SUPPLY
REGULATIONS
NEW YEAR • NEW RULES
Regulation changes make planning essential
T
By Michelle Frankum
he new year will be bringing in a new set of rules for
livestock producers in relation to the use of feed through
antibiotics and water soluble antibiotics. Effective January
1, 2017, producers will need to comply with the new Veterinary Feed Directive.
A VFD is an order written by a licensed veterinarian directing the
use of an antibiotic in feed or water. A VFD drug is intended for use in
or on animal feed or water that is limited to use under the supervision
of a licensed veterinarian. Producers must obtain a VFD order from a
licensed veterinarian before ordering feed containing a VFD drug. The
supplier, United Ag, must obtain a VFD
order before they can order feed that
contains a VFD
drug from Purina
or any other mill.
Therefore, in 2017,
the weaning and
preconditioning
process for producers needs to be
planned far enough
in advance to meet
the new requirements of the VFD.
First and foremost, producers
need to make it
a top priority to
develop a relationship with their
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veterinarian NOW. Do not wait until one week before weaning your calf
crop to reach out to a veterinarian. According to the AVMA, a Veterinarian-Client Relationship exists when your veterinarian knows your
animal well enough to be able to diagnose or treat any medical conditions that may develop. For cattle ranchers, this relationship means your
veterinarian is going to need to physically see your cattle on a regular
basis for them to diagnose and treat them and authorize any VFD drugs
to be used in their feed. Veterinarians are extremely busy with in house
patients, surgeries, etc., so establish a relationship and call to make a
ranch call appointment at least a month in advance.
On the following page is a list of drugs that will be affected by the
new VFD. Most commonly, United Ag sells Preconditioning/Receiving
Chow, Accuration Cattle Starter, Wind & Rain Me dicated Minerals,
and Honor Show Chow containing medications included on the list.
Purina has already started taking the VFD ingredients out of the show
rations and by January 1, 2017, all of the VFD drugs will be gone from
these products. Production label claims of growth promotion and feed
efficiency will no longer be allowed beginning January 1, 2017.
What does this mean for you? Chlortetracycline in Wind and Rain
mineral will completely go away because veterinarians will not be
allowed to write a VFD order to use CTC as a preventative. Purina
Preconditioning/Receiving Chow and Accuration Cattle Starter, with
chlortetracyline and sulfamethazine, have been tremendously effective products in preventing health issues in weaning and developing
cattle. For producers to continue to use the medicated options of these
products, a VFD will be required from a veterinarian. Therefore, prior
to weaning, your veterinarian will need to come to the ranch to look at
your calf crop, make the appropriate diagnosis/treatment recommendations, and fill out a VFD order to give to United Ag. United Ag will then
keep a copy of the VFD order on file and will send a copy to Purina for
them to keep on file prior to placing the order for the feed. Typically,
sack feed orders arrive within 2 to 5 business days; however, bulk feed