Here’s a review of those topics covered in the past year.
January 2016
Starting points to help apply new VFD rules
The VFD concerns antibiotics in feed – not other feed-use medications, such as ionophores, coccidia, other parasite- and insect-control drugs or reproductive-control medications.
- What’s a VFD? Why was the VFD developed? What’s it targeting?
- Differences in “prevention,” “treatment” or “control” in the VFD
- Outlined specific tasks for veterinarians: A host of explanations on terms and restrictions given to vets, and their ability to prescribe medications.
Starting points to hlep apply new VFD rules
February 2016
How vets figure into the new VFD
A broader and more complete breakdown of how vets will prescribe medications for livestock and establishing what is known as the veterinarian-client-patient relationship as it pertains to the VFD.
- What do producers need to do in developing the relationship with the veterinarian so they are in compliance with the VFD?
- How meeting ahead of time with a vet expedites the process and makes production time easier.
- Why visiting with a feed distributor is also a good idea under VFD terms.
- What information is required when filling out the VFD form.
- Determining flexibility in medication doses under the VFD rules.
- Marketing withdrawal times, product labels, allowable timelines.
- Does the VFD cover cattle owned by one person in different states or different pastures?
How vets figure into the new VFD
April 2016
Learn now which products require a VFD
A listing of the feed-use antibiotics that will be under tighter control of the FDA once the VFD begins. The story also includes a listing of those products that do not require a VFD.
- Answering whether a VFD medication can be used in a feed that contains other FDA-approved feed additives.
- The article also provides examples of producers calling vets for clarity and instruction on giving medicated feed to calves.
Learn now which products require a VFD
July 2016
Simplifying the VFD and the five main antibiotic classes
Though the VFD regulations may seem scary for some, the regulation is only directed at medically important classes. This story outlines the five classes used in feeds – tetracyclines, neomycin, sulfas, macrolides and streptogramins – and how they will be used under regulation.
- What has approval for treatment and control of diseases that impact cattle?
- What additives should be used for certain diseases?
- What are the approved doses?
- What has been approved for use in combination with other feed additives?
Simplifying the VFD and the five main antibiotic classes
August 2016
How the FDA may differentiate antibiotic use (of CTC) for pinkeye and foot rot
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.
- What you need to know about using feed additives other than as labeled.
- What you need to know about combining FDA-approved feed additives.
- What veterinarians need to understand about violating VFD regulations.
How the FDA may differentiate antibiotic use (of CTC) for pinkeye and foot rot
November 2016
VFD: How it applies to anaplasmosis
Often transferred via blood-sucking insects, anaplasmosis is a devastating parasite most common in the South. Currently, the feed-grade antibiotic chlortetracycline is approved to control anaplasmosis, and the dose of 50 milligrams per hundredweight fed daily seems to be very effective.
- Why anaplasmosis control must be a high priority.
- What the FDA will do to avoid gaps in coverage in critical disease management.
- Differences in “prescription” versus “order.”
- What producers can do to minimize the transfer.
