Better stock up on feedstore antibiotics

[TexasJerseyMilker]

The Food and Drug Administration Center for Veterinary Medicine's plan for supporting veterinary antimicrobial stewardship will be fully implemented in 2023 when all remaining over-the-counter antibiotics are switched to prescription-only status.

The medically important antibiotics (used by humans and animals) becoming prescription-only include injectable tylosin, injectable and intramammary penicillin, injectable and oral tetracycline, sulfadimethoxine and sulfamethazine, and cephapirin and cephapirin benzathine intramammary tubes. In addition, the OTC status of the swine antibiotics lincomycin and gentamicin is switching to prescription-only.

Are you ready? All antibiotics will be prescription-only in 2023

Talk to your vet about drug orders and treatment protocols.

www.farmprogress.com

This includes Today, Tomorrow and pennicillin intramammary tubes.

 

[SBMF 2015]

For the most part if I can buy it over the counter it won't do any good anyway. The stuff that works you already need a script for.

 

[TCRanch]

For the most part if I can buy it over the counter it won't do any good anyway. The stuff that works you already need a script for.

Yes! The exception is Sustain III cattle & calf boluses (in my world). Everything else, it's easier & significantly closer for me to just pick up at my vet clinic. May be a little more expensive but Tractor Supply, Valley Vet, etc. won't come to the ranch in the middle of the night or on weekends. Just like the VFD for CTC in mineral or aureomycin, you get used to it.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

It is true that most feed store antibiotics don't work very well anyway because of bacterial resistance.

 

[Lucky]

They keep taking away more and more. I'm guessing the Veterinarians association was in on this one?

 

[greybeard]

Yeah, that's it. It's all just a conspiracy by those dang money grubbin veterinarians.

Torches, pitchforks............to the windmill vet's office!

 

[kenny thomas]

It is true that most feed store antibiotics don't work very well anyway because of bacterial resistance.

I have to disagree. It's not that they don't work but that many people are trying to use them for problems that they were not designed to take care of.
Example, I have seen posts saying the person bought a calf 10 days ago from the stockyard. Now it gotten sick and the person gave it a few cc's of LA200 and its not getting better. Well it's probably not going to get better.
Yes it's going to take working with your vet and planning ahead but many should be doing that more already.

 

[jltrent]

farmers against the wall

 

[Buck Randall]

They keep taking away more and more. I'm guessing the Veterinarians association was in on this one?

While I believe that this is a good idea for the cattle industry and society as a whole, it's not particularly beneficial to veterinarians. Will I make a little bit more money from selling penicillin and LA 200? Probably. Is it going to be enough to make it worth dealing with all of the angry old cranks who start coming into the clinic demanding that I sell them drugs even though I haven't been to their farm in ten years? Definitely not.

 

[kenny thomas]

While I believe that this is a good idea for the cattle industry and society as a whole, it's not particularly beneficial to veterinarians. Will I make a little bit more money from selling penicillin and LA 200? Probably. Is it going to be enough to make it worth dealing with all of the angry old cranks who start coming into the clinic demanding that I sell them drugs even though I haven't been to their farm in ten years? Definitely not.

I can't believe it but on this we totally agree. (Strange huh) I have my vet come to the farm at least once a year so she can see that I'm still doing things properly.

 

[TCRanch]

I can't believe it but on this we totally agree. (Strange huh) I have my vet come to the farm at least once a year so she can see that I'm still doing things properly.

Yup! I have my vet come out to BANGS/pelvic measure my heifers every year, and we update his info for the VFD at that time. That said, I do realize how fortunate I am to have 2 vets at the clinic that is all of 20 minutes away, while a lot of our members don't have a vet even remotely close.

 

[GoWyo]

My vet keeps cases of Sustain III boluses on hand and way cheaper than TSC or others. He has cases of LA 200 as well if that is the dope needed (not often, but good to keep around). I can get a consult by text on how to treat a case. He does all the Bangs vax, preg checking and bull tests, so is out 3-4 times a year just for the routine things. He has no clinic and operates entirely out of his pickup. I think he may be one of the last traveling vets around. It's going to be a bad deal when he retires.

 

[farmerjan]

One of the vets I prefer to use, has the same thoughts about it is going to be as much or more of a PITA to deal with all the drugs and prescribing them and providing them. The good vets are often overwhelmed with the farm calls since they do not make near as much money on them as the small animal side of the vet practice. I have no problem with an occasional vet farm call, I have mine do our preg checks and bangs vaccs too. They see what we do and are not against a phone call for a drug, or phone consult...... and know that I am not a big "drug person" to start with..... so not a problem to give us stuff to keep on hand.....
With the new Thierolosis (however you spell this Asian Longhorn tick disease) as well as increased incidences of black leg and lepto here, having a vet "knowing" what you do is a help. They are getting expensive YES.... but their travel is going up like everyone else's.... their clinic costs keep going up like all our own daily living costs....
I hate to pay the vet visit bill.... but it is better than not having one close enough to call when you need the help.
Too many that are "backyard farmers" and buy a couple of calves, and gives them a shot of LA200 or something and do not carry out the proper protocol, are part of the problem that caused these changes.... and the calves do not get better so they say it is the drugs.... when it is actually not knowing what the real problem is and treating it with something that will do the job to cure the problem. Using antibiotics as preventatives is usually a wasted deal and only causes future resistance.
Yet, on that note... I have to take antibiotics every time I go to the dentist now, after having the ankle and knee replacements, to stop any bacteria in my mouth get into the bloodstream in the case of any work, including normal dental cleaning.....so it doesn't get into the joints.... and I am not going to chance that... had one farmer that had his hip replacement get infected, eventually had to have it removed and re done... it was a long and painful situation....
so I will do what I am told for that... so there are times when a preventative dose is supposed to be used.

