Farm & Ranch
Read the Label – Withdrawal Time
By Jessica Crabtree and Dr. Jered Harlan, DVM
While the topic of antibiotic use in animals for consumption leaves people questioning its relevance, veterinarians are working to bridge that gap of understanding. Veterinarians such as Dr. Jered Harlan want producers to administer such medication properly and be educated about the substance so they are able to answer consumers when questions arise.
The United States Food and Drug Administration (FDA) has made it their mission to ensure that all antibiotics used are done so in the most cautious way. Now that the Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) has been put in place since Jan. 1 of this year, changes have been established such as elimination of the growth promotion use of human medically important antibiotics and expanding the list of feed-grade antibiotics classified as VFD drugs.
Plainly put, the majority of feed-grade antibiotics used in or on animal feeds that have been available to producers over the counter without the approval of a vet will now be subject to VFD drug guidelines.
Therefore, VFD rules allow producers and vets the opportunity to work closely together for the purpose of maintaining the animals’ optimal health. For years producers have been educated on proper methods of antibiotic use and have been held to compliance. The Beef Quality Assurance (BQA) program has been training beef producers about the safe and appropriate use of antibiotics since the 1980s.
To read more pick up a copy of the March 2017 NTFR issue.
By Tressa Lawrence
Ranchers across northeast Wyoming and the surrounding areas saw record moisture levels in 2023. The year 2024 has seen significantly less moisture to date.
By Lindsey Monk
People are finishing up brandings. Here, Danny Walter is shown getting it done.
By Barry Whitworth, DVM
On July 6, 2020, the United States Department of Agriculture Animal and Plant Health Inspection Service (APHIS) posted in the Federal Register a proposal that radio frequency identification tags be used as official identification for cattle and bison. Following a period for public comment, the USDA APHIS released a statement on April 24, 2024, with the amended animal disease traceability (ADT) regulation for cattle and bison. The full press release may be found at https://www.aphis.usda.gov/news/agency-announcements/aphis-bolsters-animal-disease-traceability-united-states. Under the new rule, cattle and bison will need to be identified with tags that are both visual and electronic.
The USDA defines ADT as knowing where diseased and at-risk animals are, where they have been, and when the animal disease event took place. A system that allows for efficient traceability of livestock in the United States is essential for animal health and reducing the economic effect of a foreign animal disease outbreak and other diseases on livestock producers as well as others whose well-being depends on livestock production.
To read more, pick up a copy of the July issue of NTFR magazine. To subscribe by mail, call 940-872-5922.
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