TREATMENT GUIDES FOR VERMATE USES
Dosage & application recommendations
HORSES
HORSES - GENERAL HEALTH
Normal maintenance dosage of 15ml – 2 x per day. Total daily dose: 30ml.
HORSES - COLIC
For Prevention
The standard maintenance dose is 15ml twice daily, added to the horse’s feed.
For Horses Prone to Colic
Administer a double dose of 30ml twice daily in feed to provide stronger gut support and reduce risk.
During Stressful Events
Before and after transport, competitions, or any known stressors, give 60ml orally to help stabilise the gut and nervous system.
During Transitions (Feed or Environment)
When changing stable yards, feed brands, or introducing other major shifts, provide a double dose (30ml twice daily) for one full month to buffer the gut and support adaptation.
In the Event of Colic
Administer 200ml via oral syringe immediately. Significant symptom relief is typically observed within 30 minutes. If symptoms persist, contact your veterinarian and administer a second 200ml dose.
Winter Use Advisory
If you start your horse on Vermate during winter—when water intake tends to drop—it’s essential to ensure adequate hydration. Vermate has a detoxifying effect, and plenty of water is needed to flush toxins from the system. Cold water can reduce a horse’s willingness to drink, so take steps to encourage intake (e.g., warming water slightly if safe to do so) to avoid dehydration-related complications.
HORSES - ULCERS STRESS
60ml Vermate before and after travelling or hard exercise.
HORSES - HIGH PARASITE LOAD
200ml/day for 3 to 5 days.
Do faecal counts on animals that show symptoms and concentrate higher dosage treatments on those.
PARASITE SYMPTOMS IN HORSES
Poor condition, Ulcers, Colic, Mange, Diarrhoea, rough coat, Lethargic, infertility in stud animals.
HORSES - BREEDING CONCEPTION FOALING
Using Vermate through the foaling timeline
| Phase | Recommended Usage | Key Benefit |
|---|---|---|
| Breeding & Conception | Begin daily maintenance dose prior to covering and continue through early pregnancy. | Improve conception outcomes in mares and stallions. Support embryo development, healthy gestation, and stronger foetal growth with increased bone and muscle density. |
| 2 Weeks Pre-Foaling | Continue daily maintenance dose (via feed or water) for at least 14 days before foaling. | Establish gut and mineral balance before the foal arrives. Prepare mare for parturition and enhance vitality in the newborn foal. |
| Foaling & Early Lactation | Maintain dosing. Increase slightly if stress, travel, or management changes occur. | Support smoother foaling, lactation demands, and early bonding. Foals are born stronger, with better weight, vitality, and reduced scours thanks to superior milk quality. |
| Spring Grazing Season | Maintain dosing to take full advantage of lush pasture quality. | Ensure efficient nutrient absorption and balance. Strengthen immune support and reduce digestive upsets during high-fibre intake. |
| Transition to Light Work | Continue Vermate daily for recovery, stamina, and resilience. | Aid the mare’s return to condition post-foaling. Support energy, stress buffering, and smooth transition into a new work routine while maintaining milk quality. |
CATTLE
DAIRY CATTLE - PARASITES / HIGH SOMATIC CELL COUNTS
10ml per day added to feed or lick rations.
PARASITE SYMPTOMS RELATED TO DAIRY CATTLE
High somatic cell counts: Somatic cell count is the number of dead cells that a cow releases into her milk as a result of stress or parasites. A count of 200-350 is considered good. Above 400 is high.
Cows on a full feed ration that do not have access to pasture are exposed to high levels of metabolic stress. Metabolic stress is a major cause of high somatic cell counts.
Cows giving birth go through extreme calving stress that leads to high somatic cell counts.
Dairy farms are usually in areas prone to liver fluke which is the cause of gall sickness and red water. Liver fluke occurs after long rain spells in wetland areas or veld that are inundated with water for prolonged periods of time. In these cases, animals should be moved to dry areas, away from wet soil or standing water.
A huge problem in calve rearing is milk worm or tape worm that causes diarrhea.
Gall sickness and red water are also common problems related to calve rearing.
CATTLE ON THE VELD - PARASITES
Vermate is added to the lick at 10ml/animal/day. This equates to 1L Vermate per ton of lick per 100 animals.
If animals can not be accessed through the lick with Vermate it should be added to drinking water at 10ml/animal/day. It works well to add a plastic bottle with Vermate in, pierced with holes, and add it to the water trough.
Individual animals that still show symptoms should be dosed once 200ml orally in order to flush the parasites from the gut.
If a whole group of animals shows parasite symptoms, each animal can be dozed 40ml orally. The maintenance dose can then be applied to water or feed ration. Individual animals that still show symptoms should be dosed 200ml orally in order to flush out the parasites.
PARASITE SYMPTOMS
Poor condition, Mange, Diarrhea, rough coat, bottle jaw, infertility.
Prolonged rain can lead to liver fluke in areas prone to standing water or wetlands. Liver fluke is related to the cause of red water and gall sickness.
Seasonal changes can lead to bottle jaw (wireworm) infestation.
FEEDLOT CATTLE
Young animals that are weaned from the field to the feedlot should be dosed 40ml/animal to address adaptation stress and the susceptibility to parasites.
Vermate should be added to the feed ration at 10ml/animal /day (1L/ton/100animals).
Individual animals that show symptoms should be dosed 40ml once off.
