Davis, Calif., (October 31, 2017) – Starting January 1st 2018, a prescription from your herd veterinarian will be required to purchase a “medically important antibiotic”. While most producers are generally aware of these new regulations, there is some information regarding the implications for farm operations that is important to keep in mind. Much of the discussion around antibiotic resistance has centered around preserving antibiotic effectiveness for human use, and while that is critically important, preserving antibiotic effectiveness is just as critical for animal use.
The Center for Disease Control (CDC) estimates that more than two million antibiotic-resistant infections occur in people every year, resulting in some 23,000 deaths. The medical community has been tackling the issue with outreach to consumers and doctors like the CDC’s “Get Smart” Program. Similarly, in California all hospitals and nursing homes are required to implement “Antibiotic Stewardship” programs to promote responsible antibiotic use and limit development of resistance.
On the animal side, certainly a significant percentage of antibiotic use occurs in livestock, although recent research suggests that movement of resistant bacteria most commonly occurs from humans to animals rather than in the reverse direction. That said, any antibiotic use, regardless of whether it is in humans, pets or livestock, does tend to promote resistance. California’s new livestock medication laws involve all animal species and seek to leverage the efforts being taken on the human side. The expectation is that expertise provided by the herd veterinarian will help optimize antibiotic use on farms, limiting development of resistance. Because most dairy producers have a herd vet and are using prescription medications under their supervision, the effect on dairy operations should be modest.
That said, there are several potential advantages to regular review of the dairy’s treatment program. Using resistance data collected from farm mortalities, a herd veterinarian may be able to identify lower-tier, less expensive antibiotics that are still effective. Re-examination of disease management programs such as those for mastitis, metritis or lameness, offer even greater savings, since it is always cheaper to prevent disease rather than to treat it. Perhaps most importantly, as treatments are reduced, so does the selective pressure on the dairy’s pathogens. Ultimately this should mean that antibiotics used on the farm will remain effective for years to come.
Now is the perfect time to schedule a health and treatment program review with your herd veterinarian with an eye towards optimizing treatment programs and reducing medication costs. In the coming months and into the new year, CDQAP will be providing more detailed information on the new livestock medication laws and will focus on cost-saving opportunities.
Leave a Reply