The Judicious Use of

Antimicrobials for Dairy Producers

Introduction The production of safe and wholesomconsumption is a primary goal of dairy goal, producers should be committed prevention through the use of vaccinereduction, environmental managemenmanagement. Responsible and timelreduce the incidence of disease and tantimicrobials; however, antimicrobiamanage infectious disease in dairy heantimicrobials is important to reduce las well as minimize losses due to disresponsible antimicrobial use will help resistance in bacteria, which can impoperation and the safety of food you pLike 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. Antimicrobial resistance concerns are shared by producers, veterinarians, governmental agencies, the public health communitparticular concern is the risk of develobacteria in animals and the potential fexposure. The antimicrobial resistant be consumed by humans along with tmust be committed to appropriate and order to (1) minimize the risk of antibianimals, (2) maintain the long-term ef
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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 

o Prevent disease through management by 

emphasizing animal husbandry, biosecurity, and health maintenance. Antibiotic use cannot replace sound management practices.

o Appropriate and timely management practices 

include: 

 Vaccinations  Parasite control  Stress reduction  Nutritional management  Environmental management 

Diagnose sick animals 

o Sick animals indicate 

preventative practice

 Diagnose pro

accurately. 

 Many disease

symptoms/sig

 Not all diseas

antimicrobials

 Use your vete

to help diagno
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Select appropriate antibiotics 

o Use veterinary advice and laboratory results to 

help select appropriate antibiotics or treatment alternatives.

o Select and use antimicrobials carefully and 

only when justified.

o Develop written treatment protocols in 

collaboration with your veterinarian.

o Use the proper dose, given by the proper route 

for the proper length of time.

o Treatment programs should reflect best use 

principles.

o Treat the fewest number of animals possible.

o Withhold treated animals or animal products 

properly. 

o Antimicrobial use, other than according to the 

label and, outside of a valid veterinarian-clientpatient-relationship (VCPR), is a violation of federal law. 

Keep records 

o Record animal or gro

used, date treated, dlocation for administradministered the pro

o Review records befo

proper meat and milk 

o Keep and review reco “You cannot manage 

measure.” 
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A valid veterinarian-client-patient relationship is one in which:  (1) A veterinarian has assumed the responsibility for making medical judgments regarding the health of (an) animal(s) and the need for medical treatment, and the client (the owner of the animal or animals or other caretaker) has agreed to follow the instructions of the veterinarian;  (2) There is sufficient knowledge of the animal(s) by the veterinarian to initiate at least a general or preliminary diagnosis of the medical condition of the animal(s); and  (3) The practicing veterinarian is readily available for follow-up in case of adverse reactions or failure of the regimen of therapy. Such a relationship can exist only when the veterinarian has recently seen and is personally acquainted with the keeping and care of the animal(s) by virtue of examination of the animal(s), and/or by medically appropriate and timely visits to the premises where the animal(s) are kept. 

Title 21, Part 530.3 of CFR 

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 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 and milk withdrawal times. You should establish written protocols for any antimicrobial use protocols must include your veterinprescription drugs are used or if draccording to the label (extralabel uUnderstand what constitutes (ELDU) Drugs are approved by the FDA fotreatment 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 corresponding slaughter or milk 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 dose higher than specified on the label. The label dosage is 1 cc (mper 100 lb of body weight, but it is commonly used at higher dosages 
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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 dairy cattle. 

Train people who treat livestoPeople responsible for treating livetrained to recognize common signproper drug use and record keepinreview of written protocols and treaveterinarian is the most effective mjudicious antibiotic use. Other souregarding proper use of antibiotics specialists, producer associations technical service representatives. recommendations for extralabel usfrom 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 as acceptable 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 

Department of HPublic Health SFood and Drug Center for VeteAugust 2002