REMOTE DRUG DELIVERY DEVICES — WHAT YOU NEED TO KNOW

Cattle producers and their veterinarians see the need for remote drug delivery devices (RDDDs) when animals can’t be caught or there is severe risk to the handler, and timing of treatment is critical for a favourable outcome.  

When a worked-up bull is in the bush a long way from any handling facility and needs medication, it is less stressful on the bull and safer for the handler to dart it. When dealing with younger stock, it may depend on the roping ability of the producer or the amount of open terrain as to whether darting or another method of treatment gets chosen. There is an advantage to treating young calves with pneumonia by darting because it is less stressful than handling those calves. With contagious diseases, darting may be appropriate because gathering a group of animals together increases the risk of spreading the disease, like a case of pinkeye in one animal for example.