0.03% active ingredient and applied as a whole-body topical spray; CyLence® Pour-on Insecticide (1% cyfluthrin), applied as a neat pour-on at the manufacturer's recommended use rate for lice; and untreated control. Both spinosad treatments and cyfluthrin provided ≥96% control of B. bovis for up to 7 weeks, whereas the efficacy of coumaphos dropped to <90% after week 5 at one site. Spinosad spray had the best therapeutic and residual control of all treatments against L. vituli, ≥98% for at least 5 weeks at both sites, compared with 3 weeks for coumaphos at one site. Spinosad and coumaphos sprays provided 100% control of S. capillatus for at least 8 weeks compared with ≥97% control for spinosad and cyfluthrin pour-on treatments over the same interval. While H. eurysternus burden was low and limited to one study site, all four treatments provided 100% control for at least 6 weeks. These studies showed that topically applied spinosad provided a high degree of therapeutic and residual control against both sucking and chewing lice.

Original languageEnglish (US)
Pages (from-to)329-336
Number of pages8
JournalVeterinary parasitology
Volume143
Issue number3-4
DOIs
StatePublished - Feb 28 2007

Keywords

  • Cattle lice
  • Coumaphos
  • Cyfluthrin
  • Spinosad

ASJC Scopus subject areas

  • Parasitology
  • veterinary(all)

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