The National Milk Producers Federation (NMPF) has released an updated version of its Milk and Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Manual – one of the key components of the National Dairy FARM Program.
In order to share the information widely with dairy farmers, the manual can be accessed for free on the FARM program website. This year’s manual includes additional information that focuses on ways the dairy industry can proactively engage in antimicrobial stewardship efforts.
The Milk and Dairy Beef Drug Residue Prevention Manual offers a concise review of appropriateantibiotic use in dairy animals, and can also be used as an educational tool for farm mana gers as theydevelop their best management practices necessary to avoid milk and meat residues.
“We know that there is increased attention to the use of medicines in livestock, and in order to maintainthe ability to use those products to treat sick animals, we have to demonstrate that we are using them judiciously,” said Jim Mulhern, President and CEO of NMPF. “This newly-revised manual represents theongoing commitment dairy farmers have to using antibiotics responsibly and prudently.”
Additions to the 2016 version include a section on avoiding potential residue violations from extra-label drug use in an unapproved class of cattle, cephalosporin extra label use prohibitions, as well as anupdated drug and test kit list. The 2016 manual also includes a certificate of participation that can besigned by a producer and his/her ;veterinarian to demonstrate their commitment to the proper use ofantibiotics.
The new manual is being released at the beginning of Get Smart About Antibiotics week, an event sponsored by the U.S. Centers for Disease Control to emphasize the importance of appropriate antibiotic prescribing and use, for humans as well as livestock.
The dairy industry is committed to producing safe, abundant, and affordable mi lk and dairy beef of thehighest quality, Mulhern said. Healthy animals help make for safe food, and disease prevention is the keyto keeping cows healthy.
The National Dairy FARM Program was created by NMPF to demonstrate and verify that U.S. milkproducers are committed to providing the highest levels of quality assurance including animal care,residue prevention, and other on-farm practices. For more information on the FARM Program, visit HERE.
The Residue Avoidance manual was sponsored by Charm Sciences, IDEXX, Elanco, Zoetis and Boehringer Ingleheim. No check-off funds were used in the development and distribution of this manual.
For more information on the National Dairy FARM Program, contact Emily Meredith at (703) 243- 6111 or log on to National Dairy Farm HERE.
Source – Dairy Today