“Launch of Radicate”

Radicate – A concentrated footbath solution for the control of spread, treatment and progressive eradication of footrot in sheep – was launched at the Henty Machinery field days, on 20th September 1995. A group of 125 people attended the official launch by Mr Jeff Prell, past chairman for the State Council of the Rural Lands Protection Board.

In excess of 2000 people took advantage of viewing the footparing and footbath display at the Radicate stand. Many interested farmers sought advice from our team of specialised Field Advisers, and how Radicate could be utilised in their specific situation.

“Radicate is a specially formulated, patented sheep footrot solution concentrate” said Milton Colburt, Managing Director of Radicate’s marketing company. “It has the ability to cure infected sheep when lesions are exposed as recommended, resulting in a rapid improvement in body condition.”

Radicate is an effective treatment for the progressive eradication of footrot in both the spread period and the non-spread period, allowing the commencement of an eradication program at any time of the year. Treatments with Radicate offer a minimum two (2) weeks residual protection from spread, thus minimising re- infection. As a result, an important managerial advantage is that treated sheep can be returned to contaminated pasture, giving the farmer a greater degree of flexibility in stock management. These features give the farmer the ability to eradicate the disease during one season, thus minimising the production losses and associated costs of Footrot.

One (1) part Radicate is diluted with ten (10) parts water to create a working strength solution that has no evident odour and mixes readily with minimal agitation required. Any wool discoloration which may occur, is scourable in accordance with the Australian Wool Scouring standard AS 4054-1992.

Prior to footbathing it is necessary to pare all feet to a normal conformation, with care being taken to expose obvious pockets of infection. Repeated treatments with Radicate will not increase the difficulty of paring. Sheep are to be footbathed in the working strength solution for at least 15 minutes. Sheep happily stand in the diluted solution without any signs of irritancy. If multiple treatments are required, they are conducted at 12-16 day intervals. After footbathing the sheep must be stood on a clean dry area for at least 15 minutes. Failure to do so will compromise the performance of Radicate.

Radicate offers three “Treatment Methods” – two during the spread period and one during the non-spread (Summer eradication).

During the spread period the options are:
1) “Pare and Treat” – for use where initial infection levels are low or where immediate footparing is possible.
2) “Treat with delayed paring” – for use where there is a high incidence of footrot, or where immediate footparing is not possible. This delay reduces the severity of paring on the majority of the sheep and thus minimises the effects on their welfare. It also allows treatment to commence immediately thus reducing the percentage of mob infection.

Non-spread (Summer eradication)
3) As part of a summer eradication program, sheep are pared then footbathed for a period of at least 15 minutes. A second treatment of infected sheep to reduce the number to be culled may be economically justified.
Efficacy studies on the product were conducted as part of the registration process. These trials were during the Spring (spread period) and early Summer of 1993/94. Six properties were selected with a recent history of virulent footrot from the endemic Southern NSW area. On each property trial mobs of 250 sheep were divided into two groups – treated and untreated (control). Treated sheep were run on the same pastures as the untreated, for the duration of the trial. Initial percentage infection levels for all mobs ranged from 35-88 %. At the completion of the trial the level of infection in the untreated control mob had risen to 40-99 % and the treated group had progressively reduced to 1-8,~o.

In summary up to a 94% cure rate was achieved for the treated group during the spread period, even while running with an untreated control mob with up to 99 % infection. During the non-spread trials, up to 97 % cure rates were achieved in four weeks – from a mob comprising 100 % infected sheep, with one paring and two treatments.

Geoff Reed, Consultant Veterinarian for the trials explained “These results are considered conservative given the extreme challenge conditions which were experienced on all properties. These conditions together with the virulence of the footrot strains, ensured that spread period occurred during the trials. The high cure rates were thus achieved on all properties in the face of severe challenge from the untreated sheep.”

Dr. Stephen Whittaker, District Veterinary Officer with the Albury Rural Lands Protection Board who had a large involvement in the Radicate field trials outlined a veterinarian’s perspective of Radicate’s advantages.

Mr Tony Heriot, from Holbrook a farmer involved in the trials explained how he had constantly battled footrot and spent $43,000 over a period of 5 years trying to eradicate the disease, with little success. Tony said “Having completed the Radicate trial this is the first year that I can remember that we have not had lambs on their knees and ewes with massive brisket ulcers, all due to the results achieved with Radicate.”

Grant Colburt the marketing director for Radicate, outlined how the product would be available direct from the company via our specialist Field Advisory Service and also from authorised local agents. Each farm, where possible would receive a visit from a Radicate Field Adviser to discuss their particular disease situation and their Radicate treatment program. Follow up advice and farmer contact during and after the treatment program would also be included in the service. Grant stated “The combination of highly effective Radicate and the individual service offered ensures the farmer maximises their results.”

Milton Colburt concluded “The trials confirmed that Radicate is effective in the treatment of Ovine Footrot during both the spread and the non-spread periods. Its efficacy is such that it has the advantage of being able to commence a Footrot eradication program even during the spread period. Radicate’s advantage of offering two weeks protection adds to the product’s ability to eradicate the disease during one season.”
Radicate which is now registered for sale in all States by the National Registration Authority will be displayed at the Orange Field Days, 14-16 November 1995.

For further information on Radicate please phone Radicate direct on 1300 856 563.