Oral lice treatment a "game changer" for sheep and wool industry

This is branded content for Coopers Animal Health

Aussie sheep producers can treat their flock for lice when it best suits them, with the world first oral lice treatment for sheep, Flexolt.

Flexolt is a part of the Coopers range of products from MSD Animal Health and is available at rural retailers across Australia.

This new product aims to revolutionise the sheep and wool industry, giving producers greater flexibility when it comes to protecting their stock.

Flexolt contains a novel active ingredient that works systemically from the inside out.

It can be used on any length of wool, allowing farmers to treat off-shears, short and long wool sheep and lambs.

The product also gives producers greater choice, allowing them to treat their flock for lice at any time, including pre-lambing, when lambs* are at foot, or when new stock is brought onto the farm.

A single 20-litre drum of Flexolt can be used to treat more than 2,200 sheep at 60kg.

The product is administered via a single oral dose and is easy to dispense with a backpack and oral applicator.

With more doses in a single drum compared to other lice products, Flexolt makes transport, storage and disposal easier for producers.

MSD Animal Health Technical Lead and veterinarian, Dr Jane Morrison, said the breakthrough innovation hoped to transform on-farm practices for Australian sheep and wool producers.

"Lice is a significant issue for the Australian sheep and wool industries which is estimated to cost the Australian sheep industry around $123 million per year through disease control and production losses," Dr Morrison said.

"Flexolt gives producers greater flexibility, choice and control, allowing them to choose when it best suits them to treat their flock for lice.

"It also means farmers can consider management options like split shearing without compromise, which can boost their on-farm productivity."

Ed Storey, a third generation sheep farmer from Yass in the New South Wales Southern Tablelands, said Flexolt was a game changer for wool producers, who can now finally consider a community approach to lice treatment.

"I run between 8,000 and 9,000 head of sheep on my property in Yass, and a lice outbreak can be devastating, not only for your own farm, but it presents a biosecurity risk for your neighbours," Mr Story said.

"Flexolt is a complete game changer for the sheep and wool industry.

"It means you can co-ordinate with your neighbours to treat for lice at any time, in any sheep, with any length of wool. Sheep farmers have never been able to do this before.

"We all hope we never get lice, but the fact of the matter is we do.

"This product is another tool we can use to tackle the issue head on. I can't wait to use it."

Flexolt is available across the country at all good rural retailers.

To learn more about this innovative new treatment, visit flexolt.com.au.

This is branded content for Coopers Animal Health