Sheep Ked Control with Amitraz Collars, Taktic® Spray, and Pour-On Applications of Taktic and Expar®, 1987

Abstract

Abstract Experimental sheep were mature ewes and rams of mixed breeds, both black and white face, naturally infested with sheep keds. Pretreatment ked density was determined by a whole body count of adult keds on all animals. Sheep were ranked according to ked density, then groups of similarly infested animals were randomly assigned to treatments. Prior to treatment all animals were weighed, and fleece length was recorded. Animals were housed in separate 4.8 × 19.2 m pens of 7 or 8 animals each. Ked density was determined on all animals immediately before the single insecticide treatment and thereafter at 7, 14, 28, 42 days. Amitraz collars were 2.5 cm wide plastic bands, containing 9% amitraz, that averaged 57 cm long but varied according to the size of individual animal. Taktic®, amitraz sprays, 0.0125% and 0.025%, were applied at 946 ml (1 qt) per animal and 80 psi. Expar® 1% pour-on was applied from head to base of tail along the topline at 14.5 ml per 45 kg body weight. Ectrin® 0.2% pour-on, the standard treatment, was applied along the topline at 120 ml (4 oz) per animal. Each treatment was applied to 2 groups of sheep on 10 or 11 Jun.