When you bring new animals onto your farm, you do not want to bring on any drench-resistant worms that may be lurking within. Therefore, you should “quarantine drench” all new alpacas to minimise introduction of drench-resistant worms.
Current best practice is to use > 4 unrelated actives
- Families containing different actives include: BZ/LEV/ML/MPL/CLOS
- Use monepantel (Zolvix®: MPL) as part of the combination
- Check with your local veterinarian for latest recommendations
–Use multi-active commercial combination and/or single-active products concurrently.
–Do not mix in same container unless label says you can. Instead, drench all animals with one drench, then drench all animals with the next drench etc. Make sure every animal swallows every oral drench.
–Dose to heaviest animal in the group if all animals in group a similar size, or weigh and dose individually. Make sure drench guns are delivering the correct dose.
–Do not forget to treat for liver fluke if animals sourced from flukey area.
Quarantine alpacas after treatment
–Hold alpacas in yards or secure paddock for 3 days
–Provide adequate feed and water
–Keep this paddock free of alpacas/sheep/goats for 3 months in summer or 6 months when cooler
- Release alpacas into a paddock that is likely to be contaminated with worm larvae from your own alpacas to dilute any left-over imported worms
- Worm test imported alpacas 10-14 days after drenching to check treatment worked
–For long-acting drenches check again at 6 weeks + larval culture
- E.g. if use closantel, should have 0 epg BPW, other roundworms may be present
