When there’s stress, use ZACTRAN® (gamithromycin).
BRD is waiting for an opportunity
Bovine respiratory disease (BRD), commonly known as shipping fever, is a serious condition for calves with big downsides for beef and dairy producers. In fact, it’s the number one cause of mortality in weaned calves.11 - Heifer Calf Health and Management Practices on U.S. Dairy Operations, 2007. USDA APHIS. Published January 2010.
During weaning, calves are faced with many stressors. This stress can cause immunosuppression in a calf, decreasing its ability to respond to disease-causing pathogens and vaccines, making it susceptible to BRD.22 - Lovaas B. Preweaning vaccinations. University of Minnesota Extension. 2012. Available at: https://www.extension.umn.edu/agriculture/beef/components/docs/preweaning_vaccinations.pdf. Accessed July 10, 2018.
And once calves are affected by BRD, there are both immediate and long-lasting effects on performance. But you can manage the risk with ZACTRAN. A single administration provides 10-day BRD treatment and control.
How BRD travels
1. BRD bacteria reside in the upper respiratory tract of all cattle, even healthy animals.
2. Viral infections, stress from shipping, weaning and other events allow bacteria to accumulate in the lungs.
3. Bacteria colonize and proliferate, causing inflammation, leading to BRD or shipping fever.
A potent combination of 6 factors makes ZACTRAN the smart choice.
Pathogen Susceptibility
BRD often involves more than one bacterial pathogen, including Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida, Histophilus somni and Mycoplasma bovis. These pathogens are sensitive to gamithromycin, the active ingredient in ZACTRAN.
And unlike some antimicrobials, ZACTRAN is labeled to treat all four of these major BRD pathogens.
Speed to Action is Important
When it’s BRD, you want antimicrobials to get to work quickly to minimize lung damage. With ZACTRAN, you should start to see improvement in sick cattle the next day.ii - Sifferman RL, Wolff WA, Holste JE, et al. Field efficacy evaluation of gamithromycin for treatment of bovine respiratory disease in cattle at feedlots. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2011;9(2):171-180.
Cattle treated with ZACTRAN responded within 24 hours, had lower temperatures, were more alert and breathing easier.ii - Sifferman RL, Wolff WA, Holste JE, et al. Field efficacy evaluation of gamithromycin for treatment of bovine respiratory disease in cattle at feedlots. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2011;9(2):171-180.
Gets to the Site of Infection
The pulmonary epithelial lining fluid (PELF) covers the surfaces in the lung and is the primary site of BRD.iiii - Giguere S, Tessman RK. Rational dosing of antimicrobial agents for bovine respiratory disease: The use of plasma versus tissue concentrations in predicting efficacy. Intern J Appl Res Vet Med. 2011;9(4):342-355. ZACTRAN travels with immune cells to the site of infection – the PELF.iiiiii - Giguere S, Huang R, Malinski TJ, et al. Disposition of gamithromycin in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid, bronchoalveolar cells and lung tissue in cattle. Am J Vet Res. 2011;72(3):326-330. And it gets there in just 30 minutes.iiiiii - Giguere S, Huang R, Malinski TJ, et al. Disposition of gamithromycin in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid, bronchoalveolar cells and lung tissue in cattle. Am J Vet Res. 2011;72(3):326-330.*
*Clinical relevance has not been determined.
Staying Power in a Single Dose
The animal’s immune system needs time to fight off BRD. ZACTRAN gives them that time with 10 days above MIC90 in the lung and PELF.*iiiiii - Giguere S, Huang R, Malinski TJ, et al. Disposition of gamithromycin in plasma, pulmonary epithelial lining fluid, bronchoalveolar cells and lung tissue in cattle. Am J Vet Res. 2011;72(3):326-330.
*Clinical relevance has not been determined.
Safety and Ease of Use
Accidental needle sticks can and do happen. You want a product that offers minimal risk while also minimizing the need to break up doses among multiple sites. ZACTRAN can be used with automatic syringes and offers a low dose volume. Bonus! It has excellent syringeability even in freezing temperatures.iviv - Data on file at Merial.
Saves You Money
Economically managing BRD is critical to maintaining a profitable herd. When you compare costs per dose and add in all the other benefits, you’ll find ZACTRAN is a great value.
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