Livestock · Ovis aries · typical adult weight 30.00–120.00 kg
Ceftiofur is dosed at 1.1–2.2 mg/kg IM q24h in sheep, per FARAD Withdrawal Guidelines [2026-08-05: FARAD (Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank, https://www.farad.org/) publishes meat/milk WITHDRAWAL intervals for extralabel use — it is not a dosing authority. This dose could not be corroborated in Plumb's 10th ed (held) for this species, unlike the other 15 FARAD-cited rules. Needs a product label or primary reference before it can be considered sourced.] — 21 CFR § 522.313c (Ceftiofur sodium), conditions of use for Sheep: 1.1023-2.2046 mg/kg (the regulation prints this per pound; converted at 2.2046226 lb/kg). Related tolerances: 21 CFR § 556.113. Retrieved from the eCFR API, snapshot 2026-01-01. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-522.313c — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207. Ceftiofur is used in sheep for Respiratory infections, Respiratory disease. Routes documented in sheep: IM, SC. A typical adult sheep weighs 30.00–120.00 kg. ExoticRx lists 2 cited dose rules for Ceftiofur in sheep, drawn from published veterinary references. Verify against current literature before clinical use.
US trade names: Excenel, Excede, Naxcel
| Route | Dose | Frequency | Duration | Indication | Evidence | Source |
|---|
| IM | 1.1–2.2 mg/kg | q24h | 3-5 days | Respiratory infections | Moderate | FARAD Withdrawal Guidelines [2026-08-05: FARAD (Food Animal Residue Avoidance Databank, https://www.farad.org/) publishes meat/milk WITHDRAWAL intervals for extralabel use — it is not a dosing authority. This dose could not be corroborated in Plumb's 10th ed (held) for this species, unlike the other 15 FARAD-cited rules. Needs a product label or primary reference before it can be considered sourced.] — 21 CFR § 522.313c (Ceftiofur sodium), conditions of use for Sheep: 1.1023-2.2046 mg/kg (the regulation prints this per pound; converted at 2.2046226 lb/kg). Related tolerances: 21 CFR § 556.113. Retrieved from the eCFR API, snapshot 2026-01-01. https://www.ecfr.gov/current/title-21/section-522.313c — SOURCE EDITION: Plumb's Veterinary Drug Handbook — ISBN 9781394172207, https://openlibrary.org/isbn/9781394172207 |
| SC | 1.1–2.2 mg/kg | q24h for 3 days (days 4-5 if response poor) | 3-5 days | Respiratory disease | Weak | Papich MG. Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 5th ed — Ceftiofur Sodium, Large Animal Dosage, printed p.142 (corpus PDF p.170): "Sheep and Goats • 1.1-2.2 mg/kg (0.5-1.0 mg/pound) q24h for 3 days IM, SQ. Additional doses may be […]" Same page, Instructions for Use: "Ceftiofur sodium is bioequivalent whether administered SQ or IM." — 21 CFR § 522.313c (Ceftiofur sodium), conditions of use for Sheep: 1.1023-2.2046 mg/kg (the regulation prints this per pound; converted at 2.2046226 lb/kg). Related tolerances: 21 CFR § 556.113. Retrieved from the eCFR API, snapshot 2026-01-01. — EDITION CORRECTED 2026-08-07: this citation named the 5th edition, which is not held. The page locator resolves in the 4th ed (2016), the copy actually consulted, and that page names the drug; the reference is to the 4th. — SOURCE EDITION: Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs — ISBN 9780323244855, |
Every held source for this drug and species, as printed. Where they differ, both are shown — the choice is yours, not ours.
| Dose (mg/kg) | Route | Source | As printed |
|---|---|---|---|
| 1.1–2.2 | IM | Papich Saunders Handbook of Veterinary Drugs, 4th edp.170 | • 1.1-2.2 mg/kg (0.5-1.0 mg/pound) q24h for 3 days IM, SQ. Additional doses |
Figures are transcribed from the cited page or table of each held edition and are shown for reference only. They are not dose recommendations, they do not feed the calculator, and none has been reviewed by a veterinarian.
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Veterinary third-generation cephalosporin. Metabolized to desfuroylceftiofur which retains antimicrobial activity. Broad gram-negative coverage.
Veterinary-labeled product. Excede formulation provides extended duration. Do not use in animals producing milk for human consumption during withdrawal.
Species-specific contraindications and adverse-reaction reports for sheep may differ from canine / feline reference data — consult the primary citations listed with each rule.
Ceftiofur dose ranges in sheep, with cited source references: IM 1.1–2.2 mg/kg q24h; SC 1.1–2.2 mg/kg q24h for 3 days (days 4-5 if response poor). Reference ranges from cited sources — verify against current literature before clinical use.
Documented routes for Ceftiofur in sheep: IM, SC.
Cited course lengths for Ceftiofur in sheep include: 3-5 days. Duration depends on the indication — match it to the specific dose rule in the table above.
Ceftiofur is indicated in sheep for: Respiratory infections, Respiratory disease.
These are general warnings for Ceftiofur across species; consult the sheep dosing table above for species-specific guidance. Veterinary-labeled product. Excede formulation provides extended duration. Do not use in animals producing milk for human consumption during withdrawal.
Why a species-specific page? Ceftiofur pharmacokinetics differ across species: dose ranges, intervals, and route preferences are not interchangeable. Cross-extrapolation from canine doses is unsafe in sheep — the rules above are the citations specific to this species, not generic recommendations.
Sourced from published veterinary references; awaiting credentialed clinical reviewer. See our editorial process. Reference only — not veterinary advice.