Calf Talk

September, 2005

Volume 11, No. 9

NUFLOR AND BANAMINE ARE GOOD CHOICES

By: Russ Schnepper, DVM

Nuflor has been in use for several years and is still one of our most cost effective antibiotics. Nuflor has the ability to get into most body tissues, even into consolidated lungs. Nuflor will pass the brain barrier and is effective against brain infections.

Nuflor indications are the respiratory treatments of Pasteurella multocida, Mannheimia haemolytica, and Haemophilus somnus. Nuflor is effective for treating foot rot.

Nuflor at 6 ml/100# of body weight subcutaneously can be used as a one shot treatment. I find the 6 ml/100# treatment one time, more effective than the 3 ml/100#, repeated in 48 hours. Both dosage regimens are listed on the bottle label.

There is a 28-day withdrawal on the IM treatment of 3 ml per 100 pounds and a 38-day withdrawal on the six ml/100# subcutaneous dosages. I use 45 day withdrawals in veal. A Veterinarian must prescribe Nuflor off label in veal and use an extended withdrawal time. However, I would not give Nuflor to a veal calf less than 60 days from slaughter, as there may be injection site trim at slaughter.

Do not store the Nuflor in the refrigerator, as it makes it difficult to get through a needle.

Use Banamine with the Nuflor. Nuflor kills the “bug” and Banamine saves the lung. The lung will heal faster without as much scar tissue if Banamine is given at the same time as the antibiotic. Schering has good studies that show calves with bovine respiratory disease have fewer lung lesions when treated with Banamine, along with the antibiotic. Banamine is a good pain killer and makes the calf feel better. If they feel better and eat they make a faster recovery. There is no point in over dosing Banamine. One to two ml per 100#’s of calf is adequate. I know that Banamine can make a lame and/or slow calf walk on the truck. But there is a 14 day withdrawal in veal calves and four day withdrawal in other animals. That Banamine injection could be costly if a residue is found at slaughter. Please respect the withdrawal times.

Selenium is important. If it has been more than 10 days since a calf had an injection of selenium and now it is sick, I repeat the selenium.

Remember that all our best efforts will not put a new lung in a calf. Two months are required for the lung to heal. Be sure to treat respiratory cases early and with an effective drug. The calf will recover without the severe lung damage.

Banamine is compatible with Immunoboost, whereas dexamethasone has an immune suppressing property and does not go well with Immunoboost.

Prevention is the best treatment. Give the vaccines precisely when and as prescribed. Avoid as much stress as possible. Make sure you are feeding a nutritious ration. Detect respiratory disease early and treat promptly with Nuflor and Banamine.

Contact information for ordering information and questions about our products:

Schnepper International, Inc.

3210 County B, Platteville, WI 53818

608-348-6141, Fax: 608-348-6146