World’s first oral sheep lousicide registered in Australia

Australia’s veterinary medicines authority has registered the world’s first oral product for managing lice in sheep.

In a LinkedIn post, Australian Pesticides and Veterinary Medicines Authority chief executive officer Nicole Hinder said the world-first registration was good news for Australian wool growers.

“The APVMA has just completed another world-first registration—and I cannot help but shout it from … the woolsheds!” Hinder said.

“It is with great pleasure, and a big nod to the APVMA team, that I can announce that the APVMA has approved a first-of-its-kind oral product containing #Fluralaner for lice control in sheep.

“The product is now available to the Australian market.”

Typically, lice control products for sheep—especially those with long wool—require labour-intensive jetting or dipping processes.

This world-first registration controls isoxazoline-susceptible lice (Bovicola ovis), including strains resistant to synthetic pyrethroids and insect growth regulators on sheep and lambs with any length of wool.

“This will be a game changer to significantly improve labour efficiency for Australia’s hardworking wool growers,” Hinder said.

“To say I am proud of the APVMA Team for pulling through on this assessment is an understatement. A world-first approval like this takes a huge amount of work from staff across the APVMA to get a registration like this across the line.

“So, a hearty congratulations to all APVMA staff involved—this is a serious win for Australia’s sheep and wool industries!”

The APVMA considered an application from Intervet Australia Pty Limited for approval of the new product, Fluralaner 10 g/L Lousicide for Sheep, containing 10 mg fluralaner/mL, for oral administration to sheep. The use of fluralaner on sheep has not previously been registered in Australia. Fluralaner is currently registered for oral administration to chickens via drinking water. Intervet is an MSD Animal Health entity.

Ruminant Business Unit lead for MSD Jane Parker said MSD Animal Health is pleased to confirm the registration of the new product to the Australian sheep market.

She said Fluralaner is Australia’s first oral sheep lice treatment that controls lice in any length of wool.

“We expect that sheep producers will consider this to be an innovative and breakthrough product,” Parker said.

“Coopers is a trusted brand with a long history of innovation in the sheep lice segment and for MSD Animal Health, it represents another milestone in bringing new active ingredients to new species of animals.”