This means that the concurrent feeding of drugs not approved to be fed to cattle together violates federal regulations. One such scenario relates to “AM/PM” feeding of rations containing feed additives (feeding one drug in the ration in the morning and feeding a different drug in the afternoon) not approved by the FDA to be fed in combination with each other.

Unapproved combinations of these ionophores and feed antibiotics are prohibited. Label directions on feed additives must be followed exactly, and producers are required by law to make all feed additive use records available to an FDA inspector upon request. A good management practice is to include the exact times rations containing a feed additive were removed and the exact time a ration containing a different feed additive was delivered to the cattle.

Remember, the laws and rules are different for injectable drugs and drugs administered in the feed.

Clint Peck is director, Beef Quality Assurance, Montana State University.

Guidelines

ELDU record-keeping requirements*

• Animals identified, either as individuals or a group.

• Species treated.

• Number of animals treated.

• Conditions being treated.

• The established name of the drug and active ingredient.

• Dosage prescribed or used.

• Treatment duration.

• Specified withdrawal, withholding or discard time(s), if applicable, for meat, milk, eggs, or animal-derived food.

• Keep records for two years.

• FDA may have access to these records.

*BQA guidelines recommend keeping these records for all livestock treatments.

Resources

For more info

For detailed information on prudent use of antibiotics in animal agriculture, go to www.sdbqa.com to download “Using FDA Approved Medications: Common Scenarios.” Authors are: Mike Apley, DVM, Kansas State University; Virginia Fajt, DVM, Texas A&M University; and Dee Griffin, DVM, University of Nebraska-Lincoln Great Plains Veterinary Educational Center.