Livestock Management RANCHING Veterinary Feed Directive —
Where Do We Go From Here? By Kristin Lewis Hawkins
V ETERINARY FEED DIRECTIVE
(VFD) rules and regulations become law on Jan. 1, 2017.
This will mean that the purchase of certain medically necessary antimi- crobial drugs that are intended for use in or on the feed used for food production animals will require the supervision and order of a licensed veterinarian. Public concern about the use of
antimicrobials in animals destined for consumption has prompted the Federal Drug Administration (FDA) to enact a plan to eliminate the use of medically important antibiotics for production purposes such as growth promotion and feed effi ciency. The VFD rule was de- veloped to bring this class of drugs under veterinary oversight in a way that still allows for the judicious use of VFD drugs when deemed medically appropriate. Veterinarians will play an integral role in the VFD
rules by ensuring proper use according to label direc- tions and only when appropriate to meet specifi c needs. By adding this level of oversight, the veterinarian can ensure proper use of the drug, including the appropri- ate duration of treatment and dose. Producers will be required to establish a veterinary-
client-patient relationship (VCPR) and have that veteri- narian examine their animal(s) before they are able to purchase or obtain a feed containing a VFD drug or combination of drugs. Only after the animal has been examined will a VFD be issued. Some previously allowed uses of medicated feeds
will become illegal, such as for production purposes or to improve feed effi ciency and growth. In addition, the extralabel use of approved drugs in animals by or on the lawful order of licensed veterinarians is limited to situations where the health of an animal is threatened or suffering or death may result from failure to treat. No other extralabel use is permitted.
62 The Cattleman December 2016
Where will the VFD rule take us in 2017? It’s hard to
tell. There will certainly be growing pains at each stop on the food animal production chain, from producer and veterinarian to feed manufacturer and distributor. Problems may arise and solutions found, to varying
degrees of effi ciency. What will remain important for everyone at each link in the production chain will be communication. Keep in touch with your veterinarian and check in from time to time with your local feed distributor or dealer. Even if your animals remain healthy, it’s a good idea to keep abreast of any changes. TSCRA will keep members informed via The Cattle-
man magazine, The Cattleman NOW smartphone app and online at
tscra.org in case new information or changes occur to the VFD rules. To fi nd offi cial updates and a complete list of the medications affected, visit
FDA.gov and search “VFD.” The following resources for VFD and antibiotic
and antimicrobial use in food production animals are also available to producers, veterinarians and feed distributors: •
FDA.gov is the offi cial website for the U.S. Food & Drug Administration, the regulatory agency in charge of VFD rulemaking and enforcement.
thecattlemanmagazine.com
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