At a recent sheep symposium, a panel discussion occurred and it was the opinion among the group that ASI wasn’t doing enough on internal parasites, including working to gain approval of anthelmetics used overseas in countries from which we import lamb from. I would say just the opposite. ASI probably has a better record than dealing with the bureaucracy with any other group representing other species. As far as the overseas issue and importing product, that has a history of being treated with a product not approved by the FDA/CVM isn’t news it is history. Sheep are now considered a minor species and it only takes seven million dollars to get drug approval instead of 14 million. Seven million probably exceeds the entire annual animal health cost for sheep in the U.S. If you limited it to health products that had a sheep label there is no question that seven million would cover several times.
Probably a bigger issue facing the industry is how producers obtain prescription products. A veterinarian, client/patient relationship has to exist. This is a growing concern in the sheep and goat industry as the numbers don’t work. Flocks and potential business they represent do not constitute an economical unit in a lot of practices and therefore the veterinarian has no interest. Products like Nuflor, Draxxin and now Zactran are antibiotics that are essential but not available without a prescription. Banamine, Dexamethasone and oxytocin are other examples. Fortunately, there are a number of over the counter products intended for other species that can be obtained. Slaughter withdrawal times need to be closely observed. Quite frankly for the sheep producer, it’s a challenge and without veterinary help and advice it continues to get more difficult.
