Flexolt Coopers**

Flexolt is the first sheep lice product, that is given as an oral treatment – like a drench, except not to kill intestinal worms – only to kill sheep lice

Flexolt is made by Coopers/MSD. The active ingredient is Fluralaner.

It comes in 5L and 20L. It is water based, wash out applicator with water.

It is a super flexible product - it can be given to sheep of any age above 6kg in weight, and in any length of wool.

Flexolt will kill existing lice, plus kill the next hatching of eggs. Always ensure ewes are at least 4 weeks prior to lambing when treated.

Like all lice products, Flexolt should not be seen as a stand alone eradication treatment – see more notes below, and refer to the Flexolt website which has excellent information on use and expectations from the product.

 ESI – 54 days

 Dose rate – 1.5ml / 10kg (see website or label for further info)

 Wool withhold – None

 Re-treatment interval – do not re-treat sheep within 54 days

Flexolt can be used through any drench gun, however always use a 9mm or 10mm hose between the backpack and drench gun, as the product is thick and it will draw/refill slowly if a normal 6mm hose is used. Recommend Genesis drench gun with 12ml barrel (actually goes out to 17ml) using a 9mm hose.

Any lice product needs careful attention to application and be part of a management program to tackle lice (ie. Treating all sheep at the same time, not mixing treated and untreated sheep, treat bought in sheep, good fences)

Eradicating lice is not easy, and almost always needs 2 consecutive treatments (ie. In long wool then follow up off-shears, or off-shears two years in a row) plus careful management. Always seek advice from an advisor.

Flexolt can be used on the same day as a worm drench, Coopers advise most products are suitable for use same day, except Q Drench. It is however good practice to treat with one up the race and then back with the other – not directly follow one after the other - the second product might immediately mixing with the first and therefore potential for reduced efficacy.

. Flexolt is a knock down product and therefore does not offer any protection against the mature lice after the first 24hr.

Fluralaner peaks in the blood stream at 10hr and has a half-life of 24hr.

It has an instant kill of the adult lice through contact and ingestion and assume the adult are all gone in 24hr. As the strength of the Fluralaner decreases over the next 3 weeks there is enough active there to kill the nymph instantly as it hatches.