Preparation and Dosing
Follow the instructions below to prepare the medicated water.
- Check the water system to ensure it works properly and is free of leaks; also ensure that water is available to all nipple or bell drinkers.
- For each day of treatment, medicated water must be freshly prepared.
- Mix the required volume of Exzolt with water into a large medication tank or create a stock solution in a small container. The stock solution must be further diluted with drinking water and administered over time, using a proportioner or dosing pump.. Always add product and water simultaneously in order to avoid foaming. It is important to rinse the measuring device used to measure the required product volume during the filling phase in order to ensure that the complete dose is emptied into the medication tank or the stock solution and that no residues remain in the measuring device. Stir the stock solution or the content of the medication tank gently until the medicated water is homogeneous. Connect the medication tank or the proportioner or dosing pump to the drinking water system.
- Make sure the dosing pump is properly set to deliver the medicated water during the predetermined treatment period (hours per day).
- Prime the drinker lines with medicated water and check to see when medicated water has reached the end of the line. This procedure should be repeated on each day of administration.
Dose Calculation
The dose for Exzolt is 0.5 mg fluralaner per kg BW per day (equivalent to 0.05 mL Exzolt) administered twice, 7 days apart. The complete course of therapy must be administered for full therapeutic effect.
Determine the duration of time (between 4 and 24 hours) over which to administer the medicated water on the treatment day. This period must allow all birds to receive the required dose. Estimate how much water birds will consume during treatment based on their water consumption during the same period the day before start of treatment.
Next, calculate the needed volume of Exzolt, based on the total weight of the birds in the house to be treated. To ensure administration of the correct dose, body weight should be determined as accurately as possible and a sufficiently accurate measuring device should be used. The required amount of Exzolt on each treatment day should be calculated from the total body weight (kg) of the entire group of chickens to be treated, using the following formula:
mL product/treatment day = Total body weight (kg) of chickens to be treated × 0.05 mL
Pump Considerations
Dosing pumps offer very interesting possibilities in therapeutics, allowing prompt action in targeting the treatment of a room, a pen, or a batch of animals, and the flexibility to alter the medication, or even adjust the dose, during a course of treatment.
The use of dosing pumps for administering medications requires adherence to Good Practice standards to maximize the accuracy of dosing, which:
- Reduces the overuse of medications.
- Limits the risk of developing resistance.
- Eases conformity with withdrawal times and maximum residue limits in meat, offal, and eggs.
The distribution of drugs via drinking water using dosing pumps requires a homogeneous active ingredient, which dissolves or mixes well, reliable equipment, and a well-regulated water flow at the level of the drinkers.
During the use of dosing pumps, it is absolutely essential to check the:
- Flow of water through the drinkers.
- Cleanliness of the tank.
- State of the dosing pump.
- Valves governing the distribution of the water to each room or pen.
Mixing & Administration Guide
The Exzolt Mixing and Administration Guide provides a concise, step-by-step outline to help practitioners and producers get started with proper administration of medication for treatment. The guide provides instruction to ensure Exzolt is dosed, mixed and used correctly.
