Livestock Management RANCHING Veterinary Feed Directive:
3 Things You Should Be Doing Now By Kristin Lewis Hawkins
T
HE FOOD AND DRUG ADMINISTRATION HAS AMENDED ANIMAL drug regulations to implement the veterinary feed
directive (VFD) section of the Animal Drug Availability Act of 1996, effective Jan. 1, 2017. A VFD drug is any medically necessary antimicro-
bial intended for use in animal feed or water, alone or in combination with other drugs. Purchase and use of a VFD drug is permitted only under the professional supervision of a licensed veterinarian; the packaging will display a prominent warning label stating it as such. Purchase or use of any product that contains a VFD
drug or combination VFD, on or in an animal’s feed, will require a written order by a veterinarian. The intent of these rule changes is to take signifi cant
steps to address antimicrobial resistance and to ensure the judicious use of antibiotics in food-producing ani- mals. The use of antimicrobials will be illegal for pro- duction purposes, to improve feed effi ciency, or for any other off-label use. We are less than 12 months away from the new rules
taking effect, so what should beef producers and cattle raisers be doing now to prepare?
Do Not Panic! The products that will be affected by these new rules
are antimicrobials deemed medically necessary (are im- portant for infection in humans) and intended for use in or on animal feed or water. Injectable products or prod- ucts for external use will not fall under the VFD rules. VFD drugs will still be available, but purchase and
treatment will have to be done under a veterinarian’s supervision. A veterinarian-client-patient relationship is the basis of professional supervision, including knowl- edge of the animal and illness requiring the drug.
Talk to Your Veterinarian If you do not have a regular veterinarian, now is the time to fi nd one and establish a relationship. Make sure
you are both aware of the rule changes and what will be affected after the fi rst of the year. If you are unsure which products are covered by the
rule changes, ask a few questions. Be sure you under- stand each other when it comes to treatment timetables and methods. How long should you wait before initiating treatment? When should you call in the vet? How long would it normally take to obtain an order for a VFD drug or product? These are just a few of the questions you may want to ask before the situation comes up.
Make A Plan Begin formulating a plan for what you will do to treat
animals with the products that require a VFD. Have an idea what illnesses or symptoms you will need to keep an eye out for and when you will need to call the vet if you suspect there is a problem. Recordkeeping will be a useful component when it
comes to treating animals with a VFD drug, whether you are treating 1 animal or a dozen. If you have been a little lax on animal identifi cation or records, now is the time to catch up and get in the habit. There will be a bit more paperwork involved in obtaining and using VFD drugs, so if you have a protocol already established and outlined for what to do when the time comes, it will be a less stressful task. Be sure you are knowledgeable about best practices,
in order to avoid illness or injury before your animals are in need of a vet or VFD drugs. If you have not taken a Beef Quality Assurance Producer Program, there is still time to become certifi ed, or if it has been a while since you looked at a BQA handbook, attend a BQA training in your area. More information is available at
texasbeefquality.com. If you, or your veterinarian, have questions about
VFD drugs, rules or timetables, visit
fda.gov and search “VFD” to read frequently asked questions, the offi cial language of the VFD directive, and more.
tscra.org
May 2016 The Cattleman 57
Page 1 |
Page 2 |
Page 3 |
Page 4 |
Page 5 |
Page 6 |
Page 7 |
Page 8 |
Page 9 |
Page 10 |
Page 11 |
Page 12 |
Page 13 |
Page 14 |
Page 15 |
Page 16 |
Page 17 |
Page 18 |
Page 19 |
Page 20 |
Page 21 |
Page 22 |
Page 23 |
Page 24 |
Page 25 |
Page 26 |
Page 27 |
Page 28 |
Page 29 |
Page 30 |
Page 31 |
Page 32 |
Page 33 |
Page 34 |
Page 35 |
Page 36 |
Page 37 |
Page 38 |
Page 39 |
Page 40 |
Page 41 |
Page 42 |
Page 43 |
Page 44 |
Page 45 |
Page 46 |
Page 47 |
Page 48 |
Page 49 |
Page 50 |
Page 51 |
Page 52 |
Page 53 |
Page 54 |
Page 55 |
Page 56 |
Page 57 |
Page 58 |
Page 59 |
Page 60 |
Page 61 |
Page 62 |
Page 63 |
Page 64 |
Page 65 |
Page 66 |
Page 67 |
Page 68 |
Page 69 |
Page 70 |
Page 71 |
Page 72 |
Page 73 |
Page 74 |
Page 75 |
Page 76 |
Page 77 |
Page 78 |
Page 79 |
Page 80 |
Page 81 |
Page 82 |
Page 83 |
Page 84 |
Page 85 |
Page 86 |
Page 87 |
Page 88 |
Page 89 |
Page 90 |
Page 91 |
Page 92 |
Page 93 |
Page 94 |
Page 95 |
Page 96 |
Page 97 |
Page 98 |
Page 99 |
Page 100