Tag: antibiotics
Intermittent Feeding of Tylan Reduces Use of In-Feed Antibiotics While Still Controlling Incidence of Liver Abscesses in Finishing Steers
Objective: To determine if it is feasible to control liver abscesses in feedlot cattle with intermittent feeding of Tylan, thereby decreasing overall antibiotic use.
Study Description: Treatments included a negative control group (no Tylan throughout finishing period), positive control group (Tylan fed continuously throughout finishing period), and a group that received Tylan on an intermittent basis (1 week on, 2 weeks off). Steers (n = 312, 908 ± 15 lb) were blocked by body weight, randomly assigned to treatment groups, and placed into 24 dirt-surfaced pens with 13 steers per pen. Pens were weighed every 28 days. After 119 days on feed cattle were shipped to a commercial abattoir for carcass data collection. Continue reading “Intermittent Feeding of Tylan Reduces Use of In-Feed Antibiotics While Still Controlling Incidence of Liver Abscesses in Finishing Steers”
Check out KSUantibiotics.org for antibiotic information
by Mike Tokach, University Regents Distinguished Professor
The website KSUantibiotics.org was created as a launching point to find information about antibiotics. There is a major section on antibiotic resistance, including new K-State fact sheets about how antibiotic resistance occurs and why livestock producers should care about antibiotic resistance. There are also web links to sites that provide an overview of antibiotic resistance, mechanisms, the current knowledge about resistance in livestock production, the USDA and FDA action plans concerning resistance, and news feeds where you can find the latest information on the topic. Each of the subpages contains the major agency (ex. WHO, FAO, CDC), producer group (National Pork Board), and Journal publications on the topics. Continue reading “Check out KSUantibiotics.org for antibiotic information”
The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD): What producers need to know about antimicrobial use in feed
by A.J. Tarpoff, DVM, MS, Beef Extension Veterinarian
The use of antibiotics in feed for food producing animals has come under scrutiny over the past few years. The growing issues with bacteria developing resistance to medically important antibiotics in human medicine have been a major driver of these changes. The FDA has put the use of medically important antibiotics under the guidance of veterinarians. The Veterinary Feed Directive (VFD) is the way in which veterinarians will work with producers to ensure the judicious use of these antibiotics with FDA oversight. Many of the antimicrobial medications affected are currently sold over the counter, but will soon be under VFD status.
As of January 1, 2017, the new VFD rules will be in full effect. Medically important antibiotics will no longer be labelled or be used for growth promotion practices. Many currently over the counter antibiotics will be changed to VFD status. Use of these antimicrobials by producers must be authorized by their veterinarian in the form of a VFD.
