The Judicious Use of Antimicrobials for

##### Beef 

#### Producers

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## Introduction

The production of safe and wholesome animal products for human
consumption is a primary goal of beef producers. To achieve that goal,
producers should be committed to the practice of disease prevention
through the use of vaccines, parasite control, stress reduction,
environmental management and proper nutritional management. Responsible
and timely management practices can reduce the incidence of disease and
therefore reduce the need for antimicrobials; however, antimicrobials
remain a necessary tool to manage infectious disease in beef herds.
Prudent use of antimicrobials is important to reduce livestock pain and
suffering as well as minimize losses due to disease. Furthermore
responsible antimicrobial use will help minimize antimicrobial
resistance in bacteria, which can impact animal health in your operation
and the safety of food you produce.

Like other species, bacteria find ways to survive. Whenever bacteria are
exposed to antimicrobials, some survive by developing resistance.
Resistance depends upon the type and amount of antimicrobial used, the
number of animals treated, and the length of treatment. Therefore, it is
vital to use antimicrobials appropriately and judiciously in animals
under your care.

![](media/image3.jpeg){width="1.7138888888888888in"
height="2.7125in"}Antimicrobial resistance concerns are shared by
producers, veterinarians, governmental agencies, the public health
community and consumers. Of particular concern is the risk of developing
antimicrobial resistant bacteria in animals and the potential for
subsequent human exposure. The antimicrobial resistant bacteria can, for
example, be consumed by humans along with the meat product. Producers
must be committed to appropriate and judicious antibiotic use in order
to (1) minimize the risk of antibiotic resistant bacteria in animals,
(2) maintain the long-term effectiveness of antimicrobials for humans
and livestock, and (3) protect future antimicrobial availability.

## Judicious Antimicrobial Use Guidelines

Producers do not stand alone in addressing this issue. Various
veterinary groups have developed and adopted judicious antimicrobial use
guidelines. These guidelines provide a road map for proper antimicrobial
therapeutic use in livestock.

### Prevent disease

-   Prevent disease through management by emphasizing animal husbandry,
    biosecurity, and health maintenance. **Antibiotic use cannot replace
    sound management practices.**

-   Appropriate and timely management practices include:

    -   Vaccinations

    -   Parasite control

    -   Stress reduction

    -   Nutritional management

    -   Environmental management

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### Diagnose sick animals

-   Sick animals indicate a breakdown in preventative practices.

    -   Diagnose problems early and accurately.

    -   Many diseases have similar symptoms/signs.

    -   Not all diseases are treatable with antimicrobials.

    -   Use your veterinarian and a laboratory to help diagnose the
        problem.

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### Select appropriate antibiotics

-   Use veterinary advice and laboratory results to help select
    appropriate antibiotics or treatment alternatives.

-   Select and use antimicrobials carefully and only when justified.

-   Develop written treatment protocols in collaboration with your
    veterinarian.

-   Use the proper dose, given by the proper route for the proper length
    of time.

-   Treatment programs should reflect best use principles.

-   Treat the fewest number of animals possible.

-   Withhold treated animals or animal products properly.

-   Antimicrobial use, other than according to the label and, outside of
    a valid veterinarian-client-patient-relationship (VCPR), is a
    violation of federal law.

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### Keep records

-   Record animal or group identification, drug used, date treated,
    dosage used, route and location for administration, and who
    administered the product.

-   Review records before marketing to ensure proper meat withdrawal.

-   Keep and review records.

-   "You cannot manage what you do not measure."

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## How should this work on your operation?

### Have a VCPR

One of the basic principles of proper antibiotic usage is having a
working relationship with your veterinarian, commonly called a VCPR.
This means your veterinarian knows your operation, your management, your
livestock, and is involved in diagnosis and treatment decisions. Your
veterinarian must be available for follow-up in case of adverse
reactions or treatment failure. This also means that you are willing to
follow his/her instructions for antibiotic usage. A VCPR is not just
having someone write a prescription, sell you drugs, or make them
available to you.

