A number of bloggers have raved to me about Dr.Rob Marshall's S76 mite treatment and prevention product, so I decided to evaluate the product and answer the question "Does It Work?"
I keep my birds nutritional healthy and use very little medications so with no symptoms of mite infestation, I probably would not have tried this product but the bloggers were insentient and I am so glad they were!
S76 is a water soluble ivermectin 0.8 g/l & slippery elm which is easily administered to an entire flock by adding it to the birds water on two consecutive days or to individual birds by placing one drop undiluted on the skin of the neck.
Dr. Marshall claims that "S76 can be used at any stage of the breeding cycle. It will not cause harm to the health and fertility of mature birds, fledglings, or eggs."
I tested the product on my birds during late breeding season and it did not effect laying, hatching, even newborn chicks or feeding. It was perfectly safe for the entire flock regardless of where they were in the breeding cycle.
Dr. Marshall says "mites do live in dormancy in the airway in birds. These immature forms become active when the bird is ill or during hot weather. Suddenly the symptoms will appear. The function of S76 is as a health stimulant as well as to keep
ADULT population of air sac mites under control. It always has a positive effect on birds. Part of this effect is in the back of the throat where it has a bactericidal effect, so it works to kill any unwanted bacteria." Since my birds have no symptoms of air sack mites, I was totally impressed when the morning of the second day of treatment with S76, the birds looked like they had been hanging out at the SPA!
Feathers tightened up, activity level up, and well-being attitude was totally remarkable! Yes, it had a positive effect on healthy birds!
Additional Extra Benefits of S76:
1. Mite and lice infestations are an underestimated cause of breeding under performance and significant health factor in birds.
2. Wormer: S76 will kill red and northern mites, airsac mites, deplumbing (feather) mites, blood parasites (microfilaria), blood sucking lice, flies, and roundworms.
3. Scaly face and feet: S76 can be carefully painted using cotton bud directly on feet, legs and face sores being carefully to keep it away from eyes.
Recommended use:
Symptomatic flock birds are treated for 2 consecutive days, 3 weeks in a row to break the 21 day life cycle. Individual symptomatic birds should be treated with a drop on the neck each day for five days in a row.
Asymptomatic birds: Molting season, 2 consecutive days every 3 weeks, rest of the year treat for 2 consecutive days monthly.
Thank you Laraine ladygouldian.com, www.ladygouldian.com, for including a very helpful handout on dosage and uses of this product and information used in this blog posting.
