Brand: ABAMECTIN ™ Injection

Company: RAVENSDOWN


FORMULATION«injectable» to be administered subcutaneously.

ACTIVE INGREDIENT(S): abamectin: 10 mg/mL =1%

CHEMICAL CLASS of the active ingredient(s): macrocyclic lactone


INDICATIONS: CATTLE & SHEEP


PARASITES CONTROLLED * (spectrum of activity)

* Country differences may apply: read the product label!

CATTLE

SHEEP


RECOMMENDED DOSE

  • Cattle: 1 ml product/50 kg, equivalent to: abamectin 200 mcg/kg bw.
  • Sheep: 0.1 ml product/5 kg, equivalent to: abamectin 200 mcg/kg bw.

Read the product label for further details on dosing


SAFETY

  • LD50 (acute oral) in rats: a.i. 10 mg/kg
  • LD50 (acute dermal) in rats: abamectin: a.i. 330 mg/kg
  • Estimated hazard class according to the WHO: not applicable for veterinary medicines

Suspected poisoning? Read the article on abamectin safety in this site.

Withholding periods (=withdrawal times) in days for meat & milk (country-specific differences may apply: read the product label)

  • Meat: New Zeland: Cattle 49, Sheep 28 days
  • Milk for human consumption: New Zealand: Milk intended for sale for human consumption must be discarded during treatment and for not less than 49 days in cattke and 28 days in sheep following the last treatment.

WARNING !!!: Never use on humans, dogs or cats


RESISTANCE PREVENTION

Risk of resistance? YES, in gastrointestinal roundworms in sheep (very high) and cattle (high) particularly in:

Resistance of gastrointestinal roundworms to macrocyclic lactones (incl. abamectin) in sheep, goats and cattle has been reported almost worldwide, including the USA, UK, Australia and New Zealand. Based on the very abundant and frequent use of ivermectin and other macrocyclic lactones (with cross-resistance among thems) in livestock it must be assumed that resistance of these roundworms to this chemical class will continue spreading and strengthening in the future.

This means that if this product does not achieve the expected efficacy against the mentioned parasites, it may be due to resistance and not to incorrect use, which is usually the most frequent cause of product failure.

Alternative chemical classes/active ingredients to prevent resistance of gastroinitestinal roundworms through product rotation:

These alternative products may not be available in all countries, or may not be available as injectables.

Learn more about resistance and how it develops.


MARKETING

Are the active ingredients of this product ORIGINAL* or GENERICS**?

  • GENERICS

*Meaning that they are still patent protected and generics are not yet available
**Meaning that they have lost patent protection and may be acquired from manufacturers of generic active ingredients other than the holder of the original patent.

COUNTRIES where this brand/product is marketed: New Zealand
GENERIC BRANDS available? Yes abundant in Australia and New Zealand, not in the USA or Europe.

For an overview on the most used antiparasitic injectable brands for livestock click here.

Click here to learn more about GENERIC vs. ORIGINAL drugs.


COMMENTS

ABAMECTIN Injection for Cattle & Sheep from RAVENSDOWN with abamectin is one of the numerous injectables with macrocyclic lactones for livestock.

Abamectin, one of the first macrocyclic lactones developed, was introduced already in the 1980s (by MSD AGVET). As all macrocyclic lactones, abamectin is an endectocide, i.e. it is simultaneously effective against some external parasites and against internal parasites (mainly roundworms). As for other macrocyclic lactones, abamectin has no efficacy whatsoever against tapeworms and flukes. Abamectin is considered as the "cheap" ivermectin, with a similar spectrum of efficacy but less potent and slightly more toxic. It is abundantly used in ruminants, much less in pig, poultry and pets. Abamectin is also used in agricultural and hygiene pesticides worldwide. Interestingly abamectin is widely used on livestock in Australia and New Zealand but insignificantly in the EU, the USA and Canada.

Being an excellent antiparasitic, abamectin does not control all parasites of livestock. Unfortunately advertising and even the label of some generic formulations in less developed countries often include unsubstantiated claims. To help preventing confusion and misuse it is useful to know that whatever abamectin 1% injectable is used at the recommended dose, it DOES NOT CONTROL:

Click here for general information on good practices for the prevention and control of gastrointestinal worms in livestock.


DISCLAIMER

This article IS NOT A PRODUCT LABEL. It offers complementary information that may be useful to veterinary professionals and users that are not familiar with veterinary antiparasitics. 

Information offered in this article has been extracted from publications issued by manufacturers, government agencies (e.g. EMEA, FDA, USDA, etc.) or in the scientific literature. No guarantee is given on its accuracy, integrity, sufficiency, actuality and opportunity, and any liability is denied. Read the site's DISCLAIMER.

In case of doubt contact the manufacturer or a veterinary professional.