**The law requires a valid VCPR if an antibiotic is administered in any
manner other than expressly stated on the label or the antibiotic is a
prescription product.** It is a good idea to get your veterinarian's
advice on the use of any drug in your operation.

### Establish written protocols

![](media/image11.jpeg){width="2.59375in"
height="1.6458333333333333in"}A written protocol serves as a guide for
on-farm diagnosis and treatment decisions. A complete protocol should
include signs of the disease and detailed directions for treatment,
including meat withdrawal times. You should establish written protocols
for any antimicrobial use on your operation. These protocols must
include your veterinarian's input if prescription drugs are used or if
drugs are used other than according to the label (extralabel use).

### Understand what constitutes extralabel drug use (ELDU)

Drugs are approved by the FDA for treatment of specific diseases or
conditions in a specific species or class of animal, at specific
dose(s), route(s), duration(s), and frequency(s) of administration with
a corresponding slaughter withdrawal time. Any use that deviates from
the label instructions constitutes extralabel drug use and requires a
valid VCPR.

An example of extralabel drug use is buying procaine penicillin G at a
farm store and using it in cattle at a dose higher than specified on the
label. The label dosage is 1 cc(ml) per 100 lb of body weight, but it is
commonly used at higher dosages and/or given under the skin rather than
in the muscle. These are extralabel uses, and it is important to
understand that non-prescription drugs require a valid VCPR and
appropriate labeling for extralabel use. Because approved withdrawal
times are based on label directions, any other use may result in
residues in violation of federal law.

#### **Prohibited Extralabel Uses**

> The following drugs are prohibited for extralabel use in
> food-producing animals (current as of May 2002)

(a) Chloramphenicol;

(b) Clenbuterol;

(c) Diethylstilbestrol (DES);

(d) Dimetridazole;

(e) Ipronidazole;

(f) Other nitroimidazoles;

(g) Furazolidone;

(h) Nitrofurazone;

(i) Sulfonamide drugs in lactating dairy cattle (except approved use of
    sulfadimethoxine, sulfabromomethazine and sulfaethoxypyridazine);

(j) Fluoroquinolones; and

(k) Glycopeptides

> An example of an illegal extralabel drug usage would be the
> administration of fluoroquinolones (e.g. enrofloxacin) to treat calf
> diarrhea.
>
> It is illegal to use any feed additive drug in an extralabel manner in
> beef cattle.

### Train people who treat livestock on your operation

People responsible for treating livestock must be properly trained to
recognize common signs of disease as well as proper drug use and record
keeping. Periodic and timely review of written protocols and treatment
records with your veterinarian is the most effective method for ensuring
judicious antibiotic use. Other sources of information regarding proper
use of antibiotics include extension specialists, producer associations
and pharmaceutical technical service representatives. However,
recommendations for extralabel usage can only be obtained from your
veterinarian.

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## Glossary

-   **Antibiotic**---a chemical substance produced by a microorganism
    that has the capacity, in dilute solutions, to inhibit the growth of
    or to kill other microorganisms.

-   **Antimicrobial**---an agent that kills bacteria or suppresses their
    multiplication or growth. This includes antibiotics and synthetic
    agents. This excludes ionophores and arsenicals.

-   **Antibiotic Resistance**---a property of bacteria that confers the
    capacity to inactivate or exclude antibiotics or a mechanism that
    blocks the inhibitory or killing effects of antibiotics.

###### Antimicrobial Residue---the presence of an antimicrobial at a level in meat or milk that is higher than levels established by the FDA.

## Additional Sources of Information

-   Your herd veterinarian

-   Producer associations

-   Extension specialists

-   Pharmaceutical company technical service representatives

-   FDA-CVM website: <http://www.fda.gov/cvm/>

-   AVMA website: http://www.avma.org/scienact/jtua/default.asp

> ![](media/image13.png)**Department of Health and Human Services**
>
> **Public Health Service**
>
> **Food and Drug Administration**
>
> **Center for Veterinary Medicine**
>
> **August 2002**