APPLYING VERMATE
Four different rations are normally used in feedlots namely: starter, grower, finisher, and final finisher. Vermate should only be given with starter and grower rations. The benefits of Vermate are experienced by completing the feed cycle with the grower/intermediate ration which is more economic than the finisher ration, and more effective when given in conjunction with Vermate.
SHEEP AND GOATS
SHEEP & GOATS - PARASITES
Groups of animals that show symptoms should receive an initial dosage of 30-40ml/animal orally. A maintenance dose should be added to their feed, lick or drinking water at 5ml/animal/day. A hundred animals will typically require 500ml Vermate to be added to the lick or feed ration.
After initial dosage and applying maintenance dosage only individual animals that show symptoms should be dosed 20-30ml/animal.
Vermate is added to feed or lick rations as a micro-mineral supplement to ensure optimum production and condition. The addition of ruminant microbes also addresses parasite and stress-related problems.
PARASITE SYMPTOMS
Poor condition, Mange, Diarrhea, rough coat, bottle jaw, infertility, pneumonia, and coughing due to round/lungworm.
Prolonged rain can lead to liver fluke in areas prone to standing water or wetlands.
Seasonal changes can lead to bottle jaw (wireworm) infestation.
Ewes with lambs are often susceptible to parasites due to high levels of stress.
Sheep on irrigated pastures are prone to high levels of parasite infestation.
POULTRY AND BIRDS
RACING PIGEONS AND BIRD BREEDERS
Vermate is applied at 20ml/kg food and 40ml/L drinking water.
Juvenile animals are treated 5ml/bird in the crop within the first 5 days after hatching in order to prevent Young Birds Disease.
Vermate should be given undiluted to the birds after exposure to stress. Stress can be weather related, handling, hard training or due to a race, etc.
Vermate reduces the amount and extend of cancer and coccidiosis treatments. The aim is to reduce chemical treatments to as little as possible in order to reduce stress on the birds.
High dosages of Vermate will result in deworming of the birds. Parasite larvae will typically be excreted with the bird’s dung. Larvae will be visible. This mean that the bird has been dewormed – no need for further chemical treatments.
PARASITE/STRESS SYMPTOMS
Diarrhea in adult birds
Young birds’ disease(YBD). Juvenile birds show excessive stress and diarrhea related symptoms.
Crop cancer and coccidiosis
Lack of performance in racing birds
Infertility with breeding birds
Poor growth and development of young birds
Poor feather quality – dull and hard feathers
CHICKENS
For optimum health, add Vermate on a daily basis at a rate of 20ml per 1kg of food or 40ml per 1l water.
If the whole group of chickens is not well, mix Vermate 1:1 into the water supply for 2-3 days.
For individuals that are very sick and not eating or drinking, administer 20ml Vermate into the crop with a crop applicator.
Note: For advice on applying Vermate to large-scale chicken farming, contact Wilhelm on 0848455393.
HEALTH BENEFITS WHEN GIVING VERMATE
Healthy laying hens lay eggs more regularly.
Shells of the eggs are stronger, and yolks have a rich orange color.
Chicks that hatch are lively and strong.
Life cycle of lying hens is longer.
Good growth rate.
BREEDING AND REARING
HAND-RAISED CALVES / LAMBS AND ORPHANED BABY ANIMALS
The biggest challenges when it comes to hand-raising calves, lambs, and orphans are diarrhea, parasites, and separation stress. They don’t have the microorganisms to digest the surrogate milk and many of them die or just stay weak.
If the baby is still very small and bottle-fed, Vermate is given 20ml per 1l of milk as a maintenance dose for prevention.
When feed is introduced, Vermate can be mixed into the feed at a ratio of 10ml per animal per day.
In the water, it can also be given at a ratio of 10ml per animal per day. Vermate placed in a bottle with small holes in can be added to the water trough and replaced every 2 – 3 days.
If the calves or lambs are very weak, sick, or have diarrhea, give a dose of 20 – 40ml in the mouth. This can be repeated after 12 hours if necessary.
Then add the suggested daily maintenance dose of 20ml per 1l of milk.
ARTIFICIAL INSEMINATION & EMBRYO TRANSPLANTS
PARASITE PROBLEMS ASSOCIATED WITH AI AND EMBRYO TRANSPLANTS
High parasite levels and stress prevent female animals from ovulating.
Conception rates are lower
Abortion rates are higher
Numerous AI and embryo transplant projects have failed due to the fact that stress and parasites could not be managed on a preventative basis.
WHY ARE ANIMALS MORE SUSCEPTIBLE TO PARASITES DURING AI AND EMBRYO TRANSPLANT OPERATIONS?
Animals are kept in confined spaces and are handled more frequently which leads to elevated stress levels.
Animals in confinement lead to an increase in parasite levels in the area due to a higher concentration of animal dung.
A vicious circle is set off – stress leads to parasites and parasites lead to stress.
WHAT DIFFERENCE DOES VERMATE MAKE?
Vermate provides a highly effective option for parasite management on a low-cost maintenance basis.
Humic and fulvic acids in Vermate prevent the production of Cortisol and adrenalin that causes a stress reaction in the animals during intense handling.
WILDLIFE HANDLING
STRESS DURING HANDLING
Vermate is administered at 20-30ml/animal/day mixed in feed or applied in drinking water.
During capturing or animals being handed, Vermate is added into drinking water 1-2 days before and after the event. Dosage is 80-150ml/animal. This helps to reduce stress during the handling process as well as recovery afterward. The most effective way to add Vermate to the water is to put it in a plastic bottle pierced with holes placed in the water trough.