 

[Lucky]

While I believe that this is a good idea for the cattle industry and society as a whole, it's not particularly beneficial to veterinarians. Will I make a little bit more money from selling penicillin and LA 200? Probably. Is it going to be enough to make it worth dealing with all of the angry old cranks who start coming into the clinic demanding that I sell them drugs even though I haven't been to their farm in ten years? Definitely not.

How will this be better for the cattle industry and society as a whole? Not disagreeing just wondering. I haven't bought meds from a feed store or my vet in years. We've got a guy the delivers whatever we need, in fact I got my fall order today.

 

[Buck Randall]

How will this be better for the cattle industry and society as a whole? Not disagreeing just wondering. I haven't bought meds from a feed store or my vet in years. We've got a guy the delivers whatever we need, in fact I got my fall order today.

In a world where there's already a lot of scrutiny on antibiotic use in food animals, it's hard to claim that we use them responsibly when literally anyone can walk into a store and buy antibiotics. Having a veterinarian involved will cut down on some irresponsible use and increase consumer trust.

It should also decrease the total amount of antibiotics being used, which is good for everyone. We've known for a while now that antibiotic resistance is developing faster than we're able to develop new antibiotics. People take for granted that when they (or their animals) get an infection, we have an effective treatment option. That's probably not going to hold up over the long term without some changes in the way we do things. We can accept these relatively small restrictions and make voluntary changes to improve animal health without antibiotics, or we can resist them and likely end up having much more restrictive laws being imposed on us.

 

[wbvs58]

In Australia we have National Vendor Declarations where any treatments on livestock we are selling are declared and what withholding periods are applicable so no residues end in the processed product which could greatly affect our export markets. We have to keep detailed records of treatments and drugs used with batch numbers and expiry dates for when we are audited. Having to buy through a Veterinarian I would think would add to your accountability. They would or should remind you of the withholding period and hopefully advise on the suitability of the product for the intended use.

Ken

 

[Lucky]

Buck, All good points and thanks for the reply. I do wonder though what percentage of consumers actually care about what has happened to, what antibiotics, or were the animal the pound of hamburger they are buying came from? When I'm at the grocery store or talking to people this rarely if ever comes up. I'd guess no more than 3-5% of the population truly gives a rip were their beef, poultry, or pork comes from. They might say they do but how many care enough to pay more or get involved in a better product. I'd like to say anyone that runs cattle will use antibiotics responsibly because of their bottom line but unfortunately I know better.

 

[TCRanch]

I'd guess no more than 3-5% of the population truly gives a rip were their beef, poultry, or pork comes from.

I agree. But that small percentage are the ones making all the noise. Along with some people in the government that have NO clue but are making decisions that impact the Ag Industry as a whole. That's why I do so many ranch tours, the whole farm-to-table thing with Creekstone Farms Premium Beef.

As a side note: I'm on a number of cattle forums and it hurts my head when someone says they have no idea what's wrong with their cow/calf/bull, but they gave it LA300. Why???? Did it really need it? As opposed to figuring out what's actually wrong and treating accordingly? Which may include benign neglect.

 

[TexasJerseyMilker]

I sure liked that old Hank Williams Jr. song. It is especially appropriate today.

When we first moved to Oregon we didn't have a vet. A couple of months later a horse fell into a 10' deep ravine and was badly injured. I called all the vets. None of the local vets would come apparently it was because we did not have a vet/client/patient relationship. The horse, a black Arabian stallion, had to be shot. I am a nurse. I don't understand these vets. All the doctors and nurses that I know will do anything to help people and refuse care to no one. Apparently these are laws in some states where the vet can't treat without a relationship. They have to see the animals in advance and do a checkup or something. I suppose I will have to load a horse, a pony, an old milk cow and a heifer, 5 chickens, a dog and a guinea hen and trailer them down the road. Because a farm call costs $350. I do why own worming and vaccinations thank God.

I know better than to dose my undiagnosed animals with various OTC antibiotics, but heck, I'd like to be able to buy lower cost tubes of Tomorrow teat infusion to prevent mastitis. Don't need a diagnosis for that.

In Texas, a state that requires vet client patient relationship, the mobile vet came out to see a lame horse and that formed the relationship. No advance relationship needed.

 

[CowboyRam]

I have to different vets I work with. One that I have do my preg checks, and the other semen test, trich my bulls, and takes care of my dog.

I wonder with having to have a prescription for antibiotics will the prices go up.