Plasma disposition kinetics of ivermectin was evaluated in a West African cattle breed. Five clinically healthy zebu Gobra cattle (Bos indicus) weighing 220-270 kg were treated (0.2 mg kg-1) with a commercially available ivermectin formulation for cattle. Blood samples were collected by jugular puncture at different times between 0.5 h and 40 days post-treatment. After plasma extraction and derivatization, samples were analysed by HPLC with fluorescence detection. Ivermectin was detected in plasma between 30 min and 20 days post-treatment. The observed peak plasma concentration (Cmax) was 46.3+/-13.8 ng ml-1 and the time to reach Cmax (t(max)) was 0.9+/-0.2 day. The values for the absorption half-life (t1/2ab) and the elimination half-life (t1/2el) were 0.3+/-0.2 and 2.8+/-0.7 days, respectively. The calculated area under the concentration-time curve (AUC) was 185.2+/-12.1 ng day ml-1 and the mean residence time (MRT) was 4.2+/-1.3 days. The availability of ivermectin is low in zebu Gobra in comparison to other breeds cattle but equivalent to that reported in the yak and is likely to be due to physiological characteristics of this breed.