These changes include removal of all production-use claims which include improved growth, improved feed efficiency or improved reproduction. The only approved uses for feed-grade antibiotics under the VFD regulation are for disease treatment, disease control or disease prevention.
While there are approximately 30 companies that have feed-grade antibiotics that fall under VFD regulation, the majority of products sold are supplied from Elanco, Huvepharma, Phibro, Pharmgate and Zoetis.
None of these companies have publicly indicated they will seek amended product claims for their feed-grade antibiotics.
Current product claims for livestock use that will meet the VFD regulations for prevention, treatment and control of a susceptible bacteria associated with a specific disease are:
- Prevention and treatment of the early stages of shipping fever complex
- Reduction (control) of liver condemnation due to liver abscesses
- Control of bacterial pneumonia associated with shipping fever complex
- Control of bovine respiratory disease (BRD) associated with Mannheimia haemolytica, Pasteurella multocida and Histophilus somni in groups of beef and non-lactating dairy cattle, where active BRD has been diagnosed in at least 10 percent of the animals in the group
- Control of active infection of anaplasmosis caused by Anaplasma marginale
- Treatment of bacterial enteritis caused by Escherichia coli and bacterial pneumonia caused by Pasteurella multocida organisms
The FDA has indicated they will require each of the six claims listed above to have the named disease and the associated causative pathogenic bacteria added to each claim. There may not be required amendments to the last three bulleted above claims as they already contain the named disease and the associated bacteria.
It is critical to understand FDA-approved feed additives cannot be used other than as labeled. For instance, there are no feed-use antibiotics approved for treating foot rot or pinkeye, and therefore FDA-approved feed antibiotics cannot be used for treatment, prevention or control of either of these conditions.
Also, it is a very important thing to know about each FDA-approved feed additive, including VFD antibiotics, that they cannot be fed with other FDA-approved feed additives unless the FDA has specifically approved the feed additives to be used together in combination.
Bottom line is: Veterinarians will be prohibited by federal law from writing VFD “orders” for the use of any FDA-approved feed-grade antibiotic other than as labeled.
Feeding chlortetracycline, chlortetracycline plus sulfamethazine (Aureomycin S 700) or oxytetracycline (Terramycin) for prevention, treatment or control of foot rot or pinkeye has never been allowed by the FDA. In other words, this practice has always been illegal.
Under the new regulations, producers will not be able to purchase feed-grade antibiotics without a VFD order. Veterinarians that violate VFD regulations that govern writing VFD orders can and will most likely lose their veterinary licenses. 
-
Dee Griffin
- Texas Veterinary
- Medical Center
- Email Dee Griffin
