Bionic Plus available again!
/Bionic Plus controlled release capsules are available again for use in the coming season.
The availability of Bionic Plus this season raises many issues. It was a credit to farmers who had relied on Bionics that they adopted systems to farm without them. Some changed to using long acting moxidectin injections(Cydectin LA, Exodus LA) while others successfully farmed with oral drenches only. There is little doubt the loss of Bionics contributed to a necessary change of thinking to strategic worm control and less reliance on drench chemicals.
There are no absolute “right and wrong” worm control programmes. The Veterinary Centre has formed a focus group of vets, led by Dave Robertson, to formulate recommendations on if and how Bionics should be used, and if and when they may offer a cost effective solution. There are many considerations;
our own client survey results showed most farmers considered their production held up without capsule use
every time you drench, you are selecting for drench resistance, so all long acting products select more strongly for drench resistance
studies have shown significant gains in production after capsule use and subsequent reduced pasture contamination and increased lamb performance.
strategic use of long acting worm control products may be financially viable and sustainable in multiple bearing, lighter, or high faecal egg count ewes.
our own monitoring of ewe flocks after long acting injections showed similar egg counts 60 days after use (“slippage”) to what was found previously after capsule use. Some areas of NZ have very significant moxidectin resistance, but this is not the case in our area(yet!)
some trials have shown up to 50% of the production benefits of Bionics come from the mineral components prevents selenium deficiency for 250 days, and cobalt/B12 deficiency for 100 days, plus elevates milk mineral levels.
in the early days of CRC use, some high country farmers found ewe deaths reduced by more than 5%.
the formulation of Bionic CRC has been changed, and now meets ACVM standards, to allow it to released for use. Meat withholding time is increased from 18 to 19 weeks.
The retail price of the new capsules will be around $4.50 per dose. This is more than double the price of long acting moxidectin injections! A few farmers who replaced Bionics with long acting moxidectin, plus long acting selenium (Selovin LA) and long acting B12 (SmartshotB12) may have spent this much, but for most it makes a huge addition to your farm working expenses!!
Our focus group will work through all the information available, and formulate a sound and cost effective policy on which to base advice on the use of Bionic Plus controlled release capsules.